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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: "Open with" - "Others..." dialog is annoying
From:       Sébastien_Laoût <slaout () linux62 ! org>
Date:       2006-04-28 15:08:21
Message-ID: 200604281708.22585.slaout () linux62 ! org
[Download RAW message or body]

One more thing we should look at is to "advise" applications according to the 
file MIME type.

Eg, I want to open a JPEG image, then the "Open With..." dialog should first 
propose a list of applications that says they support opening "image/jpeg" 
MIME type files.

If it's not sufficient, an "Additional Advised Aplications" list below show 
the applications that handle "image/*" MIME type.

And THEN, at the very last, every KMenu applications are shown, like in the 
KMenu, yes.


It's also useful if I want to open an XML file: the most advised applications 
handle "text/xml" but below the additionnal advised applications can handle 
"text/plain" files...

I think there is a KDE system that can tell that
"text/xhtml IS_ALSO text/xml IS_ALSO text/plain".
This MIME type hierarchy exists under KDE, but I'm not knowledgable enought to 
tell how.

All I can say is that that information should be used to narrow down the 
choice of the user to the most relevant applications.

And I propose this new layout for the dialog, with two tabs:

_________________________________________________________________

  Open *index.xhtml* with:
    ,----------------------,    ,------------------,
   /  Advised Applications  \  /  All Applications  \
  /                          \/______________________\_________
 |                                                             |
 |  & Konqueror                                                |
 |  @ Firefox                                                  |
 |                                                             |
 |  # Quanta Plus                                              |
 |                                                             |
 |  / KWrite                                                   |
 |  } Kate                                                     |
 |                                                             |
 `-------------------------------------------------------------'
  [x] Always open this type of file with that application
                                           [ v OK ] [ x Cancel ]
_________________________________________________________________


Note that the advised applications are in three groups.
The first one are the most advised ones: the ones that can handle xHTML pages.
The second group can handle XML files.
The last can handle plain text files.

This should be sufficient and clear enough to not scary novice users.
The list should be good in 90% of the cases (note: need real use case to know 
WHEN and WHY most users trigger that dialog to backup that argument).

When entering the All Applications tab, we show more details:

_________________________________________________________________

  Open *index.xhtml* with:
    ,----------------------,    ,------------------,
   /  Advised Applications  \  /  All Applications  \
  /__________________________\/                      \_________
 |                                                             |
 |  [x>] [                                          |v] [...]  |
 |                                                             |
 |  ,-------------------------------------------------------,  |
 |  | [+] Office                                            |  |
 |  | [+] Development                                       |  |
 |  | [+] Games                                             |  |
 |  `-------------------------------------------------------'  |
 |  [ ] Run in terminal                                        |
 |      [x] Close when command finish                          |
 `-------------------------------------------------------------'
  [x] Always open this type of file with that application
                                           [ v OK ] [ x Cancel ]
_________________________________________________________________


Note that I moved "Run in Terminal" in the "All Applications" tab because most 
of the time users will want to open a file with another application not 
assiciated yet (fresh installed or...), they do it, remember the association 
and never use that dialog again.

If people want to customize the command, they type it in the commmandbar, and 
it's only there that they can run it in terminal.
Most users KDE is targetting don't use console applications and advised 
applications should already have the "Run in terminal" option set in the 
associated desktop file, so no need to change that option manualy.

PS: I renamed "[ ] Do not close when command finish" to
    "[x] Close when command finish" to have a positive sentence.

Regards,
Sébastien.
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