Catalog: Export/Save? Also, Category without title display?

[j_c_hallgren]

Two functions that I think would be useful in dealing with catalog:

1) Ability to Export catalog for backup purposes...we can do a Save As for INI file but I don't see any similar built in easy-to-use function for catalog...
There would thus likely need to be a matching full Import function, as one can do in IE with Favorites....where now one can only import a category

2) Not sure exactly how this (if even possible) could be done, but right now I've got three categories and the category name/title thus takes three lines of vertical display...this reduces the amount of entries I can see as I keep the split line quite far down to see more of tree...

I like/use the ability to have a branch color that applies to all entries, so really all I'd need is the separator line between them to show...how one would handle the expand/collapse of category is something I haven't quite figured out, as is where one would click to set category level attributes..anyway, thought I'd throw out the idea..

[DongGook Park]

What about applying "tab" interface to category display as well. Each category title has its own tab header and when the set of tab headers grows then it flows down to the next line.

I think it would be nice if we have such a different way to access categories in addition to the current way, which is already quite good though.

[jacky]

1) Ability to Export catalog for backup purposes...

Yes, a whole Import/Export feature would be nice, but not (only) for the full Catalog, but also on a category level. So one coud import/export one (or more) categories to share them with co-workers/friends/etc

2) Not sure exactly how this (if even possible) could be done, but right now I've got three categories and the category name/title thus takes three lines of vertical display...this reduces the amount of entries I can see as I keep the split line quite far down to see more of tree...

hmm... not sure how we could ge ride of the Category item (or it would require to move everyting to the right), besides in your case you might not use the category item, but it can be used to collapse/expand the category, or to drop things on it (to add), or with the "Copy All" feature, etc

Since we're on Catalog wishes... here's an idea or later, maybe. To add "Views" to the Catalog. There would be the regular view, like today, a view like jc wants where everything is moved to the right a little, and Categories are shown only by a little plus/minus sign on the right (and their background color as a small column on the left?), and a 2-columns view.
Cause I realised that I do too have a bigger Tree than Catalog, and I have quite a few things in my Catalog as well, but most of my categories/items captions are "small". So if I would "split" my Catalog in 2 columns, basically my right column would be empty right now.
Hence the idea of using Two columns, eg instead of the usual
Cat1
Cat2
Cat3
Cat4

having something like this:
Cat1 | Cat2
Cat3 | Cat4

There could also be an option to have one category on 2 columns, so with Cat3 having this it would be like this:
Cat1 | Cat2
Cat3a | Cat3b
Cat4

Would highly decrease the amount of required scrolling in Catalog, I think.

[j_c_hallgren]

I was thinking about this a bit more...all this is based on it being optional via config...if the plus/minus icons were a bit smaller, and the category name was not displayed, and the vertical height of the 'line' for category was about same or very close to height of icon, then the total vert size for catg header could be about half the current, which when combined with color for that line makes an adequate visual separator from adjoining.

This would, in my case, reduce the total space used for my three catg hdrs to about half the current, or less, without eliminating the ability to collapse or expand that category.

The other thing I noticed was the amount of blank space (vertically) between entries in cat seems to be more than in tree (and list?)...maybe just a couple of pixels? Is this due to space needed for separator line between categories? Is there some way that this could be reduced to squeeze more lines in catalog area? And if needed, maybe the separator line could be just a bit thicker to compenste...

Jacky's idea of side-by-side entries would not work for me as I almost always keep caption and destination the same, so they are quite long...

[admin]

Quick answer: I could add a toggle to show/hide the category headers. So if you'd hide them you would see only the items of all currently open categories in one unstructured list. To change which items are shown you would first have to unhide the category headers...

Your other ideas I did not like so much.

[j_c_hallgren]

Quick answer: I could add a toggle to show/hide the category headers.

Your other ideas I did not like so much.

A toggle available easily and quickly (via context menu?) that would hide titles/headers would work for me...IF:
1) existing gray separator lines between catg were maintained so one could see breakdowns/organization.
2) a narrow line/bar (about as thick as space between plus/minus icon and separator line above it, or half the height of p/m icon) using catg title color was then shown in place of title, so one could visually spot a particular catg via color.

Other ideas? Which? Is there a really good reason why cat entries have more space between them than tree or list? Those few pixels can add up to a usable line entry.

[admin]

Is there a really good reason why cat entries have more space between them than tree or list? Those few pixels can add up to a usable line entry.

Yes: the impression of air-to-breath contra stranglehold tightness.

[j_c_hallgren]

Yes: the impression of air-to-breath contra stranglehold tightness.

Ok... but...I just see it as a fair amount of space that is wasted as empty that could hopefully display another line in my setup...which would be valuable in usage than spaced out lines...just my $.02!

[admin]

Yes: the impression of air-to-breath contra stranglehold tightness.

Ok... but...I just see it as a fair amount of space that is wasted as empty that could hopefully display another line in my setup...which would be valuable in usage than spaced out lines...just my $.02!

I've said it elsewhere already: The enlighted road to enough screen space is self-discipline! Instead of squeezing ever more items into the always limited pixel space, reduce your load. Travel lite thru cyber space! Om.

[jacky]

Jacky's idea of side-by-side entries would not work for me as I almost always keep caption and destination the same, so they are quite long...

Yeah I do too for quite a few items, but no one forcing you to and honestly I do it cause I'm lazy, but I could easilly short them up, eg remove the path and only keep the item's name. That & colors/icons is enough for me to know what is what, and the tooltip are if needed also.

Your other ideas I did not like so much.

Actually I was thinking about this, since it got in my mind, and I would really love having a two columns view on Catalog, whether it's for 2 categories side by side, or items of one category listed on two column (or both the ability for both), but it would be really cool.

Might be my setup, maybe I have a somewhat "large" Tree/Catalog width, but I have a lot of space wasted that could be saved that way, hence less scroling and easier/faster access

Here's me dreaming.... :

[lukescammell]

Jackie, I want your dream!