Dream Machine - Direct Access, huddle round developers!

Well guys i cam up with this, a mockup, here's the picture, now i'll talk you through it.

Preview Pic: (i hope this isn't too big Seph!)

Go Super Size:

http://www.geocities.com/design_studio_88/directaccess.jpg

Basically, it's my idea for a file browser, and i was wondering what you all thought of it. It may seem a bit whild at the moment, but when we look at the basic functions i think it could be feasible in windows.

I got the idea because it seemed an awesome thing to be able to do away with folders. Well, the "Specify" panel in the top left of the window means that we don't need folders, but instead searche through an index of the files on your hardrive with properties such as grouping, colour, size type and other info stored in this index in the form of one lare text file - simple . This would allow for you to stick your files anywhere and yet be able to access them instantly by merely inserting a few parameters. Well i am hoping that with a bit of collaboration on this may be possible, or not, we shall see.

If your wondering what i mean by colour, well you could call it the equivalent of labels in the Finder in OSX. If you select a certain colour, with any luck it will display all the files which u have asigned that colour. Groupings are similar, with the idea being that you can asign many files to a group, and then different groups of files in that group as a certain colour.

The other panels are merely to add to the functionality of this program, allowing you to preview the file you have selected in the file list, maybe incorporating the ability to preiew sound files and your music within the app. This could lead to many posibilities, because as well as searching for pictures, documents, etc. you could use it to oragnise music (well we'll see... again).

The recently opened panel should not be hard to implement, and then simple shortcuts at the bottom would allow users to quickly access the internet or their email, and change the settings of the "browser".

Well, i would love to hear what you think, so don't be shy. Confused? i hope not :confused:

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Its not the first time you post here, is it?

Dont post such huge images inline.

The Image Has Been Linked

// Seph

#219829

Very nice. I'd be interested in using something like this.

#219837

Yes this looks very promising, especially all the features such as "run with..." etc. Skining capabilities would be a must methinks.

#219840

Yeah, I must agree. The mockup looks amazing, although I would space the Email | Internet| Other Apps a little better.

Should I continue providing suggestions, or is this just a first-look type thing?

-nightcrawler1089

#219844

Well cheers people for the feedback on the appearnace already, but please don't expect much soon, because i have very little spare time at the moment .

@nightcrawler: the more suggestions the better!, thankyou.

Also , if any experienced developers come across this would they maybe like to comment on my suggestion of creating a file containing an index of the files on the HD, to use to store info on those files, and how i could set about creating this file and accessing it through the program. I'm sure it shouldbe posible i just don't have the talent yet!

#219847

ehm, why do you post this in "developers hangout"?

Do you need help in developing it?

If not I guess its place would be in Community Applications / Application Requests IMHO.

The index files have their equivalent in the tumbs.db file in folders with images. On an NTFS drive, you could store that index info in a substream with the file without altering it...

I'd recommend a registry key for each 'colour' and stream a binary hash of the associated file paths into it. This kind of data pages well even if it gets huge...

#219851

isn't this the type of searching capabilities longhorn is expected to have?

#219853

@herd: By posting in here i was hoping to generate some interest in such a project or concept, as i think that something like this is really the next step in terms of organising and accessing our files on our computers. I would seek help, but am well aware that as of yet i do not have the skills to make something like this, so was hoping that those of us who are interested and skilled might want to do something like this, and i would be trying to help in getting this process going. Whether anything actually happens depends entirely on who and how many people become interested in the project, and thanks for your pointers so far.

@wookie: I don't know about longhorn but this idea is certainly similar in some ways to what apple is trying to do with tiger. we'll see who gets something like this together first!

#219866

you may wish to believe it or not, but all i need in my browser / explorer is back, forward, up and the ability to start / open a file by doubling clicking it.

I try to get my computer to run quickly, an app like that would drain all of its resources.

#219903

i understand u flarex, this is just an alternative to your standard browser. but as we don't seem to be able to generate to much interest here... we may just have to wait and see what longhorn comes up with. bring on 2006....

#220071