ASL improvement suggestion

The good old ASL file requester does it well, but I have an idea which would improve it especially if you work with several applications.

Here is a MUI mockup of the idea you can try it on OS3/OS4/MOS.

It came from the fact that if you work on a task with several tools, you need to select the same files multiple times. For example a file is previously saved in other application then you have to select it again for opening in other program. The whole selections are independent from the pograms thanks to ASL. So why not ASL holds a list of recent items?

Some screenshots:








The last two shots are two different approaches of the same thing.

Please let me know what you think!

Would a RECENT: device make more sense? It's the first idea that popped into my head.

That would remove the need for flipping between tabs.

@gregthecanuck

Flipping to volumes and select recent: would not be simpler IMHO. And would be less intuitive.

I think that the asl recent items should be time limited or stored in ram, so not grow to unuseable size.

@lazi
nice idea, this way we have a solution also for
programs that doesn't remember the last directory
choosed.
I like more the second one, or at least no distinction
between opened and saved files

@pvanni
Yes it makes sense not separate opened and saved files because it soon became redundant.

@gregthecanuck

I dislike the concept of a recent files list myself, ofcourse it's implementaion dependent but I'm forever dismissing the recent list to get to the files I really need when using GIMP etc on my linux laptop.


But if such a concpet were to arrive in amigaos then it ought to be managed by Application library and not patched into ASL.

A RECENT: volume then would make the list easily accessable from *any* file browser / opening route (even the cli) so whilst displikeing it that would be the way I'd like to see it implemented.

@lazi

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You could have an ASL option to open in RECENT: if you wanted, though overiding the applications intial directory / file could causes unexpected issues.

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No such thing as intuitive, all computing and most other modern life actions are learned, so intuitive is really just something you new allready, or similar to some other thing.

@broadblues

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No. Always make things easier (more intuitive) for newbies and all the rest.

@broadblues

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I'm forever clearing the recent list on mine. Since I started using Cinnamon I haven't been able to figure out how to disable the damn thing.

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Not sure about that. ASL knows what has been opened and saved... of course, there are other ways of opening and saving things. An open approach might be better, so applications can add to the list and ASL can add to the list. If the same file is added twice it could get ignored anyway.

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Yes, agreed, RECENT: would make sense and is an AmigaOS way of doing things. It should also be dead easy to implement - just a recent-handler which supports the creation and deletion of softlinks and cleanup afer a certain number or age of files is reached.

Anything can add then with CreateLink() although a more abstract API which checks RECENT: is mounted first might be preferable.

@thread

Something like this needs to go into the core of Read/write operations maybe DOS. EG an app written in c reads and writes could be logged.

Also option

enable recent VIEW (start showing)
disable recent VIEW (stop showing but keep running)
start recent (start the recent application)
stop recent (stop the recent application completely)

@angelheart

Not really. patching DOS file writing would dump a huge number of bogus files in the recent volume / listing whatever. To be useful only on project files open and saved by an application should go in, that why I suggested Appication library, though not not application use it, none of mine do Even some types of project might not be appropriate, diary updates for example, if I saved some changes in my diary I'm unlikely to want to open that program specific project anywhere else.

@Chris

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No, it doesn't. ASL can only possibly know that an open- or save filerequester was invoked - that is all. The only ones in the know as regards actually opened/saved files are DOS and the application. Using DOS would be total overkill because any open/save operation would end up in the list. So Recent lists should rather be managed on the Application Library level, as Broadblues suggests. Only the application can ensure that what goes in the list is a meaningful document-type file that the user might want to reopen.

For opened documents, a global Recent list is supported by the Application Library, which any registered application can access (via APPLIBATTR_LastUsedDocsArray) and add to (via APPATTR_AppOpenedDocument). So we already have an implementation in the OS. It's just waiting to be put to good use.

@trixie

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Is there is also Reqtools requester and the Reaction requester, maybe there is MUI requester as well, etch of the files will be need to be kept in a list and oldest items has to be removed or else it just becomes a long list of every thing, not just the recent items.

@LiveForIt
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There is no Reaction requester: the Getfile Gadget is just a BOOPSI wrapper that invokes the standard ASL requester.

I say, if you want ASL to support the Recent list, make it aware of the global recent list maintained by the Application Library. This will, of course, require applications to pass the names of opened documents to the library via APPATTR_AppOpenedDocument (that's the way the feature was planned). Until now they didn't care because there was no use for it. If ASL (or anything else, for example AmiDock) uses the list, there finally will be a reason.

Actually ignore me, I figured it out.

I am surprised a bit how this maaarvelous idea have such a cold reception from most of you :)

I take a second whirl on it and curiously waiting for the result.

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I would rather call it a new feature of ASL, a rather handy feature if you ask me.
If it would be some Application library function then it will never been fully supported, especially by old programs. If something is not fully supported, then why bother it from the user's perspective. Amiga still not ruined by incoherent user interfaces such like other systems.

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Of course it is true, but who can decide what should such list contain? I think only the user should add items to it and how could it be easier than log the ASL selections.

The *any* file browsers are does not matter. Only one central file browser should be there IMHO. If I will want another one then I will want it everywhere.

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I am not against RECENT:, but on my current setup I can see almost 50 rows in the file requester which cover assigns. It is a nice approach for the system and for the programs, but not for humans, who just wanting to select a file which is saved one minutes ago from another program.

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That is known as Snoopy.

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Yes, and that is what I would like to see in the ASL requester. ASL has two sides, one for the system and the other will always the user. I don't mind what files the system or the programs are opens, closes, reads or writes. I just want a recent of MY choices.

To give a summary of the idea:

The idea came from the headaches when I use several programs while working on one job. Several files to touch several times, but always fighting with pathes if the files are not in the same place.

I think that the simple, elegant, and useful solution would be this:

- Recent tab at the ASL requester which holds previous file selections and selected drawers.
- ASL has a preferences already. It could be make a compliment which can be set the time of clearing the recent list. It would be *by reboot, *by n day
- The recent tab could hold a flush button to immidiately empty the list
- If it could handle application names that would be the icing on the cake