Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

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

Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

When user clicks the Everything icon in Tray- then Everything icon appears on Taskbar of Windows


When user goes to

Search > Organize Filters...

or

Tools > Options...

then a second Everything icon appears on Taskbar


When users goes first to

Search > Organize Filters...

and then without closing of this window goes also to

Tools > Options...

then 3 Everything's icons will be visible on Taskbar


But when user right-clicks a headers of any of the visible Columns and chooses either Add Columns... or Organize Columns... then no extra Everything icon appears on Taskbar of Windows. And that is plain inconsistent behavior. [And as I am a new user of this software, I reckon there might be other windows with options that do not get their icon on Taskbar]



As for the misleading part: all those extra icons look like second and third instances of Everything - thus they not indicate to user they are not merely its windows with options. Thus would it be possible for those windows to be marked on Taskbar of Windows with the Everything icon generated in some other color?
NotNull
Posts: 5461
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by NotNull »

The windows that end up in the taskbar are more or less 'independent' windows. You can switch back from them to the main Everything window.

You can't with the Add columns window.

There is a technical term for it, but this is how Windows manages it. And I'm glad it does, as I switch back and forth between these windows quite often (using the taskbar).
Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

NotNull wrote: Mon Aug 29, 2022 10:00 pm The windows that end up in the taskbar are more or less 'independent' windows. You can switch back from them to the main Everything window.

You can't with the Add columns window.
[...]
I have missed that difference - so let ask this then:

Why are Columns... and Organize Columns... and [it comes out] Add to Filters... windows blocking users access to main window - while allowing for tinkering at the same time with various settings within Organize Filters... window by the means of simply choosing its icon from the Taskbar of Windows?

Does not this evoke chaos?
void
Developer
Posts: 16897
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by void »

Most dialogs (eg: Options, Organize Bookmarks) in Everything 1.5 are modeless windows.
You can keep interacting with the main window.
These dialogs behave as a normal window with a taskbar button.

Some dialogs (eg: Organize Columns, Export...) in Everything 1.5 are modal windows.
Interaction with the main window is disabled until the dialog closes.

Everything 1.4 uses modal windows for all dialogs.



Everything will try to use modeless windows for dialogs that don't directly apply to the main window.

Everything will only allow one instance of each modeless window. (you can't open two option windows)
This will prevent some chaos.
Without showing the modeless windows in the taskbar they might get lost or become inaccessible.


Modal/modeless windows
Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

void wrote: Tue Aug 30, 2022 6:50 am [...]
Without showing the modeless windows in the taskbar they might get lost or become inaccessible.
[...]
That is wise

But
Thy Grand Voidinesss wrote: Mon Aug 29, 2022 9:21 pm [...]
would it be possible for those windows to be marked on Taskbar of Windows with the Everything icon generated in some other color?
to avoid possible confusion? Or does Windows simply not allow for modeless windows to differentiate from the main window?
void
Developer
Posts: 16897
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by void »

I will consider using a different icon to help distinguish dialogs from the main window.

Thank you for the suggestion.
Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

If the feature of different icons will be implemented, then it would be nice if users could pick them from a set of something like 10 colors. For example FreeCommander gives a choice between using 1 out of 2 icons [but its modeless windows use the same icon as the main window] and good old Winamp provides users with a variety of icons for audio files and playlists files [yes, I know- it is something different]

In a more advanced version of this feature users could also load up external icons to be used by Everything
void
Developer
Posts: 16897
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by void »

Thy Grand Voidinesss
Posts: 691
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by Thy Grand Voidinesss »

void wrote: Wed Aug 31, 2022 11:35 am I will consider using a different icon to help distinguish dialogs from the main window
[...]
Any hopes for that being implemented in a foreseeable future?

Or will this rather never happen?
therube
Posts: 5003
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm

Re: Inconsistent and misleading icons display on Taskbar of Windows

Post by therube »

(
I will consider using a different icon to help distinguish dialogs from the main window.
That doesn't always work out, depending... AllDup icon displayed in Alt+TAB differs depending...
)
Post Reply