File dialog: preview widget

[Andreas Hartmetz]

On Friday 07 September 2007 23:13:25 Peter Penz wrote:
> Hi!
>
> David Faure suggested to move the "file dialog: preview widget" thread [1]
> from kfm-devel to kde-core-devel for getting more feedback. Here is the
> summary of the initial question:
>
> Peter Penz wrote:
> > During the port of the file-dialog to KDE 4 and reading
> > some discussions about the "cluttered file dialog" ([2], [3])
> > I was wondering about the preview widget:
> > http://enzosworld.gmxhome.de/temp/file-dialog.png
> >
> > I personally never used the option to turn off the automatic
> > preview by  unchecking the "Automatic preview" checkbox
> > and hence I also never needed the "Preview" button. If I don't
> > want to have a preview, I just turn off the
> > preview widget completely...
> >
> > It is not my intention to remove any functionality that is needed,
> > but in this  case I could not think of a usecase where
> > using the checkbox/button has any
> > benefit against just turning off the preview.
> >
> > Is there something I'm missing here? If not, I'd like to
> > remove the checkbox  and the preview button, as it adds
> > quite a lot visual clutter."
>
> The current 3 replies indicate that removing the checkbox and the button in
> the preview might be OK. Aaron explains further:
>
> Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> > however, i think you're right that it's just as useful to show/hide the
> > preview pane itself and that having less UI in that dialog would be nice.
> > that's just mho though...
> >
> > btw, i think the real issue here is that it's not overly obvious how to
> > show/hide the preview pane, as it is "hidden" in the options menu in the
> > toolbar.
>
> Any further input or objections?
>
Good idea. One thing to keep in mind is that the changing geometry when 
hiding/showing the preview pane will change the items' layout. Some extra 
code and thought is needed to keep displaying what the user wants to see - 
always keep selected items visible (?) and/or keep the (previously) first 
visible item the same or in the first row if mathematics make that 
impossible. This is probably reusable and ready from the itemviews or the 
Dolphin views.
Oh, and splitters... they are always too small to see/grab and too large for 
aesthetics and space saving. Not that I have a better idea :(. How would you 
want to implement the show/hide GUI?

> Thanks!
> Peter
>
> [1] http://lists.kde.org/?l=kfm-devel&m=118914659503800&w=2
> [2] http://dot.kde.org/1188928003/1188936931
> [3] http://www.osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=18563