Design forward: Files

[jancborchardt]

Currently files just has a list of files in the current level, a breadcrumb bar, actions to upload and create new stuff, and with deleted files also a control randomly placed in the top right.

We can do better. Basic thoughts:

• we need a sidebar, left list and right content distinction like in other apps. The right content will just be the files list like it is now. The left list should show:
  • All Files
  • Shared with others (essentially a filter)
  • Shared publicly (filter too)
  • Shared with me (that’s the »Shared« directory – this directory restriction we need to really change to just have them in root)
  • External storage (Dropbox, Drive, FTP etc)
  • Recent actions (something like the »Events« view Dropbox has, just a thought)
  • Deleted Files
  • on the bottom a settings icon of course for WebDAV address and such
  • (maybe more …)
• there should be thumbnails, Files: thumbnails #205
• only the text of the name should be clickable to open it (plus padding to top and bottom), the rest of the horizontal space should be used to mark the entry
• the file actions should be moved to their relevant positions Files: move file actions to relevant positions #202

Thoughts @icewind1991 @Raydiation @karlitschek

[ewildgoose]

I think there are two schools of thought on interface:
a) Finder style, eg ajaxplorer
b) Dropbox web style (or photo gallery style)

I think OC goes for the latter, but to do that well needs to excel at that kind of style, ie keep it simple, make it powerful. One can always put a link to connect via the native operating system Finder/Explorer to do geeky thing (support seems to be getting better through time)

I think this chain of thought mainly applies to the highlighting, multi-select, drag and drop, etc all lead naturally to complex Finder style interfaces. A checkbox on the left for selecting and big clickable bars which a default action (and perhaps a thumbnail) are much more "IOS" style and lend themselves to big clickable actions...

With regards to your groupings, I should think these are a simple button up on the nav bar which allow you to "View By" and then you choose to view by file name, by date, by size, grouped by category, etc. There is a precedent for this with the Windows file finder

[jancborchardt]

@ewildgoose Design isn’t divided into schools of thought, it’s a collection of small decisions which make up the product. ownCloud has the basic file manager, but also different apps, which could be seen as a better way to view certain files (Music, Pictures, Notes, etc.). Keeping it simple is the guiding principle for all of those. Are you interested in taking up some of the aspects and contribute?

Btw, @MTRichards what are your thoughts on the points in the original post?

[MTRichards]

The challenge I see today is that the files app works nice and simple, it is self explanatory ... but it is not helpful for people with LOTS of files. I would like to see a more advanced finder type interface that makes finding and using files easier, and takes some of the burden off the end user to figure out which rules apply to the UI. The shared folder, for example, confuses people. Deleted files we have discussed in other places, but it too is not obvious. So I agree with the suggestions at the top, I think it makes it a much easier interface to use.

[ewildgoose]

I think we are all agreeing. By "schools of thought", I mean that I identify two main classes of solution that have gone before us... For sure the devil is in the details, but fundamentally when I review other solutions to this I see two main directions (complex or simple, to use some provocative terms)

I think it's not too hard to make lists of other products and the features that one likes, perhaps this is a good direction? I do observe a large amount of NIH thinking on many projects - at the end of the day, there are already many clever people out there who have solved parts of this problem - can we leverage their solutions?

Meant to be a positive reply - yes I am interested in helping. Good luck

[butonic]

I like the idea of a more finder like interface. With regard to sharing I cannot stop but think of implementing them as a mountabel storage like for external devices. @icewind1991 @MTGap opinions? Then we could mount a share to any path in the file tree we wanted to. Currently all shared files can be found in the 'Shared' folder which requires special magic to deduplicate filenames when the user has been shared a 'Pictures' folder more than once.
Maybe we can use the owner name to distinguish the folders? like

/Shared/alice/Pictures
/Shared/bob/Pictures

instead of

/Shared/Pictures
/Shared/Pictures (2)

What should happen when a user alice has the following file hierarchy:

/Projects/A/Docs
/Projects/B/Docs
...

Now alice shares the Docs folder of project A to group A and the Docs folder of project B to group B.
user bob happens to be in both groups. He has no way of distinguishing the two folders but that one of them is called 'Docs (2)'.

I guess at least for this case we need some kind of description that users can add to a share.

Or we add something like symlinks so users can link shares into any folder they like. Some like to have everythinkg from a project in one place. I know we need to make things 'just work' for non-power users. But then I'd very much like to vote for the google docs approach:

This should be a second application (may I suggest to name it 'documents') that does not neet to restrict itself to the historic filesystem limitation of unique filenames and by default shows files ordered by last modified date.
We already have the append a number to duplicate shared files magic which we can reuse when exposing duplicate files via webdav.

opinions?

[luckydonald]

@ewildgoose Finder style (=Mac?) and ajaxplorer's sidebar differs by the use of subdir browsing.
@MTRichards I agree. The Finder Sidebar actually is a list of bookmarks, with fanzy icons.
This list Comes with default favorites, like your Pictures Folder, Movies etc.
The user can add any Folder or File to this list or remove unwanted ones.

With the icons of the default items the function of the folder/item obvious.
You can say what a folder will contain, even if it isn't your language.
Concrete Example:
The .Trash Item links to the Paper Bin for deleted Files.
If you are looking for the Paper Bin you look for the icon.

Add a icon in the sidebar and it is clear.

Maybe this could be integrated with the Apps bar or vice versa, but it may stay separate too.

Make the share a subgroup like the Devices (here "Geräte").
Add the shares here.
As @butonic suggest, add them by Username. (Dropbox WebUI uses this a bit)
Dropbox integration gets a folder, all Shared Devices/Services too!
And you dont need to call it "Dropbox of luckydonald". Just use some Box icon and call it luckydonald.
And for duplicates here add tooltips with complete path, owner, shared group name.

[luckydonald]

The noticed the law problem with Icons of Services. ( #723 ).
But as suggested there, use a G for GoogleDrive and maybe "Box" for Dropbox.

[DeepDiver1975]

@jancborchardt this is OC7 from my point of view

[jancborchardt]

Yes, most definitely (though unfortunately) ownCloud 7 only, this milestone was set some time ago. As info for others: ownCloud 6 feature freeze is in ~4 weeks.

[jancborchardt]

This is fixed now with the sidebar and the share overview pages. Props go to @PVince81! :)