Mini Tree - Set a branch from the main tree

[Mesh]

It's not exactly convenient to set a new branch in a Mini Tree. If you have it already set as a Favorite Folder, that's one thing. But otherwise, it's a bit inconvenient.

I would recommend a Context Menu item, such as "Add branch to Mini Tree", which could be used while navigating the Main Tree.

[admin]

What do you mean by "Set a branch"?

[Mesh]

What do you mean by "Set a branch"?

In other words, you're choosing via the Context Menu in the full tree, the directory branch you want to add to the Mini Tree.

[admin]

What do you mean by "Set a branch"?

In other words, you're choosing via the Context Menu in the full tree, the directory branch you want to add to the Mini Tree.

Which MiniTree? When you are in FullTree there is no MiniTree.

[Mesh]

Which MiniTree? When you are in FullTree there is no MiniTree.

Okay, let me start from the beginning. When you enable the Mini Tree, it is initially blank except for the directory you were in when you switched over. Now, in order for new branches to be added to the Mini Tree, you have to get to them in the first place. This is easy, if you have them set as Favorite Folders, because you can right click and just go. But otherwise, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to get to any other branch. Of course, you could type in the path by hand in the Address Bar (assuming you have the Address Bar enabled), but that's tedious and time consuming.

What I would like to do is to switch back to the Full Tree, surf to the directory I want to add to the Mini Tree, right click the folder itself, and choose to manually add the branch to the Mini Tree. Once I've done this, I should be able to switch back to the Mini Tree, and have this new branch available there.


Does that help to clear things up?

[Mesh]

Alternately, you could also have the MiniTree come up like the Catalog, so that it can exist at the same time as the full tree. That way, you could drag and drop branches into the Mini Tree.

Personally, I don't want the Mini Tree to update as I browse - because it's only a matter of time before it gets cluttered. I prefer to have it stay static and update it manually with which branches I want it to remember. But that's me.

[admin]

Why not like this: Switch on MiniTree and then use history to add any recently used paths?!

[Mesh]

Why not like this: Switch on MiniTree and then use history to add any recently used paths?!

Hmm... It's doable - but it seems a bit backward. It also comes across as a workaround, rather than a neat solution.

After all, within the Mini Tree, you can right click any branch and choose to remove it from the Mini Tree. It only seems logical that you should be able to do the reverse in order to add branches.


It's actually very similar to marking a folder as a Favorite. You can right click a folder and toggle it on or off as Favorite, and this works very well. It allows you to do it on the fly, and it also allows you to set a custom KB command to toggle it.

Imagine how much more cumbersome that would seem if you couldn't do that, but instead had to visit all the folders you wanted to mark first, and then load up the history and mark them from there.


I think toggling a branch to be added or removed from a Mini Tree should work the same way - you should be able to do both from the full tree via context menu, as well as KB command. It would make it much more streamlined - not to mention intuitive for new users.

[TheQwerty]

Would this work for you as a UDC?

Code: Select all

"Overwrite MiniTree" LoadTree("<focitem>", "0");
"Add To MiniTree" LoadTree("<focitem>", "1");
"Remove From MiniTree" LoadTree("<focitem>", "2");

You may want to prefix each loadtree with Focus("Tree"); so it ignores the list.


Don: Could LoadTree() become smart enough to ignore files when adding existing paths?
This creates a pointless node (obviously I'm a moron for including "\<xyexe>" but it could happen in other cases, like above).

Code: Select all

LoadTree("<xypath>\<xyexe>", 1");

Ideally, I'd like to see it do the following:
If Path Exists && Path Is File: Trim the filename off path.
Add path to MiniTree.

Thus we could still add non-existent paths if we choose and I believe even duplicate the bad behavior by just appending a "\", but we wouldn't be as prone to creating them by accident.

[Mesh]

Would this work for you as a UDC?

I haven't tried it, but from looking at your proposal - it would be a partial workaround (and not a bad one!). But it's still a workaround.

As the Mini Tree is a new feature, I'm giving feedback on what I see should be a part of its base functionality. Many new users will expect something along these lines, and shouldn't be forced to get into scripting in order to address it.

I think, perhaps, that Don is thinking of Mini Tree from the perspective of an experienced XY user, rather than how it looks to a beginner. To a beginner, they're going to say "What good is this, if there isn't an easy and convenient way for me to add branches to it?" Especially after seeing how things like Favorite Folders are handled.

[admin]

Would this work for you as a UDC?

I haven't tried it, but from looking at your proposal - it would be a partial workaround (and not a bad one!). But it's still a workaround.

As the Mini Tree is a new feature, I'm giving feedback on what I see should be a part of its base functionality. Many new users will expect something along these lines, and shouldn't be forced to get into scripting in order to address it.

I think, perhaps, that Don is thinking of Mini Tree from the perspective of an experienced XY user, rather than how it looks to a beginner. To a beginner, they're going to say "What good is this, if there isn't an easy and convenient way for me to add branches to it?" Especially after seeing how things like Favorite Folders are handled.

To me this is an unusal way to use MiniTree which I have never thought of. For me MiniTree is a growing thing ("Tree"!), not a constructed thing. I'm using MiniTree ever since it came out the whole day long and never had any need for such a feature.

But in a way I see your point. Let's see if this remains an isolated approach or others come up with the same need.

[j_c_hallgren]

To me this is an unusal way to use MiniTree which I have never thought of. For me MiniTree is a growing thing ("Tree"!), not a constructed thing. I'm using MiniTree ever since it came out the whole day long and never had any need for such a feature.

But in a way I see your point. Let's see if this remains an isolated approach or others come up with the same need.

Here's my input to this...I can see the use of this idea, but only if also combined with a ability to have something similar to "Home Tab" for the tree...because (maybe I'm getting old?) I don't recall any way to easily do this now without scripts and also without using the catalog...I think we've talked about this before in other threads, but to recap:

Wish: Be able to, in addition to existing functions via MT TB icon, save & load one "favorite" / "home" MT setup...the existing "load last" & "from history' are nice but I'd like to be able to get back to a specific MT that I've configured to my liking via context menu there...and Mesh's new function could help in creation of this MT.

Ok, so I'll admit I could create a Cat entry from MT, and then create MT from that, but I now have my Cat setup with the max entries I can have in the min amt of space I allow it, so having the MT "Fav"/"Home" via TB would (IMHO) more relate that function to it, as I don't really think MT when using the Cat, if that makes sense.

[Mesh]

To me this is an unusal way to use MiniTree which I have never thought of. For me MiniTree is a growing thing ("Tree"!), not a constructed thing. I'm using MiniTree ever since it came out the whole day long and never had any need for such a feature.

I'll be honest with you, personally, I would prefer using the full tree the entire time. But if I were to be able to make use of this, it would be as a constructed set of branches. Similar to what you can do with the Catalog, but more flushed out, for file browsing.

[avsfan]

I'll be honest with you, personally, I would prefer using the full tree the entire time. But if I were to be able to make use of this, it would be as a constructed set of branches. Similar to what you can do with the Catalog, but more flushed out, for file browsing.

Ever since I started using the Mini Tree, I have really enjoyed it and found it very useful (and hardly use the full tree any more). When we get mini-tree-per-tab (MTPT?) I'll love mini tree even more!

[admin]

Don: Could LoadTree() become smart enough to ignore files when adding existing paths?

Yep, done. Good idea.