Connect to (FTP) server: Unified connection management

[Lefteous]

Here is another attempt in order to improve usability of TC. I would you to request a change in the way we all connect to servers.

The problem:
In the 'Net' menu there are several items which can be used to connect to an FTP server. But what about the other server types? They can be found below 'Network neighborhood'. They all have their own connection management. This is obviously inconsistent. The user has to think about the type of server everytime he connect to a server.

The idea
1. Rename the FTP.... items in the net menu to something more general
2. List all connections in the 'connect to server' dialog (if necessary extend the FS plugin interface).
3. When clicking on 'Edit' the dialog specific for that server type is displayed.
4. I have changed the button order in the connect to server dialog but that's not the main point here.

[img]http://fs1.directupload.net/images/150818/bgjvik2j.png[/img]

[ghisler(Author)]

Unfortunately this has several disadvantages:
1. Not all file system plugins are server based, e.g. registry, adbtransfer, Calendar etc. Listing all root items of all plugins would first be slow, and second overload the dialog with thousands of unrelated items.
2. I have 54 WebDAV accounts, more than 100 FTP, several SFTP etc. Dumping them all together isn't such a good idea for finding them again.

[Lefteous]

2ghisler(Author)

Not all file system plugins are server based, e.g. registry, adbtransfer, Calendar etc. Listing all root items of all plugins would first be slow, and second overload the dialog with thousands of unrelated items.

That's why I mentioned 'extend FS plugin interface' if necessary'. A FS plugin has to report that it is server based. Otherwise it won't be listed in server dialog.
I don't see why this should be slow. Stored connections are normally read from INI files.

I have 54 WebDAV accounts, more than 100 FTP, several SFTP etc. Dumping them all together isn't such a good idea for finding them again.

The dialog already offers creating folders. A better quick search could actually help. You may also think about filtering by connection type.
The current walk through all that FS plugin folders and the ftp dialog in order to find a certain conection is way more work.

[Lefteous]

So there are two ways to make connecting to servers consistent:

1) Move all server connection to the server connect dialog as suggested above.
2) Move FTP to the place where all FS plugins are located.

What do you think would be the better solution?

[Sob]

2Lefteous: You don't give up easily, do you? ;)

I understand, my very first post in this forum, many years ago, was about the same thing. Later I tried to suggest FS plugin interface extension for this, but it seems to went unnoticed.

I must admit that over the years, I got used to how things are now. I no longer care too much where the connections are and if they are all together or not. But I still agree that it's inconsistent and confusing for new users. As for your solutions, 2) would make things consistent enough, as there would be one path to all connections types. But 1) has its advantages too, e.g. it allows more logical grouping, I could have all connections for Company X together in one folder, no matter what their type is. Quick search/filter for 1) is a must. I really like it with current SFTP plugin, that I can easily filter connections the same way as files.

But more importantly, I'm still not giving up hope for "<number> drive" support (when you connect to FTP server and get "0" in drive combo, "1" for next one, etc). That's killer feature and I miss it with SFTP all the time. I would also be nice solution for more than one quick connections at the same time.

[Lefteous]

2Sob

You don't give up easily, do you?

Well I try my best to make suggestions that would really make a difference - especially when it comes to usability issues.

I understand, my very first post in this forum, many years ago, was about the same thing. Later I tried to suggest FS plugin interface extension for this, but it seems to went unnoticed.

Yes I guess it has been suggested more than once.

But 1) has its advantages too, e.g. it allows more logical grouping, I could have all connections for Company X together in one folder, no matter what their type is.

Yes listing connections in the file lists is not bad idea in general as the list is known to the user and offers powerful options. What is really bad is the mix of the connections and commands in the file list. So an alternate solution would be to have a custom toolbar in this 'folder' instead of a dialog. I'm totally open to this solution but there are some problems to solve. For example the list of connections shouldn't be part of the path but it must be reachable somehow.
I think the main thing here is that there is a single touch point for all connections - internal or plugin-based. And it must not be hidden somewhere in \\network\\FS-plugins\.
In the end I think the dialog solution is still better when the displayed list has some features of the list.

But more importantly, I'm still not giving up hope for "<number> drive" support (when you connect to FTP server and get "0" in drive combo, "1" for next one, etc). That's killer feature and I miss it with SFTP all the time. I would also be nice solution for more than one quick connections at the same time.

Consistancy would be important but these 'numbered drives' are not real paths. It would be great to use the numbers for established connection instances but they shouldn't be part of the path - at most it could be a prefix. Do you know what I mean?