[Concept] Explorer for Win7

[backdrifter]

I had put together a rough concept of a future Windows Explorer. Tell me your opinions about it and we can discuss what we're expecting from Windows 7's Explorer...

Windows 7: Explorer

Breadcrumb Bar and Favorite Folders: The horizontal folders strip on top of the window has two parts, the left part is the breadcrumb bar ending with the current folder at the center. A button to create a new folder sits right next to it. Right part of the strip has a few favorite folders much like the Vista's favorite links sidebar. Below the current folder's name is the quick filtering selection button.

Toolbar: The toolbar includes back and forward buttons as well as other drop down menus with all other options. Right of the toolbar strip is reserved for buttons created by the user or third parties, some empty place to customize. Far right side includes the search bar.

Filtering Options: The left of the window is used for various filtering options. How the folder is filtered is chosen with the dropdown menu right below the current folder name. There is also a filter toggle which you can use to only see filtered items or all aitems with filtered items on focus.

Parts Explained:

Filtering and View Types Working Together

Filtering and View Types working together means you can have your "File-Type Specific" options together with the other basic options like file size, type or date.

In the above shot, the folder contains images, music and a bunch of documents. With the filter toggle you get all the basic grouping options regardless of the folder content. So you group the files by their file types and then filter your view to see your images. At this point explorer will show you picture specific ordering options only such as size, taken on or camera model. You can also choose a specific view type like thumbnail view for these types of files only. Go to left and choose Audio tracks again and this time you will get Music specific ordering options as well as a more suitable view type for your music on the same explorer window. (see the first shot)

Right Click Menu

The right click menu is more visually integrated with the selected item. Also you have the ability to assign two seperate applications to file type: one for viewing/using the file and one for editing/working on the file.

Another Filtering Example

In this shot, the content of the folder is grouped by their sizes. The side bar gives a lot of potential for more interactive filtering controls. For example here a slider works for filtering the files by size, you can change the vertical size of the slider to change the range of sizes you're interested in or move slider vertically to see files falling into your filter.

Favorite Folders in Tabs

The favorite folders on the right side opens as tabs by default, so you can quickly grab an item from there and put it in the folder you're working on, or vice versa. You can drag a tab out of the explorer window to open that folder on a new window, or double click the tab to open that folder on the window by itself.

[zape]

Personally I dont like it. Explorer is fine how it is now (Vista).

[StevoJD]

I think it's a good concept. It is what it is, a concept, it's not meant to be a fancy GUI showoff, just a show of features. Good job.

[+Majesticmerc MVC]

That looks awesome! Nice work.

Comments:

• There would need to be more separation between the breadcrumb bar and the favourites.
  
• The method of showing all types of files isn't as obvious as filtering by format. I think it would be better to have an "All Types" filter on the left, instead of a button on the bottom.
  

Aside from those 2 (minor) points, that would be an awesome explorer!

[backdrifter]

I think it's a good concept. It is what it is, a concept, it's not meant to be a fancy GUI showoff, just a show of features. Good job.

Thanks, I'm no graphic artist so it's basically a group of usability ideas.

That looks awesome! Nice work.

Comments:

• There would need to be more separation between the breadcrumb bar and the favourites.
  
• The method of showing all types of files isn't as obvious as filtering by format. I think it would be better to have an "All Types" filter on the left, instead of a button on the bottom.
  

Aside from those 2 (minor) points, that would be an awesome explorer!

Thanks :) Both of those are valid points, the horizontal strip visually identifies "folders" from everything else, but links have to look more different than the breadcrumb folders.

[Knife Party]

average users will simply drop dead when opening that GUI, user friendly? -> nopers

[Jase]

the buttons should have some gradient added to them, they seem a little plain.. and selected buttons should be more bold. The spacing in the first image is not really needed. Finally try experimenting with other fonts, the one you are using in the concept does not seem to cut it.

other than that well done (Y)

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Some interesting ideas there :) Some parts a little "busy," but you did present some novel ideas like the more visually integrated right-click menu, although I wonder about how that would work in practice (especially when the menu is on the right side of the view, do you scroll the items over to the left?

I can't wait to start getting feedback from you guys on the real Win7 Explorer ;)

[mad_onion]

I can't wait to start getting feedback from you guys on the real Win7 Explorer ;)

:o :o

see now you've raised my expectations lol. it's nothing big right? just the vista explorer with some minor changes right?

[zerologic]

You put a lot of work into that. (Y)

I like some of your ideas but I find a fair bit of wasted screen space in thick borders etc.

[x-byte]

?just the vista explorer with some minor changes right?

After what I have read it's a new Windows Explorer. Though probably based on the one in Vista with hopefully better functionallity (tabs?) and customization.

[stezo2k]

some good ideas there, the GUI reminds me of mac too much though

[Brandon Live Veteran]

:o :o

see now you've raised my expectations lol. it's nothing big right? just the vista explorer with some minor changes right?

I suppose that depends on your definition of words like "just," and "vista explorer," and "minor." :)

[Nehemoth]

Personally I dont like it. Explorer is fine how it is now (Vista).

Well, I prefer the 2000/XP explorer

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Well, I prefer the 2000/XP explorer

Any specifics about what you prefer?

[TonyLock]

No!

[mad_onion]

I suppose that depends on your definition of words like "just," and "vista explorer," and "minor." :)

lol, i'm SURE i will like the changes that are made. i mostly liked the changes that were made it vista so i trust that microsoft is taking windows in the right direction.

[notuptome2004]

Brandon hey sup anywho i myself am not gonna predict something i am un sure of so Brandon all i will say is if you are involved in Windows 7 development and ya got some good ideas that your able to help put in to it Good luck man looking forward to PDC and any new videos and or info on windows 7 but could yea tell us 1 thing < What is the Matrix > :p

[Nehemoth]

Any specifics about what you prefer?

The UP folder, no just back and forward.

The Way In XP let me fix my folder options

The way Xp let me choose between views

Let see if there are other things (I believe there are).

Yesterday I installed Vista for use it full.

[backdrifter]

There are two basic things in current Explorer that I'd like to see getting improved on Windows 7:

One is, if a folder has mixed type of content, it sometimes applies file-specific features for a type of file that is in there. For instance in my Received Files folder of Live Messenger, I have a bunch of different types of files but since the majority is images, it treats it like a folder full of images. I often have right click to get the "type" column there to sort them out, and then even though I've got a lot of Word documents in the same folder, there is no easy way to toggle between file specific options on the same folder with mixed content. This was the main thing I tried to solve in my concept.

Another thing is after getting used to tabbed web browsers, I usually caught myself trying to some similar tricks in Explorer as well. I definetely don't want a tabbed browser, that would be overkill, but there could be some obvious way to open a folder in a new explorer window for instance.

[DreadBoat89]

1 thing i dont like about vista's explorer is that you cant drag items into different folders (w/o using the explore stuff)... it would be nice if you can drag and drop items on the breadcrumbs...

[Brandon Live Veteran]

1 thing i dont like about vista's explorer is that you cant drag items into different folders (w/o using the explore stuff)... it would be nice if you can drag and drop items on the breadcrumbs...

Well you can drag them into another window, onto a subfolder in the current view, or onto a location in the navigation pane (Favorite Links or the folder tree).

Dragging onto the breadcrumbs isn't something I think many users would try or expect to work, but I can mention it to the PM who owns that feature.

[notuptome2004]

Well you can drag them into another window, onto a subfolder in the current view, or onto a location in the navigation pane (Favorite Links or the folder tree).

Dragging onto the breadcrumbs isn't something I think many users would try or expect to work, but I can mention it to the PM who owns that feature.

still a cute puppy in your profile picture dude .

[Luis.A]

I like it alot... I hope the development team over at MS does something similar. The explorer is WAY too slow, i've opted out of it all together in favor of Directory Opus, mainly because of speed not looks.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Well, speed is something we're always trying to make better :)