Windows Explorer - File info display

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  1. Posts : 2,111
    Win7 Build 7600 x86
       #1

    Windows Explorer - File info display


    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.

    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
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,642
    Windows 10 Pro (x64)
       #2

    SquonkSC said:
       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?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 2,111
    Win7 Build 7600 x86
    Thread Starter
       #3

    logicearth said:
    SquonkSC said:
       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.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 5,642
    Windows 10 Pro (x64)
       #4

    SquonkSC said:
    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. :P
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 2,111
    Win7 Build 7600 x86
    Thread Starter
       #5

    logicearth said:
    SquonkSC said:
    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. :P
    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
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,573
       #6

    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.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,111
    Win7 Build 7600 x86
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Antman said:
    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
      My Computer


  8. ECH
    Posts : 63
    Win7
       #8

    Kari said:
    ECH said:
    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:

    Attachment 31496

    Image 2:

    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 .
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 5,642
    Windows 10 Pro (x64)
       #9

    ECH said:
    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 .
    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.
      My Computer


  10. ECH
    Posts : 63
    Win7
       #10

    logicearth said:
    ECH said:
    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 .
    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.
      My Computer


 
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