Future Fluff features (after version 1.1)

[MikeLockmoore]

EDIT 2012.03.31: Updated title to refer to ideas to be used after the upcoming minor update.

To keep the TCB Bugs thread more focused on, you know, bugs and issues, I'm splitting off any discussion of future features for Fluff here.  This is a list of things I _MIGHT_ work on:

a) User-customizable font size for buttons, view panes, etc.

b) Three-pane mode that would work more like MC

c) Thumbnail view (icons and/or thumbnail images)

d) Temporary command line for a selected file (works as a "one shot" file association)

e) Search through file names, or file content

f) EDIT: Perhaps show MOUNTED or UNMOUNTED status for storage devices and/or better integrate with the TC mount tool

The priority for these will depend on difficulty of implementation, impact on executable size and performance, and opinions on the value of each (i.e. my opinion, influenced by the Core Team and feedback from users). And again I caution people that many or most new features may appear in a "Super Fluff" version that would be installed from an extension so the base version can keep in line with the small, light "core" character of the base system.  Plus, I have other software projects for TinyCore in progress or in mind for the future... so major changes to Fluff may not happen very soon.   

[Guy]

You can copy and paste.

I think it would be a good idea to also have cut and paste.

[Guy]

I have mentioned before:

I think it is a good idea to remove "use sudo" to make it more child/mistake proof.

For sudo it can be started with sudo fluff.

[MikeLockmoore]

@Guy:  And I mentioned before that you may hand-edit the .fluff.conf file to completely disable and hide the "use sudo" feature.  Why is this not sufficient?  It seems that if you know enough to launch fluff with "sudo fluff", you should likewise be able to edit the one character in the config file to turn it off or on.

@Everyone: Should I run a poll to see if most users would prefer that "use sudo" be hidden by default?

[MikeLockmoore]

Regarding Cut... I considered this during development because the terminology is common in other apps, but I don't like how it is like telling the computer "delete this, but not *really* because I might paste it, so maybe just hide it or put it somewhere else, but if I never paste it, then you can really delete it".

It's not practical to buffer in RAM all the content of the files that the user may select and 'Cut'.  So it requires moving files to some other temporary place, or maybe doing bookeeping to just making the display *look* like the files are gone until the first paste is accomplished.  But then: what if the power fails before the FM can actually update the file system?  Or the FM crashes, or some other command kills it?  The next time the user looks at the files, they won't be how the user intended.

I think it is better to model the Fluff commands on the UNIX command line semantics of cp (copy), mv (move), and rm (remove... i.e. delete).  It is cleaner conceptually, reduces opportunities to mess up the filesystem, and simpler to implement.

[floppy]

@MikeLockmoore.
Fluff is already a good thing in my opinion. Before any functionality (and bytes) are programmed, the wide needs could be slowly evaluated, and what is already present in other programms!.
Example:
- ftp and filemanager: I use MidnightCommander because it has an ftp and I move the files, too, after "sudo mc -x".
- I start using fluff with the sudo button for file manager.. but it has no ftp
So, personally, fluff in its size and functionality ok for me (hide perhaps a bit more the sudo button) and I need MC complementary to it. Perhaps a short information button, in which programm are further needed functionality (ex "for ftp, see MC or ..."). Perhaps it would be enough?

[MikeLockmoore]

Hi Floppy.  I have not considered adding FTP features, at least in the base version of Fluff.  Maybe it could be considerd in an expanded "Super Fluff" version.  But I don't think many people need a special info button in the main interface.  Perhaps I could add a short comment in the Help document about how Fluff lacks FTP integration.

[tinypoodle]

b) Three-pane mode that would work more like MC

What about an option to be able to open a new fluff window from within fluff?

As for now, I would start 'fluff &' from an aterm, then when need comes up hit up arrow in aterm and hit Enter to get a new window.
This creates a new PID each time with a similar amout of res mem usage; feasable, but not ideal.

Having several overlapping windows can be an advantage on netbooks, compared to having one static window containing several tiled subwindows.

[MikeLockmoore]

open a new fluff window from within fluff?

Similar to the "Open terminal here" command?  That should be easy to do.  The only downside I see is that it makes the command menu a little longer and complex.  But I'll think about it. 

[tinypoodle]

Yes, I think similar to the "Open terminal here" command might come handy.   

[floppy]

I found something out yesterday: I tried to change the directory name from "PMAGIC" in "pmagic" but i did not work. I had first to change to PMAGIC_N then into pmagic. Not really ennoying. Just an information.
2 months ago I tried to change a directory name from "#save" into "save" and it did not work. Again, just a remark.
PS: partedmagic as frugall-install did not start in my young box (a kernel error that something was missing for my processor). So, I stay in a deep relationship with TCL+GPARTED ;-)

[tinypoodle]

I found something out yesterday: I tried to change the directory name from "PMAGIC" in "pmagic" but i did not work. I had first to change to PMAGIC_N then into pmagic.

Such may be filesystem dependent.

[floppy]

I found something out yesterday: I tried to change the directory name from "PMAGIC" in "pmagic" but i did not work. I had first to change to PMAGIC_N then into pmagic.

Such may be filesystem dependent.

directory "PMAGIC" was on a CF and format FAT32

[tinypoodle]

Code: [Select]

tc@box:/mnt/sda3$ touch PMAGIC
tc@box:/mnt/sda3$ ls -l PM* pm*
ls: PM*: No such file or directory
-rwxrwxrwx    1 tc       staff           0 May 10 23:21 pmagic
tc@box:/mnt/sda3$

[MikeLockmoore]

Floppy: To extend what tinypoodle posted, Fluff uses the linux/unix "mv" (move) command to rename files and directories.  In some file systems, the mv command does not attempt to rename items that only differ by capitalization.  I don't plan to code around this limitation.  Maybe I can document this "quirk" in the help file.