XYplorer Beta Club

I would like custom attributes for the list view - such as MP3 file attributes like bitrate and others. For Images resolution, color settings, etc.

I would also like to save list view settings per folder. So- for my MP3 folder I would be able to setup the list view with MP3 specific attributes as discussed above, different color settings, etc. My Images folder would have settings for image attributes, different color settings, etc.

mikes16 wrote:I would also like to save list view settings per folder. So- for my MP3 folder I would be able to setup the list view with MP3 specific attributes as discussed above, different color settings, etc. My Images folder would have settings for image attributes, different color settings, etc.

My initial quick reply to this issue: Don't see it happening, IMHO...as there are limited ways this could be done, AFAIK.
Those choices are, as I see it:
1) Registry : XY stays as far away from this style as possible
2) INI (Config) : That would clutter up INI with loads of entries
3) A file within that folder : XY also avoids doing this as leaves footprint

I'm sure jacky may have input/feedback on this also, and point out stuff that I've missed!

Well, I'm with you on the second part, the folder specifig settings. But I don't see the point in the first thing. I had an explorer addon back in the day that allowed me to display such things, but since MP3 files (just an example, would be just the same with pictures or whatever) have to be opened to get that information my main MP3 folder with around 1500 files is just not useable anymore.

But I'm all for folder specific settings, I have a few folders for which I need that date colums, usualy I don't. Also some have to be sorted differently and so on. So this would be much apperciated by me as well
Where to save those informations is mainly a question of design. One could use the folder it apllies to and make a hidden (system) file like desktop.ini or something, or use a global file that contains all specific settings. It would also be nice if it was a special feature, meaning I have to tell xy "remember these settings just for this folder" so that not everytime I change something it only applies to the folder I happen to be in.

But that part would indeed be wonderful!

bye
Creat

j_c_hallgren wrote:I'm sure jacky may have input/feedback on this also, and point out stuff that I've missed!

Damn, /me goes looking for what jc could have missed there

No I think jc pretty much said it all. Allthough the main question might be: would Don agree to add such feature in XY.
AFAIC I use details 99% of the time, and when not I'm using the Thumbnails view, and the TB button to toggle is good enough for me. Actually, it's even better than a per-folder setting as I do not want a folder to always be in Thumbs mode, only when I need it to

Anyways, XY already has some per-folder settings remembered (such as the Tree's Highlighting features, or in some other way the thumbnails cache) so I guess it could be happening. (And in no way should it be a file on the folder itself, IMHO)
But, replying to Creat, my guess is, seeing how XY works, this would only be for the View mode, sort order & columns order. Not what columns are visible or not, as those are not even per-tab but a global setting!

(off topic: I said it before, but I still belive the columns visibility state should be included in the User Defaults that can be saved/restored, or else it might look that it doesn't work to some.)

jacky wrote:But, replying to Creat, my guess is, seeing how XY works, this would only be for the View mode, sort order & columns order.

Yes, I was hoping for two buttons/commands/menu entries/whatever. One should save the current settings just for the current folder (possibly with an option to apply to subfolders recursively), and one to 'forget' such settings and revert to the currelt global settings.
It would just be basically the properties and current settings of the listview (view mode, column sizes, thumbnails and so on).

jacky wrote:Not what columns are visible or not, as those are not even per-tab but a global setting!

That doesn't mean it's hard to do, it just depends on how Don structured the thin internally, might be easy, might not.

And of course it's up to him, I just hope he thinks it's a good idea, been hoping for this for a while now

bye
Creat

Seeing the replies above, I had an idea

How about if one could store, let's say, maybe different "looks" for tabs/folders? This would include column widths, sort order, etc...These would be handled somewhat like Templates in how one would be able to save/rename/delete them.
This would allow user to name them to something that means something to them, like "Music" or whatever.

Then these could be pointed to via a numerical index that could be stored with INI entry for Favorites Folders -or- in Catalog entry for those stored there -or- in entry for a tab...this index would then point to layout name which then contains needed values...maybe this is too convoluted, but reduces total data to be stored in INI.

These layouts could be stored within the XY appl folder in new subfolder and would be mimimal in size, like 1KB...This would make it portable but not clutter up INI that much, and might even reduce amount of data stored in Tabs section, as pointer to layout could be stored instead of actual settings...a global setting and default setting might be needed also.

And have a button, maybe on Properties tab, to access these Layouts as Templates button on Find Files tab is...or a special entry in List Mgmt listing?

Just some ideas on how it could be portable but still minimal impact on both XY and system...this could open up a number of possibilities that would allow greater flexability in how a particular tab or folder might look.