[Pending]new feature wish: frozen folders/cold columns

[bdeshi]

@autocart right, you've explained this much better than I could.

[autocart]

@autocart right, you've explained this much better than I could.

Hey, thx for the compliment, Sammay!
Glad I could understand it.
Hope I could also help Don to understand the wish correctly.

[autocart]

Since Don said:

It just has to be done. But not now, this needs some thinking. Next year maybe.

and

I have put frozen folders [cold columns] somewhere deep down in my brain. One day it will spit out something useful.

Edit in square brackets made by me.

Therefore I have just an idea for a workaround if somebody want to try programming it. (Am not sure if it can really work, though.):
Use an "Extra Column" -> Put type to "Text" -> now every item can have its own static text attached to it, shown in the extra column.
Programming part: Make a script (put it on a user button) that will update the column(s) with the desired valus (determined by the name of the user-defined caption).
Main questions:
1) I did not find out if a script can set the values of an extra text column, respectively this text attached to each file.
2) I did not test, whether the display of the values in the extra text column is so much faster that it is worth the effort.
3) I do no have the time/motivation to actually try to program this.
4) Of course this will only be limited to extra columns which there are only 5 available of, if I am right. Any other columns will not be (in this context, let's say) static but be updated like always. But this could be a workaround for "slow data", right?

Then if you want to switch "modes" also, the programming will be more:
It would mean switching column sets.
But to make sure the columns are switched correctly in all open tabs and panes and maybe (default-)folder view settings, etc. could be a little more tricky and more effort. Maybe.

EDIT: "Extra Tags" is the keyword here belonging to "Extra Columns". Just if somebody wanted to know.

[highend]

Therefore I have just an idea for a workaround if somebody want to try programming it. (Am not sure if it can really work, though.):
Use an "Extra Column" -> Put type to "Text" -> now every item can have its own static text attached to it, shown in the extra column.

What's the use of it? The whole thread is about freezing columns so that a tab switch / opening the folder doesn't result into processing that column again. But ofc any extra column is repopulated when that happens, too (yeah, sure that's faster than getting the data for each file every time but it's static content that needs to be updated by the user). Apart from the "problem" that the tags.dat grows larger and larger for all those "temporary" items that you save information for (which normally would be extracted on the fly only when needed).

Scriptable? Sure.

[autocart]

What's the use of it?

this could be a workaround for "slow data", right?

For your critical mind let me change that to "extremely slow data" (e.g. thinking of MD5 or what ever is too slow for the end user).

but it's static content that needs to be updated by the user).

Answer:

The whole thread is about freezing columns so that a tab switch / opening the folder doesn't result into processing that column again.

Therefore you HAVE TO update it manually (by pressing a button).

Apart from the "problem" that the tags.dat grows larger and larger for all those "temporary" items that you save information for (which normally would be extracted on the fly only when needed).

You do have a point there. This could amount to a lot of items/data in the tags.dat.

[highend]

Therefore you HAVE TO update it manually (by pressing a button).

No^^ What you're doing manually is to store data but the processing of that extra column happens automatically every time. No manual intervention possible currently...

[autocart]

Therefore you HAVE TO update it manually (by pressing a button).

No^^ What you're doing manually is to store data but the processing of that extra column happens automatically every time. No manual intervention possible currently...

My keywords for you should then be:
*update the stored data*
*faster*
and ESPECIALLY *workaround*

EDIT: But it is all theory. As I said, I don't think I am going to program this.

[Evolve]

<bump>

Seems like an alternative solution to that problem

[admin]

Previous reply still valid: viewtopic.php?p=128217#p128217

[eil]

Wanna share my 2 cents: if i understand the idea correctly, for me it's just an advanced version of Cached Folders, when column with sizes doesn't auto-refresh and needs manual treat, by in this case mechanic is expanded to All columns. As Cached Columns acronym(CC) would be interfering with Custom Columns, Frozen Columns indeed might be a name for future feature.