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List:       kmail-devel
Subject:    Re: RFC: Multiple selection support for the filter dialog
From:       Don Sanders <sanders () kde ! org>
Date:       2004-08-29 8:42:49
Message-ID: 200408291842.52533.sanders () kde ! org
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On Friday 27 August 2004 03:28, Ingo Klöcker wrote:
> On Thursday 26 August 2004 10:54, Don Sanders wrote:
> > Does anyone object to updating the filter dialog to support
> > multiple selection support? Specifically I mean changing
> > kmfilterdlg.*, so that the selection mode of the mListBox is set
> > to Extended. And making sure the rest of the code is updated to
> > work after that change.
> >
> > I would like to do make this change because it could improve the
> > quality of the filter dialog, and because it seems to be a nice
> > basis for the GUI work on client side IMAP filtering improvement
> > I'm currently working on.
> >
> > This change could improve the quality of the filter dialog for
> > two main reasons. Firstly it would allow multiple filters to be
> > moved/deleted simultaneously. (I recall requests for this but
> > don't remember a bug number). Secondly while the Filter Criteria
> > and Filter Actions groupboxes would have to be disabled when
> > multiple filters are selected all of the controls in the advanced
> > group box could still be used. This last point requires further
> > explanation.
>
> The first reason makes sense although I don't see how moving
> several non-consecutive filters should work with the Up/Down arrow
> buttons. Example: You have five filters a, b, c, d, e (in this
> order). 1) You select b and d. You press down. What should happen?
> a, c, b, d, e? (i.e. b goes on done)
> a, c, e, b, d? (i.e. all selected filters are moved after the
> filter after the last selected filter)
> a, c, b, e, d? (i.e. all selected filters are moved one filter
> down)
>
> 2) You select b and e. You press down (or should this not be
> possible?). What should happen?
>
> The second reason is rather academic. I don't really see a use case
> for changing the advanced settings of several filters at once. The
> main reason is that I rarely, if ever make changes to the advanced
> settings of existing filters. Is there actually a wish for being
> able to change the advanced settings of multiple filters?
>
> Let me summarize my opinion:
> Multiple selection should be possible.
> - Deletion should always be possible regardless of the selection.
> - Moving should only be possible if the selection is consecutive.
> - I don't think the advanced settings should be changeable exactly
> because tri-state buttons are a much to difficult concept.

Let me start with this last point because it's the most important one 
from my perspective. I agree that the tri-state buttons are a 
difficult concept, and this is definitely a problem.

However the goal I'm trying to reach is implementing client side imap 
filtering. In particular I'm concerned about users who are currently 
using KMail with IMAP accounts and are manually filtering mail. These 
users may have many filters. I don't want them to have to iterate 
through each filter, selecting their IMAP account in the proposed 
'for the account' combobox and then have to toggle on the 'apply to 
incoming mail' checkbox for each filter. That would be annoying/time 
consuming for these users.

Thus I look for an easy and intuitive GUI to allow these existing 
users to upgrade to using automatically applied filters. The best 
solution I can think of is to allow multiple selection in the filter 
dialog and tri-state checkboxes for at least the apply this filter to 
checkboxes.

My point being without these tri-state checkboxes I have no reason to 
implement multiple selection.

If there is alternative better means of achieving my goal that would 
be great, I'm open to suggestion, but this is the best solution I've 
been able to think of.

Less importantly I would say firstly that even though tri-state 
checkboxes are somewhat confusing, users who don't select multiple 
filters need not be concerned with this complexity.

Secondly for moving multiple filters I'd disable moving up if the 
first item in the list is selected and disable moving down if the 
last item in the list is selected, that is basically keep the 
existing logic. If non-contiguous filters are selected I'd go for the 
all selected filters are moved one filter up/down, e.g. the last 
option you suggested.

Finally I take it that at least at this stage, no one objects to 
adding a 'for this account' combobox. That's really what I need for 
client side imap filtering. As I said the multiple selection idea is 
just about making it easier for existing users to upgrade. I guess 
unless you have a change of opinion or another core developer 
supports the idea of multiple selection and tri-state checkboxes I'll 
just drop that idea for now, and instead focus on getting a 'for this 
account' combobox working.

Don.
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