1135536 - Improve behaviour of columns in the folder pane which has come back by bug 464973

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Thunderbird :: Folder and Message Lists, enhancement)

Description

[:aceman]

Spun off bug 464973 comment 110:

Josiah Bruner [:JosiahOne]

Only two things I would suggest:
1) Save the chosen columns when you switch back to Folder Pane mode, so that if the user goes back to Folder Pane Columns they won't have to re-enable the columns.
2) Enable some columns by default, otherwise it's hard to notice that anything changed.

Comment 1

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

> Bug summary : Improve behavior of columns in the folder pane

What do you call by "columns in the folder pane"?

Currently, Folder pane has "Folder name" and "Unread mail count" only after pretty excellent change of folder pane design.
"Total size", "Size" is already killed.
And, "Unread count" has feature of "accumulated count when collapsed" which can not be disabled, which is applied even though "Unified Folder View".
Behavior on which column?

Comment 2

[:aceman]

(In reply to WADA from comment #1)
> > Bug summary : Improve behavior of columns in the folder pane
> Currently, Folder pane has "Folder name" and "Unread mail count" only after
> pretty excellent change of folder pane design.
> "Total size", "Size" is already killed.
> And, "Unread count" has feature of "accumulated count when collapsed" which
> can not be disabled, which is applied even though "Unified Folder View".
> Behavior on which column?

Most of this is no longer true, thanks to bug 464973. The old columns were reintroduced with more options. They are not shown by default and only Name and Unread attached to it (as you say) is shown (to preserve current "clean" design), but can be enabled via the View menu. Please try today's nightly, or TB38 earlybird.

Comment 3

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

Thanks to bug 464973 a lot!!!
> They are not shown by default
I can't understnd reason why hide it, even though many peoples wanted coming back for lo---ng time :-).

Comment 4

[:aceman]

(In reply to WADA from comment #3)
> Thanks to bug 464973 a lot!!!
> > They are not shown by default
> I can't understnd reason why hide it, even though many peoples wanted coming
> back for lo---ng time :-).
"Many people" still are not the majority of users (going by the number of users of the extension for this). Let us be happy the option is at least there. We can monitor it in TB38 and enable it, if it is proved really a majority uses it. We expect a ton of potential users didn't find the extension so couldn't use this feature. We may see what the real usage will be now.

Comment 5

[:aceman]

> Josiah Bruner [:JosiahOne]
> Only two things I would suggest:
> 1) Save the chosen columns when you switch back to Folder Pane mode, so that
> if the user goes back to Folder Pane Columns they won't have to re-enable
> the columns.
I understand this part.

> 2) Enable some columns by default, otherwise it's hard to notice that
> anything changed.
What do you mean here? Show columns when the user enabled the columns checkbox for the first time?

Comment 6

[:aceman]

Attachment: WIP patch

Do you mean something like this? The "first show" feature will only work in a profile where you have columns hidden when you first run with this patch.

Comment 7

[Josiah Bruner [:jsbruner]]

Comment on attachment 8568023 [details] [diff] [review]
WIP patch

Review of attachment 8568023 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Awesome, thanks.

Comment 8

[Josiah Bruner [:jsbruner]]

(In reply to :aceman from comment #5)
> > Josiah Bruner [:JosiahOne]
> > Only two things I would suggest:
> > 1) Save the chosen columns when you switch back to Folder Pane mode, so that
> > if the user goes back to Folder Pane Columns they won't have to re-enable
> > the columns.
> I understand this part.
> 
> > 2) Enable some columns by default, otherwise it's hard to notice that
> > anything changed.
> What do you mean here? Show columns when the user enabled the columns
> checkbox for the first time?

Exactly.

Comment 9

[:aceman]

Comment on attachment 8568023 [details] [diff] [review]
WIP patch

Review of attachment 8568023 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks. So as written in the patch, the TotalCol (number of messages) column is exposed if the user shows the headers for the first time.

Comment 10

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Comment on attachment 8568023 [details] [diff] [review]
WIP patch

Review of attachment 8568023 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

::: mail/base/content/folderPane.js
@@ +325,5 @@
>          column.removeAttribute("label");
> +        if (columnName != "folderNameCol") {
> +          if (!aSetup) {
> +            // If user hides the columns store their visible state in a special attribute
> +            // that is preserved by XUL.

s/preserved/persisted

Comment 11

[:aceman]

Attachment: patch v1.1

Thanks.

Comment 12

[aleth [:aleth]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/rev/c881bcaa4e7b

Comment 13

[:aceman]

Comment on attachment 8571496 [details] [diff] [review]
patch v1.1

This polish should go into TB38 once tested enough in nightly. It complements and supports the feature from bug 464973.

[Approval Request Comment]
Regression caused by (bug #): finishing feature of bug 464973
User impact if declined: Users enabling columns and not noticing anything changed to thinking the feature doesn't work. Also toggling columns on/off would reset the visible columns.
Testing completed (on c-c, etc.): nightlies of TB39
Risk to taking this patch (and alternatives if risky): hopefully low. Will be subjected to testing on aurora/beta once approved.

Comment 14

[Kent James (:rkent)]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/comm-aurora/rev/68120f3a7f2a

Comment 15

[Richard R416282]

(In reply to :aceman from comment #0)
> Spun off bug 464973 comment 110:
> 
> Josiah Bruner [:JosiahOne]
> 
> Only two things I would suggest:
> 1) Save the chosen columns when you switch back to Folder Pane mode, so that
> if the user goes back to Folder Pane Columns they won't have to re-enable
> the columns.
> 2) Enable some columns by default, otherwise it's hard to notice that
> anything changed.

One more item to add.... update the USER EXPERIENCE documentation by adding details on how to enable the "More columns" element for users.

I had to GUESS where to enable the "More Columns" after upgrading from TB 31 with Add-on for More Coluns to TB 38 that embeds the "More Coluns" function.

No warning, no go here, etc... sloppy documentation to V38 update list. Filing different bug for TB 38 to enable documentation