Categories UI problem: Right-click menu

[dietmar]

Pierre,

the categories hierarchy allows to define nested categories, e.g.

Persons -> Family -> Me
Persons -> Family -> MyBrother

Within the Categories Data Pane one can assign either a sub-category or a top-category or both to each image. This is correct as there might be some images which would only be part of Persons -> Family, but neither show Me nor MyBrother.

Likewise the Categories Filter allows to either select the sub-category or the top-category. (It would be nice to automatically include sub-categories when selecting a top category, by the way - see my separate wishlist entry.)

However, there's a problem with the categories in an image's right-click menu, though. Here you can only select the lowest sub-category. You cannot select a top category if it has sub-categories.

Dietmar

[xnview]

Likewise the Categories Filter allows to either select the sub-category or the top-category. (It would be nice to automatically include sub-categories when selecting a top category, by the way - see my separate wishlist entry.)

So a setting like 'select children keywords'?

However, there's a problem with the categories in an image's right-click menu, though. Here you can only select the lowest sub-category. You cannot select a top category if it has sub-categories.

How that??

[dietmar]

So a setting like 'select children keywords'?

Yes, "select all children keywords".

However, there's a problem with the categories in an image's right-click menu, though. Here you can only select the lowest sub-category. You cannot select a top category if it has sub-categories.

How that??

Please try
Create a category "TEST-TOP". Create a sub-category "TEST-CHILD".
Using the Categories pane, you can

• select just TEST-CHILD
  select just TEST-TOP
  select both TEST-TOP and TEST-CHILD

Now right-click on any image and look at the Categories submenu. You cannot select TEST-TOP as it only opens the submenu containing TEST-CHILD.

Dietmar

[xnview]

Now right-click on any image and look at the Categories submenu. You cannot select TEST-TOP as it only opens the submenu containing TEST-CHILD.

Ok, i understand now. I don't know how to do here. Select menu item open the submenu, so how to select it as category??

[dietmar]

Ok, i understand now. I don't know how to do here. Select menu item open the submenu, so how to select it as category??

This is why I called it a UI problem, not a bug

First question is: Do you want a top category to be selected at all? That answer must be Yes, because one could always add sub-categories later on. So probably there will be images having the parent category checked already. And there must be a way to deselect or reselect the parent.

Next question is: Why not show in the menu which categories have been selected already? You do use checkboxes in other submenus. Using such would indicate in the menu which categories are selected (checked).

Still leaves the problem how to check/select a parent category. Since clicking always opens the submenu, there must be some option in the submenu to select the parent (and not a child). So maybe the submenu could read

• (Checkmark) Parent Name
  Separator
  (Checkmark) Child 1
  (Checkmark) Child 2
  and so on

But don't spend too much time thinking on this. There are more important things to do

Dietmar

BTW: For my categories project I automatically added a larger number of categories to the database - and made MP crash My fault: I had the ID field set to NULL instead of an empty string. ID is of no use anyway, or is it?

[dietmar]

Pierre,

there's another minor UI problem with categories: The Categories data pane is defunct (greyed out) when no image is selected.

While it makes sense to disallow choosing categories without an active image, it is confusing that you cannot even scroll to see which categories exist or that you cannot create a new category without activating an image first.

Dietmar

[CameronD]

... The Categories data pane is defunct (greyed out) when no image is selected....

yes, I have found that annoying as well. There are times I want to look a the list without having to select an image.

[xnview]

But don't spend too much time thinking on this. There are more important things to do

ok, i'll check

BTW: For my categories project I automatically added a larger number of categories to the database - and made MP crash My fault: I had the ID field set to NULL instead of an empty string. ID is of no use anyway, or is it?

Currently ID is not used

[dietmar]

Pierre,

there's another minor UI problem with categories:

In the Categories Data Pane when you add a new sub-category it is sorted at N (New Category), with the New Category "name" highlighted to be renamed. That's ok, but after you renamed the new category it stays at the N position. It should go to the correct sort order position.

Dietmar