Open Folder doesn't open sidebar

[appsforartists]

The Open Folder command appears to do nothing if the project drawer is hidden (Cmd+Shift+H) and there are no open files in the current project.

[peterflynn]

@appsforartists, are you literally seeing nothing happen? When I try this, I still get the folder browse dialog, and when I click Ok it still closes all my open files and (if I've opened the new folder previously) opens a different set of files. All of that is visible with the project tree hidden -- but are you saying none of that happens for you?

Otherwise it seems like the confusion would be limited to the edge case where you don't have any files open before invoking Open Folder, and you didn't have any files open in the new folder too.

[appsforartists]

If I don't have any open files and I hit Open Folder, I get no feedback. If I have an open file and hit Open Folder, the old file goes away and nothing takes its place.

I still think opening the project drawer when Open Folder runs is the right solution here.

[njx]

To @GarthDB. Should we consider opening the sidebar automatically when opening a new folder? I feel like the current behavior is okay, but could understand it being confusing if you don't know what Open Folder does.

[GarthDB]

Maybe, there's no benefit to opening a folder if you aren't using the side panel

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 7, 2013, at 3:46 PM, "Narciso Jaramillo" <[email protected]mailto:[email protected]> wrote:

To @GarthDBhttps://github.com/GarthDB. Should we consider opening the sidebar automatically when opening a new folder? I feel like the current behavior is okay, but could understand it being confusing if you don't know what Open Folder does.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com//issues/2794#issuecomment-13269314.

[njx]

Actually, there is--quick open, find in files, etc. I often close the sidebar entirely and just navigate my project using Quick Open, and then use Open Folder to go to another project (which is another thing we should do--have recent folders in the main menu, not just the sidebar).

[njx]

(in fact, CSS/JS quick edit require you to have opened a folder as well. Basically most of the functionality of Brackets beyond text editing relies on having opened a folder.)

[appsforartists]

Which is a great reason for #2727 (using CMD-O for open folder).

• Brenton
  Sent from my phone.
  On Feb 7, 2013 6:39 PM, "Narciso Jaramillo" [email protected]
  wrote:

(in fact, CSS/JS quick edit require you to have opened a folder as well.
Basically most of the functionality of Brackets beyond text editing relies
on having opened a folder.)

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com//issues/2794#issuecomment-13274296.

[redmunds]

I am getting feedback that there is general confusion about the purpose of what we informally refer to as the "project panel". We have "Open Folder", "Project Settings", and "Hide/Show Sidebar" that all generally refer to the same thing.

[peterflynn]

@GarthDB: also, if you've ever had that folder open before, we auto-restore the files you were looking at last time. So you can often start viewing/editing code without having to do Quick Open or anything else.

@redmunds: I think it's reasonable to distinguish between the UI panel and the abstraction of the 'thing you have open' (seems unlikely users will think that "hide sidebar" is equivalent to "close project," for example). But I think there's definitely some confusion over "folder" vs. "project" -- we mix those terms, but people probably assume they mean two different things. And even if we used only one term, every other editor seems to have a different definition for both terms, so people will come in with preconceptions that probably don't quite match what we mean. Definitely an area to keep an eye on, usability-wise.

[GarthDB]

I think if users are consciously closing the panel we shouldn't automatically pop it open unless they are performing a task that requires it to be open. I don't think "open folder" requires the project panel since they can navigate the project with quick open if they choose to.

[appsforartists]

Changing state without giving the user feedback is bad. Showing the project drawer as a side effect of Open Folder is the most obvious (and least confusing) thing to do.

If it is decided that that is not the direction Brackets wants to go, there should be a toast message that says '/Users/you/blah/ is now the current project'. If the user doesn't have any documents open, the document placeholder should be a graphic that says "Show the sidebar or use Quick Open to open a file."

[larz0]

What are your thoughts on replacing "Brackets" in the window title with the Project Folder's name?

[appsforartists]

It's probably useful to put it in there, but it's too subtle for that to be
the only cue. Until people get used to Quick Open, you need to have
directions that say "open your sidebar or use quick open" if someone tries
to open a folder while the sidebar is closed.

[larz0]

Let's show the project drawer when Open Folder command is invoked. Thoughts?

@adrocknaphobia how about a story to replace "Brackets" in Window Title with the Project Folder Name?

[larz0]

We may show the project folder in the title bar -> #5119

[larz0]

Recommendation:

• If the sidebar is hidden then hitting the "Open Folder" shortcut and selecting a folder should open the sidebar again.
• "Brackets" in the Title Bar should be replaced with Project Folder Name

Unassigning myself so this can get fixed.