Bug 434580

Summary:	Quick Open Screen can be confusing to new users
Product:	[Applications] kate	Reporter:	israel <israeldahl>
Component:	application	Assignee:	KWrite Developers <kwrite-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	minor	CC:	christoph, nate, waqar.17a
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version First Reported In:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Arch Linux
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:	21.04
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	the screenshot of the minor issue with Quick Open making you feel like you broke something

Description israel 2021-03-18 13:22:25 UTC

SUMMARY
The quick open 'screen' can be confusing to new users if they have only an Untitled document open, since there is no directory listing showing files, it could seem like you are "breaking" the program as a new user.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Use an operating system that can handle real programs
2. install kate and execute it
3. click the quick open button

OBSERVED RESULT
If a user clicks the "Quick Open" their 'Untitled' document disappears and they are given a foreign screen with their document name.  Clicking this opens a new document.  It only works if this is a new un-saved document (think of a brand new user's first impressions trying the features out).  A user will avoid using a feature that could be useful if they think they 'break' things when they click it.

EXPECTED RESULT
The quick open should have files.  Perhaps starting with ~/Documents.  A new user using a new feature should find that feature working and intuitive.  It should never seem like you are breaking a program on accident.  If there were files listed the quick open would make sense as to what it is, what it does, and what happened when you clicked it.  This is actually probably a simple fix like:
quick_open_directory = get_env(HOME) + "/Documents" or whatever cool KDE APIs you'd use


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: 5.11.2-1-MANJARO
(available in About System) (called system information now)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.21.2
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.79.0
Qt Version: 5.15.2

Comment 1 Waqar Ahmed 2021-03-18 13:27:53 UTC

The UI has drastically changed since the last release.

Please read this blog post and check it out: https://kate-editor.org/post/2021/2021-01-10-kate-quick-open/

If you consider that solves the issue, feel free to close this issue :)

Comment 2 Nate Graham 2021-03-18 16:26:52 UTC

I would say so, yes. :) It's certainly less confusing to me.

Comment 3 israel 2021-03-18 23:32:03 UTC

Created attachment 136831 [details]
the screenshot of the minor issue with Quick Open making you feel like you broke something

please ignore my weird toolbar setup.
You can notice there is only the 'Untitled' button.
A new user will feel like they broke something and refrain from using this feature, as you can is  it makes your document disappear and an odd button that does not do what you think.

Comment 4 israel 2021-03-18 23:35:48 UTC

This happens ONLY with a new document.
I am running the latest version of kate, the version in the screenshot.
You do not get what you'd expect (a list of files and folders)
You get a weird button that opens a new untitled document.
Just pre-set the directory to populate that list of things, this will make new users understand how it works, and feel like they know what is happening, rather than thinking they broke something and not wanting to use that feature because they did not know how it worked.
This is a very small fringe use case issue, mind you.
But it is an issue that will fully prevent Quick Open from being used, so it is counter productive and counter intuitive.

tl;dr
pre set the Quick Open directory to something sane (~/Documents) and no one will ever have the issue I describe.

Comment 5 Christoph Cullmann 2021-03-18 23:37:15 UTC

Hi,

as linked below

https://kate-editor.org/post/2021/2021-01-10-kate-quick-open/

this will look totally different in 21.04 and should be less confusing.

Quick-open is not intended to e.g. list your ~/Documents and e.g. for me personally that would be very confusing, given none of my text files (mostly code, configuration, ....) will be in that folder.

Comment 6 israel 2021-03-19 01:10:32 UTC

Yes I see now, I misunderstood that webpage the first time.  You are right, this does completely eliminate the problem and makes quick open avoid the initial issue of making it seem like your document went away and you broke something.
This is fixed, thank you and sorry I did not completely understand the webpage the first time :P  It has been a weird year.