New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Discussion related to "Everything" 1.5 Alpha.
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Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

There is this time saving thus very useful option of

Tools > Options... > Advanced > Show only modified settings

which narrows down possible parameters to only those already changed by the user


I propose adding 2 new check-boxes:

Tools > Options... > Advanced > Show only settings of Dark Theme
Tools > Options... > Advanced > Show only settings of Standard heme

If this gets implemented then the already exiting one could be renamed to

Tools > Options... > Advanced > Show only settings modified already

or

Tools > Options... > Advanced > Show only settings modified by user


All these 3 options should be selectable as a given user pleases - thus also as a combo; i.e.:
● modified
● modified + Dark
● modified + Standard
● Standard
● Standard + Dark
● Standard + Dark + modified

And whenever users ticks a box for both Dark and Standard then it would automatically be equal to [rather redundant then 4th] option of

Tools > Options... > Advanced > Show only settings of colors

but nevertheless a combo of them should remove from the visible list every non-color related options



The reasoning behind this is that if a user has settled on using of the Dark Theme then it is just counterproductive and erroneous to go through that clutter consisting of Standard version options [and the other way around]. Plus all those technical / coded names of all options are simply hard to read / decipher en masse. And it will be easier to copy and adjust settings of the other one if setting of the main one is completed
NotNull
Posts: 5465
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Post by NotNull »

The Advanced Options already come with very good possibilities to narrow down the results.

First one is the Show only modified settings checkbox,
Second is the Show settings containing: "search bar".

Here you type for example dark color to show only advanced settings related to colors in dark mode.

Couple of other possibilities:

Code: Select all

color
!color
!dark color
!dark !color
(! = NOT)


No need to overcomplicate things with a confusing set of extra checkboxes.
Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

So the core functionality required for the upgrade proposed by me is already there- now it just needs check-boxes

But If you do not like checkboxes and love to re-write the same expressions then if my propositions gets implemented you yourself will be able to abstain from using them. And you can also refrain right away from using Filters and Bookmarks, because Search Edit and Filter are more than enough for finding whatever it is you are looking for, right?
void
Developer
Posts: 16897
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Post by void »

I will consider checkboxes and filters to help limit what is shown to just light/dark colors.

Thank you for the suggestion.
NotNull
Posts: 5465
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Post by NotNull »

Thy Grand Voidinesss wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 9:41 pm But If you do not like checkboxes and love to re-write the same expressions then if my propositions gets implemented you yourself will be able to abstain from using them. And you can also refrain right away from using Filters and Bookmarks, because Search Edit and Filter are more than enough for finding whatever it is you are looking for, right?
Those cases can't be compared.
The Advanced Options are accessed infrequently (if ever ..) whereas regular searches are executed multiple times a day.
That requires a different UI/UX.

Furthermore: the Advanced Options contain more than just color settings. To be consistent, other settings should get checkboxes too for their category, leading to an excessive amount of checkboxes. Things will get ugly...

Take a good look at Everything's design language: it is elegant, subtle and well thought out. What can be left out, will be left out, resulting in a clean interface.
it is very difficult to make things (look) simple. That is the result of lots of trying, rewriting and optimizing. And persistence.

As Einstein said:
Everything Should Be Made as Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler
Doubt if he was aware of this search application, but it is still a very valid point.

Or similar by Blaise Pascal:
I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.
(which I remember differently, but that might be caused by translation)


TL;DR: It would be a shame if all the efforts to create this beautiful interface would get undone by adding clutter that at best could be halfway useful once or twice.


EDIT:This is the quote I had in mind:
"If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written a Shorter Letter".
Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: New possibilities for narrowing down of Advanced options

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

NotNull wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 10:24 pm
Thy Grand Voidinesss wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 9:41 pm But If you do not like checkboxes and love to re-write the same expressions then if my propositions gets implemented you yourself will be able to abstain from using them. And you can also refrain right away from using Filters and Bookmarks, because Search Edit and Filter are more than enough for finding whatever it is you are looking for, right?
Those cases can't be compared.
[...]
What can be left out, will be left out, resulting in a clean interface.
it is very difficult to make things (look) simple.
[...]
Then you are an advocate of removing not merely

Tools > Options... > General > Item > Result List > Item State

but of

Tools > Options... > General > Item

in general. Because who needs an ability to adjust font on every element despite setting of

Tools > Options... > General > Item > (Default)

right?

NotNull wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 10:24 pm Advanced Options contain more than just color settings. To be consistent, other settings should get checkboxes too for their category, leading to an excessive amount of checkboxes. Things will get ugly...
[...]
A] Says you

B] Everything is the most versatile and adjustable program I have used since I got my first PC in 1994 and I wish every one would give such access to its GUI; says me

C] I see no problem of cluttering after implementation of this- in a matter of fact it would help to reduce clutter when trying to adjust a certain aspect of user's in-deep settings
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