I currently can make the folderlist dropdown show with ARROW-DOWN, then I select a subfolder and then I'm stuck already on how to dive deeper into subfolders. If I hit ENTER DO opens the folder, if I use TAB my entered path get's lost, it seems I need to enter "\" to activate the next dropdown and subfolder level, which just does not feel the way it should work, as my hand is over the cursor keys and pressing "\" on german keyboards requires a qualifier to be held down (arkward). So I always need to twist and move the hand around to get deeper in the path.
I always think pressing ARROW-RIGHT or TAB should work to add the highlighted folder to the path and show the next dropdown with subfolders. Shouldn't it basically feel like expanding a folder/registry tree, only that I don't see a tree? The docs are ultra short on path completion, so I want to ask how it's meant to be used or if I'm not aware of some special option to make it fly for me (and my collegues maybe! o).
The breadcrumbs menus are just for quickly selecting sibling folders.
To navigate deep into a hierarchy, using the file display, folder tree, or keyboard/typing path completion (depending on preferences or situation) is the way to go.
You name it, but the path completion is slower to use (for me somehow) than clicking around with the mouse, so I think there must be something wrong with me or how I make use of it. My post was not about how to use the breadcrumbs, maybe I couldn't make clear? I think the main reason is, that I cannot dive into subfolders without entering <\> and <cursor down> over and over again when using path completion. Additionally it happens, that after <cursor down> was pressed, the dropdown just shows the current folder I'm in, which does make no sense at all to me. A misplaced or yet unknown key to me, comes to my mind as well, for why this feels so clunky to use.
Your welcome! o) Sorry that I spend another paragraph to tell about it, but I'm really glad that I got them addicted after forcing some of them to run the evaluation and showing "off" some features over the last weeks. o) I was into constultancy a lot the last years and did not have much contact to my former dev-team, but since I'm back in the office all day again, I finally took the chance. I praise DO wherever I go, but it's not always easy to get blind people see colors, har! o)
I guess I see why there's misunderstanding, sorry! The screenshots will help I hope.
Dropdown (path-completion) folderlist:
That's the list I can navigate by <cursor up/down> to visually select a folder. After visually selecting a folder, I need to move my hand away from the cursor keys and press "" (qualifier required here!) to get the selected folder added to the path field and the next dropdown displayed. Then it's <cursor up/down> again to select, then "" etc. I'm looking for a way to get into the "next" dropdown for the visually selected folder without leaving dropdown-mode, while avoiding usage of <cursor up/down> and "" alternately to make it go deeper. If I just could use <cursor right> while in the dropdown (instead of ""), to get to the next subfolders listed in a dropdown, things would be much more intutive and a lot faster.
This is the weird dropdown after clicking into to breadcrumbs bar to make it editable and then using <cursor left> (to clear selection) and <cursor down> (to make the dropdown appear, because it does not if the path is still selected). Despite the navigational problem above, the way it shows up here does not make sense to me at all.
As I write this, I notice that this may be a bit different to path completion itself, but because full keyboard-navigation through all subfolders is just a <cursor right> away (while dropdown in use ), I always wonder as to why I need to press "" to go on. Sorry for repeating myself, but I kind of miss the right words to be more precise.
To navigate folders by keyboard, I could use the file display of course, but for deeper navigations, different folder formats, columns and view modes may be triggered, making this a nervous experience and much slower as well.
Well yes, I think that's what it boils down to, given that you think I use it correctly and all is working like it should from your point of view.
If the image below shows your keyboard, I can understand that the path-completion is no challenge for you, because \ is comfortably in reach for the left hand at least (marked green). I need to push what's marked red. Using the left or right hand here is equally uncomfortable, while also using the right hand to navigate the dropdown.
If "pressing" \ and opening the next dropdown could be triggered by just using <cursor right> (if a folder from the dropdown was selected), I think it would work as smooth as possible, while requiring one hand only. I basically imagine that to be as easy to use as in regedit.exe for example.
Thanks for your patience on this! Who would have thought that it's basically just the keyboard layout? o) Much appreciated! o)
Cursor right already does something in that situation (moves the cursor to the end of the line) and I don't really like the idea of changing this semantic.
What about Shift+Enter as an alternative to the / or \ keys?
Hello! o) Well, that's the exact situation for to trigger the step down!
The folder has been selected or partly typed and auto-completed. The cursor has been moved automatically to the end of the line in this case (ready to step down position! o).
If I decide to edit the path now manually (which is rather unlikely as I would have used <cursor up\down> a bit more to get where I want) I still can use <cursor left> or <end> to get rid of the selection and free <cursor right> from its purpose to step down. I'd think, sticking to the cursor keys, when the auto-completion is in full effect is most intuitive and easiest for the hands. I again recommend navigating branches in regedit.exe to test-drive the feeling. Knowing that there's no textbox involved of course. No good? o)
I agree, it's not. o) But you probably know how to drill that textbox control? o)
What about this: Using <enter> to step down to the next subfolder level and <enter> again to open the folder, mhh! I think that would be very nice!
It seems to not really have an impact on how it is currently, despite hitting twice to open an autocompleted folder.
Pressing <cursor right> once again if the text-cursor is at the end of the line would also work spectacularly, don't know if that's possible though.
Using <enter> by itself to "go to the next level down" would mean you couldn't type C<enter> to read C:, and I personally use that all the time
Think of it this way. The pop up list is just a visual indication showing you what completion matches are available. It never actually has the input focus. Unless you click in the pop up list with the mouse, path completion is driven completely via the edit control - the pop up list may as well not be there. So what you are asking for is an actual change to the way normal keys behave in the edit control.
Is there a reason shift+<enter> wouldn't work for you?
I see. o) Hitting enter twice wouldn't be that much different though, while allowing very fast, one-handed path-completion. It would take you some "moments" to get used to - I admit, but the newer "create folder" dialog is a good example, I don't feel like its <double enter> is slowing me down. Additionally you surely get back any microsecond lost, if you traverse over 2 folders at least.
Shift+<enter> would be an enhancement, but not as much as a cursor-key/enter navigation only. It would still take two hands, with one always alternating between cursors and <enter>.
Or the right hand only, alternating between cursors and the challenging shift-<enter> combination. I'm not so drawn to that somehow, I tried some of these in an editor to get a feeling.
But now that we deal with DO, I remember it having lot's of options for these kind of usability questions! o) Folder navigation is core functionality, so maybe another option is well invested into.
Appreciate your empathy! o)
)
