Drive list and drive bar suggestions

[Lefteous]

Drive list and drive bar contains drives, FTP connections and special places. I currently see some usability issues. Some are really severe.

1) Special places are hardcoded.
My suggestion: Allow defining which places can be reached in drive list/bar directly.

2) Special places only appear in the drive list - inconsistent.
My suggestion: Both ways to access drives (list and bar) should contain the same items.

3) Special devices which only appear below 'my computer' are overlooked.
My suggestion: Special places must be placable directly in the drive list/bar by default (should be hideable).

4) FS plugins are listed as part of network where they simply don't belong and are not expected.
My suggestion: There are at least three types of FS plugins. It's really important to extend the FS plugin API to distinguish them.
Real file systems should be placed on the same level as devices/volumes. Virtual places like (registry, uninstaller, ...) should be placed in a list below a menu button by default (top level as option). Connection types (SFTP, webdav, cloudXYZ) should be handled in the same way as FTP in the drive bar/list - it shouldn't be displayed at all. See other suggestion for details: http://ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=298993#298993
That doesn't mean their connections are not displayed - see 5)

5) FTP connections (and other FS plugins) are displayed as items in drive list and drive bar. Connections created by FS plugins are handled as part of network. There is no way to access a certain location in such a connection unambiguously.
My suggestion: Extend the numeric system used for FTP connections to FS plugin connections.

Here is an example mockup of such a future drive bar:
[img]http://fs5.directupload.net/images/151222/vx74s27e.png[/img]
- Basic drives
- Types are visually separated
- Different icons for different connection types
- Menu button and opened menu for FS plugins without connections

[MVV]

1) Agree, there should be a way to add custom items at the end of list/bar.

2) Don't agree, list and bar should be tweaked separately (one can add more items to list and leave only mostly used in bar).

3) I don't know if there is an easy way to detect such devices but agree that it would be useful to see them there (but there may be items that user don't want to put to bar).

[Vochomurka]

Some problems can be solved by SUBSTing real path by virtual (fake) drives. Similar suggestions and solutions: one, two.
Custom items in drive list can be added by TWinKey (em_twdl_* commands that can be also commands to go to any directory). I often use this function (8 items in the drive list). But if this feature can be native - I support such request. Moreover, TWinKey does not allow to put commands/paths to the drive bar. This would be nice to save screen space.
I also support all suggestions concerning plugins. Generally speaking, the plugin support in TC should be completely revised...

[Lefteous]

1) Agree, there should be a way to add custom items at the end of list/bar.

Thanks for your support. I have to admit that isn't the highest prio for me. It's more like the cherry on the cake

2MVV

2) Don't agree, list and bar should be tweaked separately (one can add more items to list and leave only mostly used in bar).

You mean you would use the drive bar and have a few items more in the list and you would use the list only when you want to go on of these places? Sounds like a strange usage pattern to me. List and drive are mainly different from an interaction point of view. If there is not enough space in the bar the way it's currently displayed is not the right one (see my vertical button bar suggestion thread for details).
In terms of configurability I have no worries...It's the defaults that matter.

3) I don't know if there is an easy way to detect such devices but agree that it would be useful to see them there (but there may be items that user don't want to put to bar).

Sure they are already displayed below 'my computer' - along with all the other drives that are also listed one level higher...
Of course the must be hideable as I wrote but by default they must visible. This is especially important as they are often removable.

2Vochomurka
As I posted in the suggestion forum I wasn't really asking for workarounds - sorry.
I really hope the way FS plugins are presented to the user will be changed - thanks for your support

[MVV]

You mean you would use the drive bar and have a few items more in the list and you would use the list only when you want to go on of these places? Sounds like a strange usage pattern to me.

Currently I've hidden some bar buttons with e.g. virtual drives but I still can access them via drive list, and it is good. So there may be some other places that shouldn't waste bar's space but are suitable for drive list.

Sure they are already displayed below 'my computer' - along with all the other drives that are also listed one level higher...

Well, TC can simply display all devices there but not all of them may really enumerate files - such devices shoudn't be on the bar.

[Lefteous]

2MVV

Currently I've hidden some bar buttons with e.g. virtual drives but I still can access them via drive list, and it is good. So there may be some other places that shouldn't waste bar's space but are suitable for drive list.

As I wrote you may configure whatever you want. It's just not a good default to hide stuff or display things inconsistently. There are so many support request on this here in the forum.

Well, TC can simply display all devices there but not all of them may really enumerate files

What is your point? If not all of them make sense to display why are they displayed in 'my computer'? It's also not a big deal to distinguish their type (if necessary).

such devices shoudn't be on the bar.

Why? Again so many support request on this in the forum.

[MVV]

I mean that only devices that really have some virtual file system should be shown on a drive bar, but not ones that do not have it.

[Lefteous]

2MVV

I mean that only devices that really have some virtual file system should be shown on a drive bar, but not ones that do not have it.

Sounds reasoable. I haven't seen any non virtual file system there so far. Do you have an example?

[ghisler(Author)]

For example, smartphones only have a virtual file system and appear under "My Computer". But this location also shows local drives, and network shares, which both shouldn't appear in the drive list. But there is no way to distinguish a network share named "Windows Phone" and an actual "Windows Phone" device in "My Computer".

[Lefteous]

2ghisler(Author)

there is no way to distinguish a network share named "Windows Phone" and an actual "Windows Phone" device in "My Computer".

Did you try to call IShellFolder::GetAttributesOf on the items in 'My Computer'? The resulting attributes are quite interesting.
Unfortunately I don't have test devices like 'Windows Phone' devices here for testing.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb775068%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

[ghisler(Author)]

I'm already using it, and just checked the results:

Drives and network connections report:
SFGAO_FOLDER | SFGAO_FILESYSTEM;

My phone reports only:
SFGAO_FOLDER

But how reliable is this across operating systems?

[Lefteous]

But how reliable is this across operating systems?

I guess it's the same attributes that are used by Explorer internally to group items in 'My Computer'. So I guess if there is a certain OS version that behaves different it would be the same problem in TC and Explorer.