Quick view window below file panel and thumbnail view

[Lefteous]

What do you think about a quick panel below the current (or opposite) file panel?
I have prepared a screenshot.

[djk]

It would be nice. I also needed it sometimes.

[Sheepdog]

What do you think about a quick panel below the current (or opposite) file panel?
I have prepared a screenshot.

Sounds really good. I support it.

Anyhow it seems to me that I've read a similar idea lately

But I think a good idea should be representented at the right time

sheepdog

[Lefteous]

I have extended my feature wish. In addition to the quick view window enhancement I would like to see my file in a thumbnail view.

The windows in my improved example are arranged in the way as in ACDSee.

Background: I started to create a lister plugin that shows thumbnails as an alternative to the IEView plugin (The screenshot is just GIMP and not related to the plugin). But it has the same disadvantages. Too make it short: It doesn't make sense as a lister plugin. An additional type of view (in addition to short, long, comments and tree) should be developed as a core feature.
The appearence should be integrated with the current lister plugins, maybe just an additional function that requests a small size picture represantation of the a file.

Thumbnail management considerations: The way the thumbnails are stored should be configurable by the user:
1) Store thumbnail database in the current directory.
+ Thumbnails are always present were they are needed.
- write protection could make this unusable.
- Some people don't like thumbnail files in all folders.
2) Store in central thumbnail database
+ Works on all directories.
- Moved directories could.make some trouble.
3) A mixture of both: Use 1 if possible.

2Sheepdog

Anyhow it seems to me that I've read a similar idea lately

Really?

[DarkKnight]

If TC gets this great feature there is absolutly no reason to use any other file browser anymore
Let's hope to see it in Version 6.50

[Sheepdog]

I have extended my feature wish. The windows in my improved example are arranged in the way as in ACDSee.

Seems to be a good idea, too. I support this.

2Sheepdog

Anyhow it seems to me that I've read a similar idea lately

Really?

Really

sheepdog

[Lefteous]

2Sheepdog

Thank you for the hint to this thread. Indeed there are some problems to be solved when the additional quick view window is visible.

1. A Tabstop should be possible as an option. Example:
   When the focus is on the left window (thumbnail view in this example) and I press tab the focus will be set to the right file panel window (tree view here). An additional tab will activate the quick view window (if option is enabled). A tab press from the quick view window will set the focus to the left file panel window (thumbnail view in this example).
2. There should be an extra command to set the focus to the new quickview window that works regardless of the "tab stop on new quick view window" option.
3. In contrast to the current quick view window the new one has no underlying file panel window.
4. It's not a copy source or target.
5. The current Quick view is not affected in any way.

Did I miss anything?

A splitter can be used to size the file panel and the quickview window.

[Clo]

2Lefteous
Hello !
• I like your idea in the principle, but :
* I don't see the benefits of thumbnails for non-image files.
* That needs a large screen. All users have not 19" or 21" (and more) monitors. For instance, the largest I've is 17", and the others are 15"... and even an old one as 13" !

  V G
Claude
Clo

[Lefteous]

2Clo

I don't see the benefits of thumbnails for non-image files.

Of course thumbnails aren't useful for all kind of files. The lister plugin interface (including the detection string mechanism) should offer the author to create no thumbnail although a file view is provided by the lister plugin. If no thumbnail is provided TC should draw the standard icon instead. Another option could enable/disable displaying of thumbnails where no content is provided by all installed plugins

That needs a large screen. All users have not 19" or 21" (and more) monitors. For instance, the largest I've is 17", et the others are 15"... and even an old one as 13" !

Yes thumbnails need a lot of space. The thumbnail size should be configurable. Owning a huge display and not having this features in TC means wasting available resources. If you have a small display you can still igonore this feature.

[Hacker]

Lefteous,

I started to create a lister plugin that shows thumbnails as an alternative to the IEView plugin (The screenshot is just GIMP and not related to the plugin). But it has the same disadvantages. Too make it short: It doesn't make sense as a lister plugin.

Why?

TIA
Roman

[Sheepdog]

Why?
TIA
Roman

I'm not Lefteous but I have a good reason why to use (or if you're able to to create) another plugin:
With IE-Plugin you have to have Internet Explorer installed. I do not like this (as I do not like to use IE).


sheepdog

[Hacker]

I wanted to ask why creating a thumbnail plugin does not make sense when making it as a Lister plugin...

TIA
Roman

[Sheepdog]

I wanted to ask why creating a thumbnail plugin does not make sense when making it as a Lister plugin...

TIA
Roman

Then excuse me for interferring.


sheepdog

[Lefteous]

2Hacker

I wanted to ask why creating a thumbnail plugin does not make sense when making it as a Lister plugin...

1. You cannot use the file TC file operations like move, copy, delete. You'll have to implement them yourself. This is just a bad integration into TC.
2. You cannot react to the sorting or the filter chosen by the user.
3. You cannot easily use the lister plugins to display thumbnails. You have to create a sub plugin system or write an adapter to use the plugin system.

[Lefteous]

2Sheepdog

I'm not Lefteous but I have a good reason why to use (or if you're able to to create) another plugin:
With IE-Plugin you have to have Internet Explorer installed. I do not like this (as I do not like to use IE).

That's right. Another disadvantage of using IEView for thumbnail viewing is it's enormous need for resources and it's lack of speed. It doesn't use the TC lister plugin system and doesn't support many file formats.