When you click to sort on the "Check Outs" column: it should not sort it alphabetically, but sort so that checkouts are at the top.
When you click to sort on the "Status" column: it should not sort it alphabetically, but sort so that statuses are at the top.
When i diff a folder: i should be able to right-click and access file/folder specific items (Especially the "Delete" command, but also "Show Differences" to diff the selected file)
Check-out should be "Ctrl+K", "Enter". Even if i have to live with Ctrl+O as the checkout command shortcut, don't default the focus in the "Check Out" dialog to the "Comments" memo. When focus is in that memo, i cannot simply press "Enter" to perform the checkout. Otherwise, the check-out command is "Ctrl+O", "Tab", "Enter"
When i have sorted on any column besides "File", perform the primary sort on the selected column (with the noted modifications above), then perform a secondary sort on the filename.
As soon as those changes are in, i'll be recommending that we switch to Vault from VSS.
User Interface Requests: More like VSS
Moderator: SourceGear
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JackTripper
User interface gaffs. Joel would not be happy...
1. Default all files checked on the check-in dialog.
When i select some files to check-in, and then select "Check-in", i obviously want to checkin those files. Even if the file is not modified, i don't want it checked out anymore. i've already gone through are carefully shift and ctrl clicked on the files i want to check-in; so don't make me check some more again. i know they aren't modified, i saw that in the file window.
2. Always sort file list by filename. If another column header is selected for primary sort, sort by filename second.
Delphi always has to files that go together: Unit.dfm&Unit.pas) It's frustrating when i like to sort by Checkouts and the next pair of files i want are separated from one another. i had the case where i wanted to delete two files from the vault, that no longer existed in my working directory. First to undo the checkout before i was allowed to delete them. When i undid the checkout, the two files jumped to their new sorted position (as they were no longer checked out), but they are now no longer together - so i had to hunt for them so i could delete them.
3. When i Delete, do it even if it is checked out. A warning dialog will be good. Don't force me to undo the checkout.
i wanted to delete a file, but first i had to undo the checkout. Then the undo checkout option quietly put a copy back in my working folder (which i had already deleted). So now i had to go back to the working folder and delete the file again. Then when i un-did the checkout, the file jumped around. So now i had to go find the files to delete again, which were sorted into a random location, because it didn't follow rule#3
4. Don't reset focus from the file list after checkout.
i cursor to the file i want to checkout. Ctrl+O, Tab, Enter, to checkout. Then i Alt-Tab back to my IDE, then back to the Vault for the next file to checkout. But the focus is no longer on the files list, so i can't use the arrow keys or incremental searching to jump to the next file i want - i have to tab xx times until the focus is in the file list (or click the mouse). Frustrating
5. Make large dialogs 800x600 safe, and allow form resize/Maximize/Restore. e.g.
- Options
- Add Files/Folders
Many dialogs limit themselves to x600 tall, and cut off most of the OK, Cancel, Help buttons. Don't even try to argue with my about running in 800x600.
6. Make the project/working folder diff integrated with Vault. Include VSS features:
- Refresh
- Delete local file/folder
- Delete vault file/project
The file diff viewer can still be a customizable diff program - it doesn't need options to add/remove files. But the folder diff needs to be integrated with the Vault.
7. Perform logically proper column sorting on a column-by-column. Not just alphabetic. For all of them, have "blank" values sort AFTER all "non-blank" entries (i.e. when i column click on "checkouts", don't show me non-checked out before any checkouts)
- Filename: alphabetic ASC
- Checkouts: alphabetic ASC, checked-out before non-checked-out
- Local Version: numeric, DESC (higher numbers first)
- Remote Version: numeric, DESC (higher numbers first)
- Status: alphabetic, blank statuses after ones with statuses
- Date: DESC
Don't confuse an "Up" arrow on the column header sort direction with how the data must be sorted. When i first click on the "Date" column for example, an "Up" arrow will appear, but i actually want "Descending" sort. i want the most recent first. It's the tedious task of thinking what is most useful for the user.
(It's so annoying to be at the top of the list, then want to see checkout so i click on the "Checkouts" column. Then i realize that they software put all the checkouts at then end of the list.)
8. Default the SourceGear DiffMerge window to Maximized (or at least remember i maximized it the last time).
9. Allow custom tab size in DiffMerge (Not a feature from VSS, but quite ironic that we use 3-space tab characters, and DiffMerge has 2 and 4)
10. When i column click sort the file list, call (the .NET equivalent of) ListItem.EnsureVisible.
If multiple are selected, the listview will still return one item as it's "Selected" item. Make that one visible.
11. Make DiffMerge for folders have the "Vault" on the file, and the "Working Folder" on the right - like it does for a diff of a file itself.
12. Don't make the "Comments" memo the active control on the check-in dialog by default.
i'm getting used to having to hit "Ctrl+O,Tab,Enter" instead of "Ctrl+K,Enter" to check something out. But still let's see if we can get rid of the required "Tab".
Don't think of the reasons as complete arguments. They will hopefully give you an understanding why something needs to be changed. i definetly don't want to go 10 rounds trying to convince anyone of why a UI change is required. But it should show that i'm not just bitching for the hell of it, but that there good, well-thought out, logical reasons for a request.
That's all the usability problems i've found so far.
These, combined with the major engine change of not using cached files, i don't think i'll see any of them actually implemented - but i can dream.
If anyone wants UI prettification tips, be sure to let me know. They aren't usability problems, just minor esthetic issues.
Jesus, won't this guy ever shut up?
1. Default all files checked on the check-in dialog.
When i select some files to check-in, and then select "Check-in", i obviously want to checkin those files. Even if the file is not modified, i don't want it checked out anymore. i've already gone through are carefully shift and ctrl clicked on the files i want to check-in; so don't make me check some more again. i know they aren't modified, i saw that in the file window.
2. Always sort file list by filename. If another column header is selected for primary sort, sort by filename second.
Delphi always has to files that go together: Unit.dfm&Unit.pas) It's frustrating when i like to sort by Checkouts and the next pair of files i want are separated from one another. i had the case where i wanted to delete two files from the vault, that no longer existed in my working directory. First to undo the checkout before i was allowed to delete them. When i undid the checkout, the two files jumped to their new sorted position (as they were no longer checked out), but they are now no longer together - so i had to hunt for them so i could delete them.
3. When i Delete, do it even if it is checked out. A warning dialog will be good. Don't force me to undo the checkout.
i wanted to delete a file, but first i had to undo the checkout. Then the undo checkout option quietly put a copy back in my working folder (which i had already deleted). So now i had to go back to the working folder and delete the file again. Then when i un-did the checkout, the file jumped around. So now i had to go find the files to delete again, which were sorted into a random location, because it didn't follow rule#3
4. Don't reset focus from the file list after checkout.
i cursor to the file i want to checkout. Ctrl+O, Tab, Enter, to checkout. Then i Alt-Tab back to my IDE, then back to the Vault for the next file to checkout. But the focus is no longer on the files list, so i can't use the arrow keys or incremental searching to jump to the next file i want - i have to tab xx times until the focus is in the file list (or click the mouse). Frustrating
5. Make large dialogs 800x600 safe, and allow form resize/Maximize/Restore. e.g.
- Options
- Add Files/Folders
Many dialogs limit themselves to x600 tall, and cut off most of the OK, Cancel, Help buttons. Don't even try to argue with my about running in 800x600.
6. Make the project/working folder diff integrated with Vault. Include VSS features:
- Refresh
- Delete local file/folder
- Delete vault file/project
The file diff viewer can still be a customizable diff program - it doesn't need options to add/remove files. But the folder diff needs to be integrated with the Vault.
7. Perform logically proper column sorting on a column-by-column. Not just alphabetic. For all of them, have "blank" values sort AFTER all "non-blank" entries (i.e. when i column click on "checkouts", don't show me non-checked out before any checkouts)
- Filename: alphabetic ASC
- Checkouts: alphabetic ASC, checked-out before non-checked-out
- Local Version: numeric, DESC (higher numbers first)
- Remote Version: numeric, DESC (higher numbers first)
- Status: alphabetic, blank statuses after ones with statuses
- Date: DESC
Don't confuse an "Up" arrow on the column header sort direction with how the data must be sorted. When i first click on the "Date" column for example, an "Up" arrow will appear, but i actually want "Descending" sort. i want the most recent first. It's the tedious task of thinking what is most useful for the user.
(It's so annoying to be at the top of the list, then want to see checkout so i click on the "Checkouts" column. Then i realize that they software put all the checkouts at then end of the list.)
8. Default the SourceGear DiffMerge window to Maximized (or at least remember i maximized it the last time).
9. Allow custom tab size in DiffMerge (Not a feature from VSS, but quite ironic that we use 3-space tab characters, and DiffMerge has 2 and 4)
10. When i column click sort the file list, call (the .NET equivalent of) ListItem.EnsureVisible.
If multiple are selected, the listview will still return one item as it's "Selected" item. Make that one visible.
11. Make DiffMerge for folders have the "Vault" on the file, and the "Working Folder" on the right - like it does for a diff of a file itself.
12. Don't make the "Comments" memo the active control on the check-in dialog by default.
i'm getting used to having to hit "Ctrl+O,Tab,Enter" instead of "Ctrl+K,Enter" to check something out. But still let's see if we can get rid of the required "Tab".
Don't think of the reasons as complete arguments. They will hopefully give you an understanding why something needs to be changed. i definetly don't want to go 10 rounds trying to convince anyone of why a UI change is required. But it should show that i'm not just bitching for the hell of it, but that there good, well-thought out, logical reasons for a request.
That's all the usability problems i've found so far.
These, combined with the major engine change of not using cached files, i don't think i'll see any of them actually implemented - but i can dream.
If anyone wants UI prettification tips, be sure to let me know. They aren't usability problems, just minor esthetic issues.
Jesus, won't this guy ever shut up?
Thanks for all the great feedback. We do appreciate folks telling us what usability problems they run into, and we do take the requests seriously.
I don't want to respond item by item - many of these things we are already planning on doing soon, and others are things we'd like to do, but the effort behind them will make them more medium term. The secondary sorting falls into the latter category, as does allowing Vault operations from folder diff.
One thing to note about folder diff: Often this is used to discover the differences between a working folder and its repository folder, and another way to do this in Vault is to use the Status Search pane (and in 2.1, we'll add a "search by any status" to make it easier to see any difference between working folders and repository folders).
In any case, we'll add all these requests to our list, and thanks for the taking the time to compile them.
I don't want to respond item by item - many of these things we are already planning on doing soon, and others are things we'd like to do, but the effort behind them will make them more medium term. The secondary sorting falls into the latter category, as does allowing Vault operations from folder diff.
One thing to note about folder diff: Often this is used to discover the differences between a working folder and its repository folder, and another way to do this in Vault is to use the Status Search pane (and in 2.1, we'll add a "search by any status" to make it easier to see any difference between working folders and repository folders).
In any case, we'll add all these requests to our list, and thanks for the taking the time to compile them.
Did you mean the "check-out" dialog? Having the focus on the "Comment" field for the "check-in" dialog seems to me to be the right thing to do.12. Don't make the "Comments" memo the active control on the check-in dialog by default.
i'm getting used to having to hit "Ctrl+O,Tab,Enter" instead of "Ctrl+K,Enter" to check something out. But still let's see if we can get rid of the required "Tab".
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Guest
Yes. Yes i did.GregM wrote:Did you mean the "check-out" dialog?12. Don't make the "Comments" memo the active control on the check-in dialog by default.
i'm getting used to having to hit "Ctrl+O,Tab,Enter" instead of "Ctrl+K,Enter" to check something out. But still let's see if we can get rid of the required "Tab".
i meant on the "Check Out" dialog; since i was talking about checking out.
My bad.