Windows Explorer - File info display

[SquonkSC]

If you can't beat them, join them, my mother always said.
Hope she was right.

I really like W7 and it is and will be the OS I use.

However there are some things, mainly GUI quirks that should be addressed by MS.

1. The status bar.
It has grown three times in height, and while the bar is quite informative in case of certain files, yet in most case it uses less than 20% of the space.
Even worse is the fact that for folders it doesn't show the crucial information one would like to get.
In fact the only way to get it is right click/properties.

Example:
When you click on a folder in the right pane it will merely show:
the name of the folder,
the fact it is a filefolder, (really?)
when it was last edited

When you click on a folder in the left pane it only shows how many items are in it.

If the folder is shared, the bar will show it's shared and with whom.

And the shared with whom is erroneous, because it says it's shared with myself, while in fact in the shared settings it's shared with Everyone.

The fact the folder is shared should be represented by a shared icon overlay so it's instantly recognizable, but MS decided an administrator would be much happier clicking on ever single folder in the tree. :sarc:

Come on MS, it's a statusbar, I want to see the status of the folder,
not just the name and when it was last edited.

   Information

The info on a folder I would like to see on the statusbar is:

1. First and foremost the SIZE of the folder. Is that too much to ask?
2. How many files there are in the folder.
3. Creation date.
4. Ownership maybe? Is owned by.....
5. The permission the current user has for that folder?
6. The path.

2. Shared Icon Overlay

I mentioned this before, but I can't state this enough.
This single little thing might hold corporations from moving to W7 and Server 2008 r2.

   Information

In a folder tree I want to instantly recognize the shared folders!

Microsoft, bring this back to us ASAP!!!

3. To get to WPA settings is confusing.

   Information

Manage wireless networks on the left pane vs wireless properties on the network properties tab.
Why are they named differently?
Why is WEP not in the list with WPA, WPA2 etc., but hidden under shared?

4. Still to many dialogs on top of the other.

That's one of my general points of criticism.
Although better than in XP and Vista, things that belong together are still to much spread out, and still to many dialogs on top of the other.

And so many legacy XP kind of dialogs.
Take Network Settings, Device Manager, File properties, Security tab, Shared tab, you name it.
All these small dialogs with even more buttons to open yet another dialog that resides on top of the other.

What they did with Network Centre is a step in the right direction,
although clicking on the items brings you back to XP style dialogs.
They should have done it for all these annoying dialogs.

   Information

Microsoft, HELLO??!!, it's the 21st century, we have 22" screens and up you know?
Get rid of those ugly and counterproductive dialogs.

Resuming

Having said all this, I still feel W7 is the best OS they made,
and I am very happy with it.
But there is tons of room for improvement.

All trolls satisfied now?
j/k

 

[logicearth]

   Information

The info on a folder I would like to see on the statusbar is:

1. First and foremost the SIZE of the folder. Is that too much to ask?
2. How many files there are in the folder.
...

Should be aware of the performance impact esp. on larger folders. Having the size taken up by the contents of the folder and the number of files would require Explorer to go though the folder's tree and calculate it all for display. Actually having in the status bar details pane whatever you call it, will be a major hit to performance and efficiency. Can you imagine Explorer trying to go though the folder, but oh you moved to another folder before it finished.

The Old New Thing : Why doesn't Explorer show recursive directory size as an optional column?

 

[SquonkSC]

   Information

The info on a folder I would like to see on the statusbar is:

1. First and foremost the SIZE of the folder. Is that too much to ask?
2. How many files there are in the folder.
...

Should be aware of the performance impact esp. on larger folders. Having the size taken up by the contents of the folder and the number of files would require Explorer to go though the folder's tree and calculate it all for display. Actually having in the status bar details pane whatever you call it, will be a major hit to performance and efficiency. Can you imagine Explorer trying to go though the folder, but oh you moved to another folder before it finished.

The Old New Thing : Why doesn't Explorer show recursive directory size as an optional column?

When you hover the mouse over the folder it shows the size instantly.

Probably based on previous calculation, but that would be fine by me on the statusbar.

So this argument can be dismissed.

Edit: forgot. When you click on the folder in the left pane, amount of items is shown instantly too. So no slowing calculations being done.

 

[logicearth]

When you hover the mouse over the folder it shows the size instantly.

Probably based on previous calculation, but that would be fine by me on the statusbar.

So this argument can be dismissed.

Edit: forgot. When you click on the folder in the left pane, amount of items is shown instantly too. So no slowing calculations being done.

couldn't get instantaneous hover tips on large folder (Program Files) it took a few before the hover tip appeared. But I could hear the HDD churring away. In some cases I got incomplete or "more then" entries.

The hover tip I can understand having it, it is not always on, your mouse has to be sitting there to call it. While the status bar is on with a click.

As for the items count...that is easy because explorer is already pulling down the top tree and files when you click on it.

 

[SquonkSC]

When you hover the mouse over the folder it shows the size instantly.

Probably based on previous calculation, but that would be fine by me on the statusbar.

So this argument can be dismissed.

Edit: forgot. When you click on the folder in the left pane, amount of items is shown instantly too. So no slowing calculations being done.

couldn't get instantaneous hover tips on large folder (Program Files) it took a few before the hover tip appeared. But I could hear the HDD churring away. In some cases I got incomplete or "more then" entries.

The hover tip I can understand having it, it is not always on, your mouse has to be sitting there to call it. While the status bar is on with a click.

As for the items count...that is easy because explorer is already pulling down the top tree and files when you click on it.

I personally wouldn't mind if when clicked on a folder there would appear a message saying "calculating size..." on the statusbar.
If I want to check the size I wait a few seconds.

As long as it doesn't hijack the explorer.
Meaning if I click on something else it should stop calculation instantly,
and let me move one.
I think this should be doable by MS's programmers.

It would beat having to rightclick the folder and left click properties,
and still wait until calculations are done.

It's a pity they haven't incorporated the size calculation in the indexing process. That would make it instant.

I guess we'll have to wait for NFS.

Greetings

 

[Antman]

As far as the hover tool tip is concerned - useless for me. I just tested it on a variety of folders. The slight delay was tolerable. The report of 7.29 GB in a folder containing 105 GB with 3 MB in the root is a waste of resources.

 

[SquonkSC]

As far as the hover tool tip is concerned - useless for me. I just tested it on a variety of folders. The slight delay was tolerable. The report of 7.29 GB in a folder containing 105 GB with 3 MB in the root is a waste of resources.

I agree.

Just tested it and it is indeed useless.

Calculation would be necessary.
And as long as the calculation process wouldn't 't hijack the explorer,
I would prefer it over rightclick properties.

Greetings

 

[ECH]

I still haven't got use to not having HD information (free Space, etc) in Windows Explorer's Status Bar. If anything I was expecting more information from the Status Bar.

Image 1 is a XP My Computer window with status bar. Image 2 is My Computer window from Seven.

Could you please tell me what is the info you don't find in Seven but which is available in XP?

Image 1:

View attachment 31496

Image 2:

View attachment 31495

Kari

Although I risk discussing this with you because you clearly show you don't understand what I talking about. However, I want to make sure that I'm clear on the issue if nothing more then for my own satisfaction (regardless if you get it or not). I want that information in window explorer's Status Bar without having to click on another window or highlight files/folder then going into property to get the information. I didn't say nor implied that the information wasn't available in Win7. However, that is how you replied to me. That's why I said earlier you do not understand my post. What was said is that I want that information in windows explorer's status bar just like you've shown in XP.

Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you :sarc:.

 

[logicearth]

Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you :sarc:.

While that information is shown on the [My] Computer screen this information does not come from scanning the file system tree. Instead it uses the far more accurate and faster method of counting the number of filled bits used in the $bitmap of the HDD.

That is why this data is shown.

 

[ECH]

Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you :sarc:.

While that information is shown on the [My] Computer screen this information does not come from scanning the file system tree. Instead it uses the far more accurate and faster method of counting the number of filed bits used in the bitmap of the HDD.

Which if fine, thus better then status bar on XP's windows explorer. Which all the more sense to allow for this as an option in windows explorer's status bar for Win7.

 

[Antman]

...Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you.

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Or, you could use a bloody carcass.

 

[ECH]

Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you :sarc:.

While that information is shown on the [My] Computer screen this information does not come from scanning the file system tree. Instead it uses the far more accurate and faster method of counting the number of filed bits used in the bitmap of the HDD.

Which is fine, thus providing more accuarate information then the status bar on XP's windows explorer. Which all the more reason to allow for this as an option in windows explorer's status bar for Win7.

...Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you.

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Or, you could use a bloody carcass.

True if I was attempting to catch flies. However, I was responding to what appeared to me to be miscommunication worded in a way which was not what I consider "friendly". So the correct analogy would be to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

 

[SquonkSC]

I still haven't got use to not having HD information (free Space, etc) in Windows Explorer's Status Bar. If anything I was expecting more information from the Status Bar.

Image 1 is a XP My Computer window with status bar. Image 2 is My Computer window from Seven.

Could you please tell me what is the info you don't find in Seven but which is available in XP?

Image 1:

View attachment 31496

Image 2:

View attachment 31495

Kari

Although I risk discussing this with you because you clearly show you don't understand what I talking about. However, I want to make sure that I'm clear on the issue if nothing more then for my own satisfaction (regardless if you get it or not). I want that information in window explorer's Status Bar without having to click on another window or highlight files/folder then going into property to get the information. I didn't say nor implied that the information wasn't available in Win7. However, that is how you replied to me. That's why I said earlier you do not understand my post. What was said is that I want that information in windows explorer's status bar just like you've shown in XP.

Let me elaborate a bit. If that information can be shown in the status bar of Computer it should also be available as an option in Windows Explorer. There, I hope that makes it clear for you :sarc:.

You shouldn't blame it on Kari that he doesn't understand it.

You were unclear, and you still are, even after your not so elaborate elaboration.

You are aware that this icon :sarc: means sarcastic?
If you want to continue receiving help I suggest you don't use that icon unless it's appropriate, which it seldom is.

Your post was and I quote:
I still haven't got use to not having HD information (free Space, etc) in Windows Explorer's Status Bar.

Kari showed you two comparative screenshots which show you the diskpace/freespace is shown when you click on the drive.
Both in XP and Win7.

In XP when you click on the drive in the left pane of the explorer, you see only the free space.
In Win7 you will see nothing.

Is that what you mean?

If not, try to explain your problem by posting some screenshots.

Greetings

 

[logicearth]

Which is fine, thus providing more accuarate information then the status bar on XP's windows explorer. Which all the more reason to allow for this as an option in windows explorer's status bar for Win7.

There is just one problem. Counting up the filled bits in the $bitmap works for finding out the used space of the drive. It does not work for directory trees. Those must be computed the old fashion way. And doing it the old fashion way is expensive.

The Old New Thing : Why doesn't the file system have a function that tells you the number of files in a directory?

 

[ECH]

Which is fine, thus providing more accuarate information then the status bar on XP's windows explorer. Which all the more reason to allow for this as an option in windows explorer's status bar for Win7.

There is just one problem. Counting up the filled bits in the $bitmap works for finding out the used space of the drive. It does not work for directory trees. Those must be computed the old fashion way. And doing it the old fashion way is expensive.

Odd, I don't see it as a problem from the status bar of Computer albeit similar but not the same information (ie: graphical bar, etc). Having that would provide something for users like myself who use it.

 

[SquonkSC]

From computer in the left pane you only see the drive info of the drive that is selected

When you open the explorer and click on computer for the first time,
you won't get drive info at all, but info on your computer.

Only after you once selected a partition in the right pane,
you'll get drive info when you return to computer.

Hence, it remembers the last thing you selected when you were in the computer.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[ECH]

Yes, it does and I appreciate the information. However, it is of my own opinion that having similar information from the status bar of Computer available as an option for the status bar of Windows Explorer would be useful for users like myself who need to know such information based on how we use our PC. Perhaps an added ability to click on the status bar that would update it for example could be an added benefit.

 

[logicearth]

* is currently completely lost about what is being asked for now... *

 

[SquonkSC]

* is currently completely lost about what is being asked for now... *

Lost me too.

Especially what XP did different in this matter?

Screenshots please, or I'm 10-7

 

[Kari]

ECH, it is true I misunderstood your post. I have no other excuse, only that mostly posts in this thread criticizing win7 compare it to XP. I wrongly assumed you mean that, too.

Because I didn't understand what you meant, I took two snips and posted them, asking what is the info you can not find.

True if I was attempting to catch flies. However, I was responding to what appeared to me to be miscommunication worded in a way which was not what I consider "friendly". So the correct analogy would be to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

English is a foreign language to me. I was one of those not so bright students, listening more rock music than my English teachers. Hopefully somebody can now tell me how to be polite in English (as was my meaning), when this is considered "not friendly":

Could you please tell me what is the info you don't find in Seven but which is available in XP?

I am really sorry I misunderstood you. I am also very pleased you edited your comments about me; even I'm the culprit here I think an honest misunderstanding is not a reason to be sarcastic.

I promise to read your posts more carefully in the future, doing everything I can not to offend you by misunderstanding.

Kari