file properties, general tab, volume and usage lines need clarity
Activity
File Properties dialog, General tab: This has some unnecessary cognitive load to understand, and should be made more explicit.
I will use a recent example.
Examining a folder that is the mount point of a drive by right-clicking on "Properties...", I looked for some information -- how much of this drive is being used?
Here are the final three lines of the General tab of my dialog:
Size: 12499 items, totalling 1.0 TB (1,038,238,561,455 bytes) Volume: [usb icon] katarina Usage: 1.8 TB of 3.0 TB free (38% used)
The final line is labeled "Usage:" and is immediately followed by a number (in my case "1.8 TB") but this number does not represent the "used" it instead represents the "unused". Then there is another number which is also not the amount "used", but the amount "available". Then, finally, a percentage used, but not the amount.
Now, perhaps the word "usage" here has been meant in the more general sense of an overall perspective, not in the specific sense of the amount actually in use. But it's confusing, especially as the next part of the phrase is used to explain this inversion of expected meaning, thus requiring the reader to subtract in their head -- then compare the ratio of the derived number to the explicitly-stated amounts "used" or "available" to determine that the percentage that follows seems correct in order to remove most doubt.
I am being slightly hyperbolic, but I do indeed have to do those mental gymnastics because of the confusion of explicit meaning engendered every time.
It's unnecessary mental work; I find it distracting. I think the computer should do this thinking for me. :)
Could the final two lines of the dialog tab read something like this format? -->
Volume: [icon] volume-name volume-size Capacity: ##% used (amount) | ##% remaining (amount)
In my case above, this would be:
Size: 12499 items, totalling 1.0 TB (1,038,238,561,455 bytes) Volume: [usb icon] katarina | 3.0 TB Capacity: 38% used (1.2 TB) | 62% free (1.8 TB)
I feel that this is more explicit and more organized.
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The volume's available space should be with the volume description, particularly for when you are searching for that specific info, but in this case because it shouldn't be cluttering up the info I actually am looking for.
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The verbiage on the final line should be made super-clear since I think that's one of the biggest factors of consideration when dealing with volumes at this level of inquiry.
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The word "Capacity" avoids any initial assumptions of meaning that then have to be undone.
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The vertical lines " | " could be any sort of appropriate visual separation, even just a tab or a few extra spaces.
Aloha!
PS: on "Size" line, the word "totalling" should be spelled "totaling" -- just a typo in the dialog.
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@alexxconssaid:Thanks for reporting !
I agree that: 38% used (1.2 TB) | 62% free (1.8 TB)
is more clear than
1.8 TB of 3.0 TB free (38% used)
However I disagree that "Capacity" is the right name. It makes me expect the total capacity of the disk there, not the used / free amount.
We are not short on space in the property dialog, so how about that:
Size: 12499 items, totalling 1.0 TB (1,038,238,561,455 bytes) Volume: [usb icon] katarina Capacity: 3TB Usage: 38% used (1.2 TB) | 62% free (1.8 TB)
Or even that:
Size: 12499 items, totalling 1.0 TB (1,038,238,561,455 bytes) Volume: [usb icon] katarina Capacity: 3TB Used: 1.2 TB (38%) Free: 1.8 TB (62%)
.. arranged in a table, so that percentage-values and raw values are in the same columns.
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Thank you for the quick feedback! :D
I had thought something similar, about adding lines because there is plenty of space, and to split out the two numbers but I didn't want to seem too aggressive. I have no objection either way, and I like tables! :)
As for "Capacity", perhaps I used it too loosely? I can see your perspective. The problem we're having here is the "Size" line -- it's been used (appropriately) to report number of sub-items and total size used. "Size" would also be a good word for the underlying volume's extent.
However, this dialog is in the context of the folder that I clicked -- and the implication of the isolated "Capacity" line could be interpreted to mean that folder, not the drive that underlies it. If I understand volumes somewhat, permission to fill the entire drive with this folder's contents may not be true. For this reason, I think the drive capacity should be on the "Volume" line to retain context appropriately.
This may be too much?:
Size: 12499 items, totalling 1.0 TB (1,038,238,561,455 bytes) Volume: [usb icon] katarina | Capacity: 3TB Used: 1.2 TB (38%) Free: 1.8 TB (62%)
or, better:
Size: 12499 items, totalling 1.0 TB (1,038,238,561,455 bytes) Volume: [usb icon] katarina | Capacity: 3TB Used: 1.2 TB (38%) | Free: 1.8 TB (62%)
I think something like this keeps the info visually organized -- the last four bits of info seem to be associated with the "Volume" more clearly. Plus it could be a table, and you may have heard that I like tables.
Aloha!
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@alexxconssaid:sorry for the long delay ... currently I dont have much time to work on thunar.
Will add this bug to my personal TODO List, however I cannot say when I will have time to work on it (though there are more critical ones)
So if you are further motivated / if you want to speed up things, patches are always welcome !
mentioned in issue #359 (closed)
added 2. Enhancement 5. Properties labels
Here's an idea for a change, that would also solve the problem described, I guess: Remove the
Usage
(Note also, that I line-breaked the size and number of files.) (This is probably the easiest change)
Or - in case you really want
Usageto stay: Show the usage of this folder in relation to the hard drive space
And just as reference: Windows 10 file properties:
Edited by DarkTrickmentioned in issue #890 (closed)
mentioned in commit 37e0acb1
Fixed by above commit, to be released in thunar 4.17.10
Before:
After:
Edited by Alexander Schwinnmentioned in merge request !316 (merged)