Lynx like motion

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Tylla

Lynx like motion

Post by Tylla »

Hi.

I would like to propose an optionally selectable directory walk trough method.
It's the plain ol' 'lynx like motion', some of you may already know from MC (Midnight Commander).

The heart of it is that makes the directory up/down movement (I mean enter a directory and leave it) available trough the press of the Left/Right movement keys. It's just like CTRL+PGUP/CTRL+PGDN, only no modifier keys are required.

Naturally this only makes sense when the selected panel displays files in only one column. When there are more than one columns (tiles, thumbnails view etc.) the cursor keys behave as normal and move the selection right/left.

I know that for some people this sounds really weird for the first time, even in the MC is off by default, but it should be selectable and if you get used to it (as I am), it can be really time sparing.

What are the opinions about this?

Thanks,
Tylla
Petr Dlouhý

Lynx like motion

Post by Petr Dlouhý »

I want to Lynx like intercede for this, because it is really very handy option. The left/right keys are unused now, and using them this way is really logical.
Jan Rysavy
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Re: Lynx like motion

Post by Jan Rysavy »

Petr Dlouhý wrote:The left/right keys are unused now, and using them this way is really logical.
Both left and right keys are used: http://www.altap.cz/salam_en/features/k ... html#panel
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SvA
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Post by SvA »

Right now you can use ENTER and BACKSPACE to navigate directories without modifier keys. This, to me has always been the natural way to navigate them, so much that I never ever memorised CTRL-PgUp/PgDn.
I know of course, that, if you are used to using the lynx navigation arrow keys, nothing else really can replace it. Despite that, I decided to mention the modifierless keys I use.
Tylla
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Re: Lynx like motion

Post by Tylla »

Jan Rysavy wrote: Both left and right keys are used: http://www.altap.cz/salam_en/features/k ... html#panel
Yep. As I already pointed out, it only makes sense to talk about the Links/Lynx like motion in views where there is no other use for the left/right keys.
So when you have something on the screen that can be scrolled horizontally, then the natural behaviour is to scroll with the left/right keys. But when not... :)

To SvA:
Thanks, and yes I lready used the Enter/Backspace combination a lot. Back in the old days when there was only Norton Commander, that was the only modifier-key-less solution. But after I encountered Midnight C. I got fascinated by the simplicity of the concept.
You don't even have to move your fingers while navigating!

I can only hope that some people other than me, and who have some say in the development process will consider this idea and maybe will find it worth the effort.
Jan Rysavy
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Re: Lynx like motion

Post by Jan Rysavy »

Tylla wrote:You don't even have to move your fingers while navigating!
Do you use the Quick Search while navigating? Consider it, we believe this is a real time saver...
Tylla
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Re: Lynx like motion

Post by Tylla »

Jan Rysavy wrote:
Do you use the Quick Search while navigating? Consider it, we believe this is a real time saver...
I believe too :)

And I'm using it regularly, but for folders with 5-10 files in it, it takes more time to move my hands to the middle of the keyboard (and afterwards move it back), than to press a few time the down/up key (especially when you get used to the up/down key in so a fashion, that you can use the OS's key repeat feature to just stop on the needed file - I saw a lot of people, uncluding me, who used it this way).

Sorry if I went to deep in the mud, but we are actually talking about tenth-of-a-second optimizations (besides the comodity factor).

So personally I think that the lynx like motion is a good auxiliary feature (and as a programmer I would say it shouldn't be one that's hard to implement), but I know that there are a lot of other urgent things to do.
Just tell me if it gets on the queue. :D
Tylla
Jan Rysavy
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Post by Jan Rysavy »

In the Brief, Icons, Thumbnails, and Tiles view mode the Left and Right key are used (go to left and right).
In Detailed mode the Left and Right key is used too (scroll left and right).

I don't see how to solve this problem...
Tylla
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Post by Tylla »

Jan Rysavy wrote:In the Brief, Icons, Thumbnails, and Tiles view mode the Left and Right key are used (go to left and right).
In Detailed mode the Left and Right key is used too (scroll left and right).

I don't see how to solve this problem...
You're right, almost every time the right/left key is used. But in Fixed Column Width or the Smart Column mode if I get right there can be some occasion for this functionality.
I forgot about this, because I'm using some big resolution screen (actually dual-screen), and almost every time SS runs maximized, so I rarely need to use right/left key to scroll.

Actually I would suggest two options for LynxLikeMotion (lets call it LLM for the rest :)
- if the user wants to use LLM (only if the proper keys are otherwise unused)
- if the user wants to use LLM even if the keys would be used for something other (so override the other use).

Naturally these should be off by default, and the second one should be selectable only if the first one is selected.

I am aware of the possible problems arising from the possibly misleading behaviour of the left/right keys if some people happen to enable these features without knowing the background, but with a few warnings and a link to the help which tells a few words about this, the problems can be avoided. And all those people who are used to this, will find this really helpful.

Hope I was helpful.
Tylla
Jan Rysavy
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Post by Jan Rysavy »

Tylla, it sounds too complicated to me, I'm sorry. We would rather implement widely requested features.

Btw, look at http://forum.altap.cz/viewtopic.php?t=1618 regarding configuration complexity.
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