Moodle

Usability Problem with Moodle File Management System

Details

  • Type: Bug Bug
  • Status: Closed Closed
  • Priority: Major Major
  • Resolution: Won't Fix
  • Affects Version/s: 1.6, 1.6.1, 1.6.2, 1.6.3, 1.6.4, 1.6.5, 1.6.6, 1.7, 1.7.1, 1.7.2, 1.7.3, 1.7.4, 1.8, 1.8.1, 1.8.2, 1.8.3, 1.8.4, 1.8.5, 1.9, 1.9.1
  • Fix Version/s: None
  • Component/s: Administration, Usability
  • Labels:
    None
  • Affected Branches:
    MOODLE_16_STABLE, MOODLE_17_STABLE, MOODLE_18_STABLE, MOODLE_19_STABLE

Description

I saw several times problems of new users to handle the moodle file management screen.

If they want to choose a file they mostly click at the box left to the file name and not at the right side under 'action'.

I think it will be easier to handle if we change the order of the several columns.

A better order could be

checkbox - filename - action column - file data

Attachments

  1. Text File
    patch.txt
    11/Jun/08 3:46 AM
    2 kB
    Laia Subirats
  1. Image.jpg
    39 kB
    30/May/08 4:42 AM
  2. screenshot-1.jpg
    43 kB
    30/May/08 5:32 AM
  3. Subcolumns.JPG
    26 kB
    17/Jun/08 7:22 AM

Issue Links

This issue will help resolve:
MDL-14639 META BUG: GSoC 2008 Usability Issues Major Closed

Activity

Ascending order - Click to sort in descending order
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Permalink
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment -

I hope that there will be enough time to rewrite the file manager sometime this year, it will be required by any ioAPI/repository changes anyway. We are getting dangerously close to Moodle 2.0

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Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment - I hope that there will be enough time to rewrite the file manager sometime this year, it will be required by any ioAPI/repository changes anyway. We are getting dangerously close to Moodle 2.0
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Permalink
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment -

It should be easy to change the order of the columns and its a first step to better usability.

Show
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment - It should be easy to change the order of the columns and its a first step to better usability.
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Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment -

Yes, but we can not do that in the middle of stable release branch

Show
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment - Yes, but we can not do that in the middle of stable release branch
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Permalink
Wen Hao Chuang added a comment -

I agree that there are some rooms for improvement here for the moodle file management system

Show
Wen Hao Chuang added a comment - I agree that there are some rooms for improvement here for the moodle file management system
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Permalink
Laia Subirats added a comment -

Before the change, the action colum was in the fourth column. The size and modified column, were the 2n and the 3rd respectively. Now the order has changed as it can be seen in the screenshot.

Show
Laia Subirats added a comment - Before the change, the action colum was in the fourth column. The size and modified column, were the 2n and the 3rd respectively. Now the order has changed as it can be seen in the screenshot.
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Permalink
Laia Subirats added a comment -

This is a screenshot of the page before solving the usability problem.

Show
Laia Subirats added a comment - This is a screenshot of the page before solving the usability problem.
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Permalink
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment -

Hi Laia,
thanks for this change. Can you add a second table in the action area and set the fields 'Choose' 'Unpack' 'List' 'Rename' in separate columns?

Show
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment - Hi Laia, thanks for this change. Can you add a second table in the action area and set the fields 'Choose' 'Unpack' 'List' 'Rename' in separate columns?
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Permalink
Laia Subirats added a comment -

This is the patch. I don't understand the purpose of the fields 'Choose' 'Unpack' 'List' 'Rename' of the second table.

Show
Laia Subirats added a comment - This is the patch. I don't understand the purpose of the fields 'Choose' 'Unpack' 'List' 'Rename' of the second table.
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Permalink
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment -

Hi Laia,

in different contexts yo'll find additional actions ('Choose' 'Unpack' 'List' 'Rename' ) in this column.

Choose this file as link on a file.
Unpack a zip-package
List the content of a zipped package
Rename a file.

Show
Ralf Hilgenstock added a comment - Hi Laia, in different contexts yo'll find additional actions ('Choose' 'Unpack' 'List' 'Rename' ) in this column. Choose this file as link on a file. Unpack a zip-package List the content of a zipped package Rename a file.
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Permalink
Laia Subirats added a comment -

I think that it's already done. I don't know if you mean to change the order of these columns.

Show
Laia Subirats added a comment - I think that it's already done. I don't know if you mean to change the order of these columns.
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Permalink
Joao Fernandes added a comment -

maybe a delete link for each file could also be added

Show
Joao Fernandes added a comment - maybe a delete link for each file could also be added
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Permalink
Anthony Borrow added a comment -

Laia - For me the real usability issue here is not so much the order but the fact that there are two ways of acting on the files. Users can either click on the action for the individual file or select a single or multiple file and use the drop down box. As for the order, my vote would be:

checkbox, filename, action, modifed, size

I do not see a reason why the delete function could not be added; however, I wonder if these should be images in order to be consistent with the way that we handle the editing of course resources and activities. That would also save space but we need to make sure that we keep it accessible (which is distinct in my mind from usability).

I think these improvements should be part of the file repository improvements for 2.0. It would be help to discuss these changes on the forums with the key questions being:

1) Most logical, consistent ordering of columns (how can we be consistent with other file management systems?)
2) Would users prefer to have the icons for rename, delete, unzip, list, restore or words?

Another improvement would be the ability to click on the column headings to sort the files by username, file size, and modified date.

Peace - Anthony

Show
Anthony Borrow added a comment - Laia - For me the real usability issue here is not so much the order but the fact that there are two ways of acting on the files. Users can either click on the action for the individual file or select a single or multiple file and use the drop down box. As for the order, my vote would be: checkbox, filename, action, modifed, size I do not see a reason why the delete function could not be added; however, I wonder if these should be images in order to be consistent with the way that we handle the editing of course resources and activities. That would also save space but we need to make sure that we keep it accessible (which is distinct in my mind from usability). I think these improvements should be part of the file repository improvements for 2.0. It would be help to discuss these changes on the forums with the key questions being: 1) Most logical, consistent ordering of columns (how can we be consistent with other file management systems?) 2) Would users prefer to have the icons for rename, delete, unzip, list, restore or words? Another improvement would be the ability to click on the column headings to sort the files by username, file size, and modified date. Peace - Anthony
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Permalink
Matt Gibson added a comment -

There is a very usable solution here http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=87044 which has taken a lot of the grief away from the file manager by bypassing it in most cases.

Show
Matt Gibson added a comment - There is a very usable solution here http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=87044 which has taken a lot of the grief away from the file manager by bypassing it in most cases.
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Permalink
Laia Subirats added a comment -

I studied in http://docs.moodle.org/en/Student_projects/Usability_issues/FileManagementSystem the most logical, consistent ordering of columns which resulted name, size, modified and rename. I also found some icons which could be used in this context, and that have been previously used at Moodle. The ability to click on the column headings to sort the files username, file size, and modified date should definitively be added.

Show
Laia Subirats added a comment - I studied in http://docs.moodle.org/en/Student_projects/Usability_issues/FileManagementSystem the most logical, consistent ordering of columns which resulted name, size, modified and rename. I also found some icons which could be used in this context, and that have been previously used at Moodle. The ability to click on the column headings to sort the files username, file size, and modified date should definitively be added.
Hide
Permalink
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment -

Hello,
the 2.0dev contains a new UI for all file management tasks, it still needs some more polishing though.
Closing this issue because there are already other issues dealing with usability of the new UIs.

Thanks for the report.

Petr Skoda

Show
Petr Škoda (skodak) added a comment - Hello, the 2.0dev contains a new UI for all file management tasks, it still needs some more polishing though. Closing this issue because there are already other issues dealing with usability of the new UIs. Thanks for the report. Petr Skoda

Dates

  • Created:
    Updated:
    Resolved:
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