Bug 374485

Summary:	Modified Icon Should Act as "Quick Save" or Add Default Save Button
Product:	[Applications] kate	Reporter:	lukebenes
Component:	kwrite	Assignee:	KWrite Developers <kwrite-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	normal	CC:	axel.braun, ben.opp, cassieenicol, christoph, justin.zobel, pcfreak
Priority:	NOR
Version:	Git
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:	22.04.0
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	Kate on KDE Neon has Quick Open but no Quick Save Kate on KDE Neon with Toolbar has multiple UX issues

Description lukebenes 2017-01-03 09:13:25 UTC

When I launch kate for a quick edit, the most common feature I need is the 'Save' function. After I make a change, Kate even puts up a
handy modified document indicator that uses the universal 'Save' icon. But when clicked, nothing seems to happen. 

My suggestion to either have a dedicated save button or better yet, make that save icon on the top bar function as a button. I know you can add a toolbar with save, but it's such a common feature it should be available by default. 

This issue is discussed here:

http://kde.6490.n7.nabble.com/UI-issue-Kate-s-quot-Save-quot-Button-Does-Not-Save-td1650985.html

Comment 1 Dominik Haumann 2017-01-03 11:54:59 UTC

Btw, another way would be to remove the icon, and instead add a '*' at the end of the filename, e.g. "kateview.cpp*". This is how it was typically done in the last 20 years... Not sure this would be a better solution, though.

Comment 2 lukebenes 2017-01-08 03:29:13 UTC

I think a '*' would be a great solution for the current save icon confusion. Anything is better than a 'save' icon which is not clickable.

Comment 3 Christoph Feck 2017-03-31 16:18:52 UTC

*** Bug 378110 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 4 lukebenes 2018-02-04 19:12:26 UTC

Ideally, I'd like to see the save icon used as a save button. If that is not possible, could the icon be changed to a "*" and a save icon be added to a location that is always visible even in the most compact configuration?

Comment 5 Christoph Cullmann 2019-05-20 13:51:07 UTC

Should we go with the * proposal? Would be consistent with the application title, too.

Comment 6 Ben Opp 2019-06-01 23:41:25 UTC

I think the save icon should be a save button. I like that it shows up only after modifying the file, and it's in a convenient place for a save button, it should just do that.

Comment 7 Dominik Haumann 2019-06-02 06:55:00 UTC

Making the icon clickable would be very non-standard. No other application does this. So this would be a usability issue.

Comment 8 Ben Opp 2019-06-02 18:27:03 UTC

Well no other app indicates the file has been modified by displaying a save icon - that's also pretty non-standard. I'd guess that most people intuitively see it as a prompt to save yr work, which is a good idea. Who said we can't introduce a non-standard way of doing things every now and then. But if you do wanna stick to standards, I also vote to replace the save icon with a *.
Just gotta make a decision

Comment 9 Justin Zobel 2020-10-29 22:44:23 UTC

(In reply to Christoph Cullmann from comment #5)
> Should we go with the * proposal? Would be consistent with the application
> title, too.

I think this is suitable as there's a big save button on the toolbar and if it's a quick edit a lot of users will just use Ctrl S as they're already on the keyboard having made edits.

Comment 10 lukebenes 2020-10-30 20:34:31 UTC

(In reply to Justin Zobel from comment #9)
> (In reply to Christoph Cullmann from comment #5)
> I think this is suitable as there's a big save button on the toolbar 

Installing Kate on KDE Neon or Arch, there is no default toolbar to use. There is an "Open" icon, but no "Save". It make no sense to have one but not the other. 

If any UI stats were gathered, a guarantee you that save is used more often than open. Also see the other major editors from Windows notepad to GNOME's Gedit all have a save icon by default.

Comment 11 lukebenes 2020-10-30 20:39:57 UTC

Sorry, I meant Windows notepad++

Comment 12 lukebenes 2020-12-15 17:00:53 UTC

Created attachment 134097 [details]
Kate on KDE Neon has Quick Open but no Quick Save

Fresh install of KDE Neon has no button to save by default. Has universal "save" icon but does not function. Do we have any statics showing that people use Open more than they use Save to justify this decision? Makes no sense to me.

Comment 13 lukebenes 2020-12-15 17:05:46 UTC

Created attachment 134098 [details]
Kate on KDE Neon with Toolbar has multiple UX issues

With toolbar enabled, there are multiple UI inconsistencies/issues:

*  2 Identical Save icons
*  Only 1 of the 2 save Icons works
*  Save takes up huge amount of vertical real estate / Lots of wasted white space
*  Quick Open icon far from Save icon


Solution
1. Add quick save icon
2. Remove non-functional save icon in tab

Comment 14 PCFreak 2021-12-20 15:22:05 UTC

I agree with the previous speakers. If the icon appears and is also identical to the icon to the right of the menu text for saving the document under "File", then it should either not be displayed or work for saving the document.

Comment 15 Christoph Cullmann 2022-03-06 20:29:19 UTC

We now just change the tab title but no longer show the icon.
The icon in the status bar is gone, too, during the status bar cleanup and unification with the bottom row.