23214 - Windows-Explorer-like (2-pane) bookmark manager interface

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(SeaMonkey :: Bookmarks & History, enhancement, P3)

Description

[Webmaster33]

GUI extension is needed for Bookmarks, since the following problem:
It's very difficult to re-sort the bookmarks, because if I have a long lists I
have to drag the bookmark through all the page, finding the target place, etc.
So I suggest an Explorer-like interface, where the folders are on left side, the
bookmarks are on the right.
a) Left panel is the Folder panel. Folders are listed in openable tree system.
When a folder is selected, only this folder's links are listed on the right
panel.
b) If there is NO folder selected in the left panel, then the full bookmark tree
appears on the right panel(as currently used in Netscape)
c) Left panel could be opened or closed with a vertical slider(divider) by
double clicking(or just single click?) on it, or dragging(scaling) to the
desired width.
---
Let me explain why is this 5. solution very useful: basically we keep the old
Bookmark interface of Netscape, but we extend with new features, which makes it
very easy to reorganize links. _Moving_ bookmarks: just drag the bookmark to the
left panel into a folder. _Copying_ is same, but with holding down the CTRL
button. When no folder selected on left panel, full tree appears on right, so
folder reorganize works in similar way, making reorganizing a breeze.
In addition with this solution the Bookmark window's GUI is not changed
dramatically, just added an openable panel to the left side of the window.

Comment 1

[don]

Move to "Future" milestone.

Comment 2

[Karl Ove Hufthammer]

Reassigning to default component owner since slamm isn't here anymore.

Comment 3

[Marcia Knous [:marcia]]

Netscape Nav Triage Team: adding german to the cc list.  very useful

Comment 4

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

[debogosifying summary]

Comment 5

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

Extension it is. Not by default. ->Nobody, helpwanted

Comment 6

[Claudius Gayle]

*** Bug 90009 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 7

[Chris Lyon]

*** Bug 198420 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 8

[Daniel B.]

> *** Bug 198420 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Yes, bug 198420 is related, but it is not a duplicate.  Note that bug 198420
adds _multiple_ views.

This report (bug 23214) only requests that the folder part of the hierarchy
(without leaf-level bookmark nodes) and the bookmarks in one folder be 
viewable in separate panes.

Bug 198420 requests that two different sections of the _entire_ hierarchy
(folders _and_ bookmarks) viewable in separate panes.  

Bug 198420's request would also let the user:

- drag a bookmark to a particular place in the target folder

- drag in either direction (bug 23214 supports only dragging _from_ the one
  folder whose bookmarks are listed on the right)

- drag folders, in either direction

- see/compare/edit different parts of the bookmark hierarchy at the same time
  (This capability is the main thing missing in Netscape 4.7x's bookmark
  management.

  I create a lot of bookmarks in my new bookmarks folder as I'm surfing, 
  and I come back later to sort them.  I pre-sort new bookmarks into a small
  hierarchy of folders for partially sorted bookmarks.  Then I pick part of 
  the partially-sorted hierarchy and assimilate bookmarks into more-detailed, 
  permanent folders.

  I don't want to have to keep scrolling back and forth between the 
  partially-sorted folders and the permanent folders.  I want one window or
  pane I can leave scrolled to the section of the hierarchy from which I'm
  taking bookmarks, and a second window or pane I use to find (scroll to)
  the place to which I'm moving the bookmarks.

  Additionally, since bookmarks from one temporary folder may go to several
  permanent folders, I'd really like to have multiple windows.  For
  example, if I drag one bookmark to folder A and one to folder B, the 
  next bookmark is likely to go to folder A, so I want to leave one window
  displaying (scrolled to) folder A and use a separate window for folder B.)


Actually, whether there are multiple NS4-style bookmarks windows or 
multiple two-pane Explorer-like views probably doesn't matter, as long
as there can be multiple windows.

Comment 9

[Daniel B.]

FYI: Mozilla 1.5a seems to satisfy the user requirements addressed by related
bug 198420.  (See http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=198420#c4 .)

Comment 10

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

While the 2-pane model will certain be most familiar to most people, it has 
limitations and complexity, as implemented (for example) IMO, in Firefox). I
certainly prefer ...

> FYI: Mozilla 1.5a seems to satisfy the user requirements addressed by related
> bug 198420.  (See http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=198420#c4 .)
 
which I was not previously aware of - perhaps others are also not aware of this
capability ?  It's not listed on the command menu - it's only in the context menu.

Comment 11

[Philip Chee]

The bookmarks manager now has a three pane view due to the rewrite to use the Places Backend. Closing.