Bug 63749

Summary:	import and export file format issues (usability)
Product:	[I don't know] kde	Reporter:	Sander Devrieze <s.devrieze>
Component:	general	Assignee:	Unassigned bugs mailing-list <unassigned-bugs>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	nate, rodlockwood
Priority:	NOR
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Compiled Sources
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	attachment-10801-0.html

Description Sander Devrieze 2003-09-05 12:41:54 UTC

Version:            (using KDE Devel)
Installed from:    Compiled sources

Now selecting from the import and export file format isn't consistent in KDE apllications. In KAddressbook, KOrganizer, Konquerors Bookmark Editor and maybe more applications it's done via submenus. I notice 2 problems with this method:

1) Not all people know which file format they need: they just want to export or import stuff. And so it can be confusing for them if they need to choose from a list with unknown formats without discriptions or other help (e.g.: "wtf means CSV list?").
2) You can't import different file types at the same time.

On the other hand you've the KOffice applications method, which is much better but it can even better on some places I think. (e.g.: The list of supported formats isn't alphabetic.)

My proposals:

o A consistent import method in all KDE applications which need this functionallity:
Clicking on import should display a file selection dialog and showing default only all supported files. This is also like it's now done in KOffice applications.
Advantages:
* People don't need to choose the file format: they just need to select the file they want to import without knowing the format (version) of it.
* Importing of multiple file formats (of different kinds) at the same time is possible.

o A consistent export method in all KDE applications which need this functionallity:
Clicking on export should display a wizard. In the first step people can choose the file format.
Advantages:
* WhatsThis Help, little description(s) and graphic(s) to improve usability are possible.
* People can go back fast if they consider they selected the wrong export file format in the first step of the wizard.

Comment 1 Pupeno 2003-10-09 22:29:54 UTC

I don't completly agree with Sander Devrieze but I think he has a point in that 
something should be done... I have a simpler idea... 
Document based applications, like KWord, KSpread or even Kate should have an 
export function, which is like save as but with a simple diference, the 
application goes on editing the initial document, so, if I'm editing file.kwd 
and I export file1.kwd I go on editing file.kwd, then I could export file2.kwd 
but I go one editing file.kwd, then I may export file.doc and file.txt, but 
kword is always editing the original file, file.kwd. 
Import would only make sense if open wouldn't open non-native files (in which 
case, save shouldn't save non-native files) but I don't think this is a good 
idea. 
Import would make sense in training based applications, that saves the current 
status of the training to an internal file in .kde but to allow more 
versatility, it also allows to import and export that status to a file. 
I think that import and export should then, be turned into standard actions and 
that the training based application or status based application (a game would 
be droped in the same category for example) should be well explained in the 
style guides as well as the behaviours of export and import. 
Thanks

Comment 2 Rod Lockwood 2017-09-06 01:27:27 UTC

How about making the import file non-proprietary so anyone can use the same type of file no matter which platform they are using Marble on (KDE, QT/Linux, Windows, or Mac). CSV or TSV are simple text files and easy to explain. Once the person knows to use commas or tabs to separate the fields, any text editor can be used to create an import file. It seems to me that would make adding the feature easier since you only have one file format to deal with.

Exporting to either CSV or TSV would be good too, since they can be imported into any spreadsheet.

Comment 3 Rod Lockwood 2017-09-06 01:29:06 UTC

Not that I have any hope that anything will be done about this considering it’s been 14 years since the last comment and nothing seems to have been done.

Comment 4 Christoph Feck 2017-09-25 20:56:26 UTC

Rod, if you have an issue with the Marble application, I suggest to file a new ticket for product 'marble' in this bug tracker.

Comment 5 Nate Graham 2020-09-29 04:38:51 UTC

This is kind of too broad to be actionable, sorry. Your best bet is to file individual bugs against the apps that aren't behaving like you would expect.

Comment 6 Sander Devrieze 2020-09-29 07:34:06 UTC

Created attachment 132004 [details]
attachment-10801-0.html

Sorry, I am afraid that means this improvement proposal will then be gone.
Unfortunately I can't help with this as I am not using KDE any more, so I
have no clue about the actual state of applications. Anyone who still is
using KDE will have to do this.