Separate Hidden from System Files in View

[gbjennings]

It would be GREAT to be able to hide System files, but still be able to view Hidden files, or vice versa. Personally I like to hide the 'desktop.ini' files, but allow hidden files such as the registry's 'system.dat' and 'user.dat' to remain visible. If you really want to get fancy, let the user select which files to hide. ;-) Thanks for listening and thanks for a GREAT product.

[admin]

It would be GREAT to be able to hide System files, but still be able to view Hidden files, or vice versa. Personally I like to hide the 'desktop.ini' files, but allow hidden files such as the registry's 'system.dat' and 'user.dat' to remain visible. If you really want to get fancy, let the user select which files to hide. ;-) Thanks for listening and thanks for a GREAT product.

Yes, that would be possible... but let me meditate on the consequences concerning complication of interface and interaction. E.g. somewhere the current listing-filter status should be shown, which again needs/wastes space... avoidance of interface cluttering is a weighty point...
I'm also open for second opinions...

[admin]

okay, gbjennings is gone with the wind... but the idea is still there.

I'd like to add the option to hide system files. There's only one thing left to decide.
If we have two independent options:
- Show hidden items
- Show system items
... and check one of them, meaning for example "Show hidden, but hide system", what do we do with items that have both attributes set? I'm inclined to show them because "Show hidden items" has been explicitly checked.
If we semantically negate the wording to:
- Hide hidden items
- Hide system items
the natural interpretation would be the opposite, right? An item with both attributes set would be hidden if any one of the boxes is checked.

Remains the question: which way is better? In dubio pro show, or in dubio pro hide?

[RalphM]

Remains the question: which way is better? In dubio pro show, or in dubio pro hide?

IMHO it's "In dubio pro show" especially since "Hide hidden files" sounds a bit confusing, don't you think?

[jacky]

IMHO it's "In dubio pro show" especially since "Hide hidden files" sounds a bit confusing, don't you think?

Agrees. Especially since right now there's an option "Show hidden files & folders" it would only seems logical to keep that way.

I perosnnally show all files so I don't know how people would feel for files having each of the attributes, but you could also add an option to choose which of them is "master". ie. for show hidden & hide system files, a file having both would be shown if Hidden is master, otherwise (System master) it'd be hidden....

[admin]

I've been with you ("In dubio pro show") for 2 days in my mind. Then I programmed it and somehow the code had its own opinion and it's always good to listen to it: in the end I went for "In dubio pro hide."!
And I can explain it: the normal/default state, for me as a power user at least, is: show me everything! So the marked action is hiding. If you uncheck a "Show..." checkbox, what you do is positively hiding something. Well, that's how it feels for me.
So I gave hiding the dominance. Try yourself...

Code: Select all

    + Configuration/General: added checkbox "Show system files and 
      folders". Unchecking this checkbox will hide all items with the 
      SYSTEM attribute set (regardless of the HIDDEN attribute and the 
      setting of the "Show hidden..." checkbox).