Info Panel on Search Results Tab

jtruchon · Post by **jtruchon** » 28 Dec 2006 06:21

Hello All;

As I stated in the post Address Bar Search - File Size, I'm using the FF/search feature a lot.

I now realize that you can not use the Address Bar search to find files by size/date, so I would like to make a suggestion. How about an option to have the info panel visible on the Search Results Tab, even when it's not shown on other tabs.

I've read the XYwiki tip for locking the search results tab, but I don't keep the info panel visible on the other tabs. I know I can just use the tool bar or F12 to hide/show the info panel, but I think it would be really usefully to have the info panel displayed on the the search result tab only...kind of a one stop FF/Searching tab.

TIA

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 28 Dec 2006 07:51

Sounds like an interesting premise...but how would you then propose handling use of F12/toolbar icon? As there might be times when you'd like to hide IP, even on SR tab, so as to see more results in list...or show it on other tabs...might one have to use F12 again on SR tab to set desired visibility there?

This, I could see using a config checkbox option something like "Synchronize Info Panel Visibility" where if set off, then IP size/visibility would be per tab instead of across all tabs....

This could potentially prove quite useful, as there are times on certain tabs, I really want to have IP maximized, but on others, I'd like it minimal or even hidden...so allowing user to make it a tab level setting as opposed to global could even be the norm, IMHO.

zridling · Post by **zridling** » 28 Dec 2006 12:26

That's a great idea, JohnT.

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 28 Dec 2006 16:05

It's a nice idea indeed, but it's already been mentionned before and Don wasn't really up for it, as the Panel is the same everywhere in XY (ie for every tabs) so it was always seen as a global setting, just like the state for AB, Tree, etc

Don't get me wrong though, personnally I'm all for it!

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 28 Dec 2006 19:35

Having different values for each tab's IP (Name/Loc/etc) wouldn't be needed at this point, IMO, but just the current status of the two IP settings (On/Off) (Max/Min), which wouldn't appear to be that much overhead to move to tab level settings.

This could, I think, make using IP even that much easier, as on some folders, I almost never use it, while on others, I use it max'd all the time..so having to constantly turn it on/off+max/min gets to be a bit of a drag...

jacky · Post by **jacky** » 30 Dec 2006 21:27

j_c_hallgren wrote:Having different values for each tab's IP (Name/Loc/etc) wouldn't be needed at this point, IMO, but just the current status of the two IP settings (On/Off) (Max/Min), which wouldn't appear to be that much overhead to move to tab level settings.

Note that I agree with you here, only the status (visible or not, and size) could be enough.
But still, it might be "weird" a bit, for instance, right now all those are in the menu Window; but they should now be moved to the menu Tab, etc
Besides (to the newbie), it could look as if there was a panel per-tab, yet they'd share other settings, like which tab is active, the FF settings, etc which in the end could end up more confusing.. and lead to people wainting a solution to get all panel settings be on a per-tab setting, ie have one panel per tab.

Thinking about this, actually right now there are some (panel) settings that already are tab-related, namely FF settings which are "updated" on tab change, so it might actually get even more confusing because of this!

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 30 Dec 2006 23:09

That's where the second most critical part of an application comes in:
Documentation! Good docs can make a so-so product really good and bad docs can make a great product really so-so..

I'd think some form of a table/chart showing which settings are at which level (tab/window/etc) could be helpful in this situation...and having it in wiki would be enough, I think...