Emphasize locality graphically

[Peter Penz]

Hello Claes!

On Thursday, 9. August 2007 23:17, Claes H wrote:
> Here is an idea that I think could enhance usability of Dolphin: Make
> some part of its user interface graphically different for each
> directory. This would give the subconscious a sense of location to
> "grab on to". Without thinking, I believe you would easier recognize a
> directory that is being displayed if it looks familiar from earlier
> "visits" - make the "locality" aspect more visible.

Dolphin remembers the following things for each directory already:
- current view mode (icons, details, columns)
- preview on/off
- grouping on/off
- sorting (name, size, type, date, ...)
- show hidden files on/off

Especially the different view modes and the grouping mechanism gives already 
much "identity" to each directory visually.

> This I think would ease browsing in several windows at once, and when
> browsing certain directories many times over. With visually
> distinctive features, this is faster and easier than if you have to
> read the text of icons and path, I believe.
>
> For example, the background could have a slightly different color
> and/or shade. Or there could be difference in pattern in a corner. The
> color or pattern could be randomly generated using the directory path
> as seed. Or it could be computed from the directory depth. Or some
> other algorithm.. The important features are

I personally don't see any improvement when having different backgrounds for 
different directories. Also calculating them by "some algorithm" is.. well, I 
cannot imagine that people will like it when the algorithm calculates a light 
green color which overwrites their custom background color ;-)

>  - that the graphic for a directory should always look the same when
> returning - that it should be different between directories
>  - that it should work for every directory

This works already.

> I imagine this graphic separate from its icon, although perhaps it is
> possible to join somehow.

Sorry, I don't understand this one...

> Going further, you could imagine plugins generating the graphical
> part: given a directory path - return the graphic.
>
> Does this make sense to you?

I agree that each directory should remember its view properties [1], but I 
don't see the background or a pattern as part of such a property...

Best regards,
Peter

[1] for people who don't like this behavior this can be turned off in Dolphin 
too