Grouping in file view + extended color filter

[noutters]

I am a beloving user of XYplorer but I came across xplorer2 last week and wanted to give it a shot.
After testing it a couple of weeks, I won't leave XYplorer. On the other hand, I have been seduced by 2 features that I miss now badly in XYplorer:

1) possibility to group the files in the file view.
For example, if the sorting is based on the file latest change parameter, grouping is done by
Modified: Last hour
Modified: Yesterday
Modified: This week etc...

I am sure you get the idea. This feature permits to see VERY quickly the files of interest. Biggest, most recent, etc...

Groups should be of course defined by the user, and not statically defined as in xplorer2.

2) color + bold font filter based on name, content, type, size, date etc...
Coloring could be done using the excellent search file GUI in XYplorer
Why not have a font size based filter too? Text size can be easily changed in XYplorer so may be most of the code is there already...

Cheers

[lukescammell]

Perhaps a "group lover" (oo-err!) could explain what groups give me that a simple list sort on ext (or type) with CTRL+SHIFT+E doesn't?

[Gandolf]

Much easier to see the files.

You can jump to the first file in a group.
You can sort by the group, then by another field.
You can create your own customised groups.

Oh, and Windows Explorer does it, but only very basic.

[noutters]

lukescammell:

The best way to explain the use of groups is to test it yourself. I was not convinced it was THAT useful, but after using groups, it feels frustrating to search throught the top of a well sorted but compact list.

[Gandolf]

...The best way to explain the use of groups is to test it yourself...

Agreed.

I think what really convinced me of how useful groups are was the ability to create custom groups, I've not found any other way of producing a similar listing.

[admin]

Grouping: I believe that the feature is nice, but -- when done as in Explorer -- it would be a lot of work for me, since the list layout is heavily changed and a lot of calculations would have to be adjusted to this kind of display.

However, there might be other ways of configurable grouping without altering the layout but maybe, for example, background colors... or a special column which could be used to mark groups.

2) color + bold font filter based on name, content, type, size, date etc...
Coloring could be done using the excellent search file GUI in XYplorer
Why not have a font size based filter too? Text size can be easily changed in XYplorer so may be most of the code is there already...

I'm not sure what you mean here. Different font sizes in one list??

[noutters]

Hi admin and thanks for your response!

a special column which could be used to mark groups

I don't think a special column would work since it already exists in XYplorer.

From what I read, the complicated part of coding is to produce the title of the group. May be it could be ignored for now and a blank line between groups could do the job? After all, the title of the group is not so important, it takes room in the display and the user knows the grouping criterion anyway.
Adding a single blank line to separate the groups could be a great and simple addition without having to heavily alter the list layout.

I'm not sure what you mean here. Different font sizes in one list??

Correct. Now we use color coding. What about using font size related to the file size, age, or whatever numeric parameter. No need to sort the files anymore . You'll see them stick out of the list.

For example for a given file list font size scale:
largest = font size 10, smallest = font size 6 - with file size linearly correlated to font size

or

youngest file = font size 10; oldest = font size 6

Look here for effect:

example 1
example 2
example 3
example 4
example 5
example 6
example 7
example 8

I hope it makes sense.

[admin]

Hi admin and thanks for your response!

a special column which could be used to mark groups

I don't think a special column would work since it already exists in XYplorer.

From what I read, the complicated part of coding is to produce the title of the group. May be it could be ignored for now and a blank line between groups could do the job? After all, the title of the group is not so important, it takes room in the display and the user knows the grouping criterion anyway.
Adding a single blank line to separate the groups could be a great and simple addition without having to heavily alter the list layout.

I'm not sure what you mean here. Different font sizes in one list??

Correct. Now we use color coding. What about using font size related to the file size, age, or whatever numeric parameter. No need to sort the files anymore . You'll see them stick out of the list.

For example for a given file list font size scale:
largest = font size 10, smallest = font size 6 - with file size linearly correlated to font size

or

youngest file = font size 10; oldest = font size 6

Look here for effect:

example 1
example 2
example 3
example 4
example 5
example 6
example 7
example 8

I hope it makes sense.

Both wishes are difficult for the same reason. You said "the complicated part of coding is to produce the title of the group" -- no that's not the point. The problem is rather the "list mechanics": scrolling, clicking, drag-selecting... e.g. finding out which row has been clicked is a simple calculation when each row has say 18 pixels height and you know the current top index of the list (= scroll position). In the grouped style, however, you have 2 extra lines (1 blank, 1 title) that are not clickable and contain no data. However, they affect the list height and hence the scrollbar values. Etc etc ... With different font sizes it's even worse. I'd rather write a completely new control than to adapt my list to this. I already mentioned in another thread, that I plan to add "tag clouds" one day.

[j_c_hallgren]

I just took a quick look at the x2 user manual about grouping...it does seem to be a decent feature that I could see a use for on occasion...but as stated by Don, it has some impacts on how the list is handled...so...how about this as a variant/compromise:
Delimit the various groups (as defined by x2 as example) via a different colored underline (user selected color) as done when focus/selected are same....you know, that 1 (2?) pixel line...ok, so keeping track of which entry needs it may be a bit of issue, as would possible conflicts with zebra, etc, but just a thought on a way to provide visual breaks between sets without dramatically affecting layout, as would varying font sizes..

[admin]

I just took a quick look at the x2 user manual about grouping...it does seem to be a decent feature that I could see a use for on occasion...but as stated by Don, it has some impacts on how the list is handled...so...how about this as a variant/compromise:
Delimit the various groups (as defined by x2 as example) via a different colored underline (user selected color) as done when focus/selected are same....you know, that 1 (2?) pixel line...ok, so keeping track of which entry needs it may be a bit of issue, as would possible conflicts with zebra, etc, but just a thought on a way to provide visual breaks between sets without dramatically affecting layout, as would varying font sizes..

Would be possible, but I now think a compromise (in the sense of doing it half-way) is not a good idea. Either I find something better, or I do exactly the same as all others do (who, BTW, don't have to "do" it since it is built in into the MS Common Controls ListView Control -- Donald writes his own controls...). Both ways take time, which I now reserved for other things.

[Gandolf]

The whole point of grouping, as I see it, is the divider between the groups. It instantly distinguishes the group. The added advantage of being able to name the groups as I want makes it especially beneficial to me.

I can't see that colour is practical, 36+ different colours which must not clash with the chosen background or text colours. I don't think it would work.

[j_c_hallgren]

Would be possible, but I now think a compromise (in the sense of doing it half-way) is not a good idea. Either I find something better, or I do exactly the same as all others do (who, BTW, don't have to "do" it since it is built in into the MS Common Controls ListView Control -- Donald writes his own controls...). Both ways take time, which I now reserved for other things.

Hey, I just thought I'd throw out the idea as something to consider...didn't really think it was ideal, but a concept that was at least worth posting about...

[admin]

Would be possible, but I now think a compromise (in the sense of doing it half-way) is not a good idea. Either I find something better, or I do exactly the same as all others do (who, BTW, don't have to "do" it since it is built in into the MS Common Controls ListView Control -- Donald writes his own controls...). Both ways take time, which I now reserved for other things.

Hey, I just thought I'd throw out the idea as something to consider...didn't really think it was ideal, but a concept that was at least worth posting about...

Sure, throw them out when they come!

[serendipity]

an additional column called groups or something similar which users can create would be a solution. actually there is already a kind of grouping done with color filters which assign similar colors to a set of file extensions. i dont know if its better to have colors as a group or have a complete new grouping apart from colors.
BTW this is somewhat related to a new column wish i had sometime back where user could make his/her own xomments and sort accordingly. http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... ght=column

[admin]

an additional column called groups or something similar which users can create would be a solution. actually there is already a kind of grouping done with color filters which assign similar colors to a set of file extensions. i dont know if its better to have colors as a group or have a complete new grouping apart from colors.
BTW this is somewhat related to a new column wish i had sometime back where user could make his/her own xomments and sort accordingly. http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic. ... ght=column

What I meant by additional column was a column just for coloring or even for free choosable background graphics. Like a vertical colored graphic stripe.

Comments column: yes, damn, this is one of those programming riddles where I'm a short before the solution since long. In fact I know a solution already but it's not yet fast enough for XY's high speed standards. There are also some problems with Vista which makes the Comments column even a little bit harder to do.