Version: 3.3 (using KDE 3.3.0, (3.1)) Compiler: gcc version 3.3.4 (Debian 1:3.3.4-9) OS: Linux (i686) release 2.6.7 Since bug 84087 has been fixed the area that is highlighted when a file or folder is selected does not correspond to the actual area that can be used to activate the item or invoke the item-specific context menu (instead of the one of the current folder). The handling of the context menu and item activation seems right now, since clicking on free space (no matter if it's part of the name column or another one) does mark a file but does not activate it or open the item-specific context menu, but the marked area is still too big and might trick users into thinking that the whole marked area could be used to start the item specific context menu. This is how highlighting looks right now: http://www.deadhand.com/kde/images/mark_files_select.png A typical scenario would be that you selected multiple files and right click anywhere on the highlighted blue column. Chances are you click on blank space instead of the file and lose your selection just to launch the current folder's context menu. To visualize the changed behaviour I suggest the marked area should be changed to look like this: http://www.deadhand.com/kde/images/mark_files_select_new.png
One more thing that directly refers to this is the way you can select files. If you select multiple files with the mouse and the "rubber band" you can do so by just touching the free space of the name column with the band. With the changed behaviour and after this bug is fixed looks it doesn't make much sense. To the user it would seem that they placed the rubber band to the left of the file, yet it got marked - only because the rubber band touched free space on the name column - this might be confusing. To fix this I'd suggest that the rubber band would have to touch either the file-name or the icon of a file (-> area marked in the second screenshot) to mark it. This would _not_ involve changing the way you can select a file by simply clicking anywhere on it's row though.
Can someone comment on this, or say if this has already been fixed? It seems to be a real big issue for new users. Just set up several KDE systems and everyone was confused by the overly big area used to mark a file - they mostly clicked somewhere on this area and thought they should get the file's context menu.
Created attachment 7881 [details] Possible fix Another patches in http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=16962
Comment on attachment 7881 [details] Possible fix this patch is not 100% ok. try the newest found in http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=16962
CVS commit by andrunko: BUG: 88964 Fixed this bug: "Highlighting of files in Detailed List View does not correspond to the area of activation". M +51 -9 konq_infolistviewitem.cc 1.11 M +1 -0 konq_infolistviewitem.h 1.8 M +50 -7 konq_listviewitems.cc 1.67 M +1 -0 konq_listviewitems.h 1.30 M +33 -9 konq_listviewwidget.cc 1.250 M +2 -0 konq_listviewwidget.h 1.93
I've been using the patch with KDE 3.3.1 for a while now and it works good with one exception: I can not select multiple files with the rubber-band multiple times... What I mean is that one I select a few files with the rubberband and press and hold CTRL I would expect to be able to select another batch of files with the rubberband, while still having the first batch selected. I _think_ that's how it used to work in KDe but unfortunately can't check this myself right now. Anyway here on my box with KDE 3.3.1 and the patch(set) of Andre I can't do so. Instead when I press and hold CTRL once I click to select more files with the rubber band the previous selection is gone.
This is already fixed in current CVS.