GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 609128
Button to switch between pathbar and location entry not available
Last modified: 2010-04-15 12:57:56 UTC
This report has been filed at https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/515878 when i start nautilus, the breadcrum for my home directory is available (see screenshot on launchpad bug), but there is no button to switch to the address line ( where i can write down eg /home/tom/.xchat2/ ) CTRL+L will switch from pathbar to location entry, but not from location entry to the pathbar. It is possible to change in gconf (/apps/nautilus/preferences/always_use_location_entry), but there is no way to change back and forth from within nautilus (no button, menu option, Preferences option). Mostly just aesthetic, but could be a slight problem for users who aren't accustomed to managing settings in gconf-editor (or anywhere outside of the Preferences window for that matter. This probably be good for gnome-love (I guess it take someone more powerfull than me to tag it ;p).
Created attachment 153125 [details] [review] Just added a check box in Preferences This thing kinda bugged me for some reason and I was bored, so I poked around a bit and just added a check box to the preferences dialog. I toyed around with a toolbar button and an item under the View menu, but this is more out of the way yet still easy to stumble across (plus it was the least work ;P) I don't know if I put it on the right tab or worded it correctly (not to mention if it's even necessary or useful) but I'm mostly just did it to have an excuse to muddle through the code.
The same issue is also being discussed at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/532211 I hope an option to go back to the switchable button/text does get included soon. Since recently switching from Windows, that little feature was one of the things that I really appreciated about Ubuntu. Some things are easier to do with breadcrumbs, and some things are easier with a full text address bar.
Just wanted to add a note that the location mode switch is also available from the Go menu. Moving it back to the toolbar would give less space to the path bar, especially in the Extra Pane mode.
The commit in question is: http://git.gnome.org/browse/nautilus/commit/?id=4b49aab5aa6a9ef9ab288ff2ce463affca1eacf2 Perhaps this should be reverted because: - Some people actually use this feature - It makes things less discoverable and behaviour less clear - It furthers an inconsistency between nautilus and gtk-file-chooser On the first point, I use this feature, it is mentioned in a blog posting I've read and now this bug report. Perhaps it isn't as unused as originally thought? On the second point, magically changing part of the UI based on a keystroke can be confusing. What's worse is without this button it is not clear that the location bar state is toggle-able. If a user changes into location-entry mode and doesn't know how or why, without the button it is not obvious how to get back again. On the third point, gtk-file-chooser has this button, and generally we should wish to be as consistent as is feasible. Notice that nautilus and gtk-file-chooser do differ slightly already as in gtk-file-chooser the location-entry's existence bellow the breadcrumb bar is toggled, not which bar is shown. The purpose of the change was to avoid clutter when two location bars are placed alongside. Perhaps this decision should be revisited. Would it make sense or be feasible for there only to be one location-entry button at the left which toggles all location-entries present? If a user has a split view open, is it really useful if the window isn't wide enough to accommodate two breadcrumb bars anyways? Should the location-entry-toggle be removed only for split views? Pardon my ignorance if it has been, but maybe this should be the subject of more discussion.
Maybe a compromise could be to make the option available through contextual menu ?
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 605608 ***