Bug 495832

Summary: Feature request: When "Create New" from the Context Menu is selected, or when dragging a file/folder; display the grid within a small circle and have its visibility follow the dragged file/folder.
Product: [Plasma] plasmashell Reporter: Fernando M. Muniz <fernandommuniz>
Component: ContainmentAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG    
Severity: wishlist CC: nate, notmart, plasma-bugs-null
Priority: NOR Keywords: accessibility, usability
Version First Reported In: 6.2.3   
Target Milestone: 1.0   
Platform: Arch Linux   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: Incorrect concept art (because the grid's visibility isn't following the cursor).
Concept art of the "Grid visualization circle" following the cursor.
Fade out stays on the dropped file.
Highlight Right-Clicked area when "Create New" from the Context Menu is selected.

Description Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 11:41:47 UTC
Created attachment 175545 [details]
Incorrect concept art (because the grid's visibility isn't following the cursor).

When dragging/creating a file, a visual representation of the grid should fade in and its visibility should follow the cursor and keep it as its center, the grid's visibility should be formed of a small circle that is about the size of a # (tic tac toe).

This should make Bug 495067 a bit more intuitive.
Comment 1 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 15:14:38 UTC
Created attachment 175553 [details]
Concept art of the "Grid visualization circle" following the cursor.
Comment 2 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 15:17:19 UTC
Created attachment 175554 [details]
Fade out stays on the dropped file.

A nice touch would be the grid staying on the dropped file as it fades out like this concept gif.
Comment 3 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 15:29:11 UTC
Please ignore the part about following the cursor, just make follow the file/folder being dragged.
Comment 4 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 17:01:34 UTC
*** Bug 495067 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 5 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 17:10:03 UTC
Created attachment 175557 [details]
Highlight Right-Clicked area when "Create New" from the Context Menu is selected.

Additionally, I'm requesting that when "Create New" from the Context Menu is selected, the area which a file/folder would be created becomes highlighted and the grid visualizer also appears.

It would be nice if the border of the circle of the grid were always faded into transparency. It would look more aesthetic that way.
Comment 6 Nate Graham 2024-11-05 19:31:54 UTC
It's an interesting idea, but can you explain why? What advantage would this offer the user?
Comment 7 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 19:59:33 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #6)
> It's an interesting idea, but can you explain why? What advantage would this
> offer the user?

It makes it less of a hassle to organize files on a very high resolution monitor/TV with low scaling percentage, or small icons settings, or both at the same time.
Comment 8 Nate Graham 2024-11-05 20:01:46 UTC
But how? Can you be more specific? i.e. in what way is it a hassle right now, and how exactly would the proposed change alleviate it?
Comment 9 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-05 20:53:06 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #8)
> But how? Can you be more specific? i.e. in what way is it a hassle right
> now, and how exactly would the proposed change alleviate it?

With the default icon size + 1080P screen + Default scaling (or 100%, which I'm using), it's easy to just eyeball the grid.

However, when dealing with the only area in which its main feature is its "customizable placements", with 4K/8K/16K resolution, low percentage of screen scaling, and/or small icons; although it might not be noticeable with short usage, as you keep dropping files in undesired placements, it becomes increasingly annoying to deal with day-by-day, which will cause the average user who cares about organizing desktop files/folders to inevitably just go back to bigger icons at the cost of screen space.

The same applies to a Steam Deck that has too many game shortcuts so the user had to set icons to small, making it hard to adjust placement in its small screen.

So this "grid visualizer" is my proposal to help the users to place files correctly at first try with ease, which not only lessens the stress, but also makes small icon/scaling/resolution settings more appealing than they usually are for those who like organizing the desktop).
Comment 10 Nate Graham 2024-11-06 19:01:22 UTC
I guess it boils down to: regardless of how big icons are or what the screen resolution or scale factor is, why do you need to care about seeing the grid? Icons snap to invisible grid cells anyway when you drop them. I'm failing to understand what's wrong or problematic for the status quo.
Comment 11 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-06 23:10:08 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #10)
> I guess it boils down to: regardless of how big icons are or what the screen
> resolution or scale factor is, why do you need to care about seeing the
> grid? Icons snap to invisible grid cells anyway when you drop them. I'm
> failing to understand what's wrong or problematic for the status quo.

The Desktop is the only area that organization relies fully on placement with the mouse and the user's vision, so ideally you would want to get the placement right the first try and move on, especially with multiple files/folders.

An alternate solution would be to make the cursor go from center-of-grid to center-of-grid when dragging files/folders. But I hate this one.
Comment 12 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-09 12:22:59 UTC
This request is for users who actively wants a very small icon size while maintaining precision in order to not be frustrated with misplacements.

I don't think it enters in conflict with the request of Bug 496004
Comment 13 Fernando M. Muniz 2024-11-16 20:24:01 UTC
As a side effect, it would make very small icons/scaling as attractive as the "normal" sizes, since constant misplacements during organization won't be as common.
Comment 14 Fernando M. Muniz 2025-03-14 04:30:41 UTC
I came to the realization that the grid is not useful for these situations when compared to a simple highlight for items.

Bug 495067 is more simple and adequate.