Forwarded add new option: "Use only associated types in 'Save as...' dialog"

[Frank]

Inspired by reading the thread Reduce options for "Save as type" I came to the idea:

Why not add a new option: "Use only associated types in 'Save as...' dialog"?
(In program menu of IrfanView: \Options\Properties/Settings...\Extensions\)

On the left the actual possible options - on the right my suggestion!

(Click to view full size!)

[Sjef]

What's your argumentation for this new option?

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I'm not too sure whether there should be any link with associated file types. It would be helpful to decide which file types appear on the open and save dialogues. It makes it much quicker to pick the format you want if there are fewer options.

For save I need onlly: JPG PNG GIF

I very rarely use ICO PCX TIF PDF (rarely enough to not mind changing the options if I do need them).

I never use: BMP ECW FSH JP2 JNG JPM LDF LWF PBM PPW RAW TGA

For open I need a few more, but not even half of the possble options.

I think there needs to be an option to select file types separately for the save and open dialogues, as there currently is for associated file types.

[Sjef]

Hi Frank,
If your arguments are the same as Bhikkhu's, I'd say it should be enough that IrfanView ‘remembers’ the last saved format.
In your pink ‘idea’ example you have only two formats associated. I have more than 25 formats associated with IrfanView, so my ‘Save as...’ dialog would almost be the same as it is now.
Maybe when the option ‘Load custom file types’ could disappear and make place for your idea (to fill in the save-formats ourselfs) I could see your point and even vote for it.
For that matter, the option ‘Load only associated types while moving through directory’ may vanish too (in my opinion).

[Frank]

my arguments for such an option

My arguments are nearly the same as from Bhikkhu Pesala!

If I want to save something, I use only the JPG or BMP format!
I rarely use the GIF, PDF, PNG or RAW format!
And I never use ECW, EMF, FSH, ICO, JP2, JNG, JPM, LDF, LWF, PCX, PBM, PGM, PPM, TGA or TIF format!
But each user has other necessities!

And until now (using v4.20) the program IrfanView shows all possible formats!
In my opinion that is too much and not necessarily!

See this screenshot of the 'Save as...' dialog!

(Click to view full size or here to see the funny picture!)

That's why - I think it would be better to show only the necessary file extensions!
The view of the program would be totally cleared up!

[Skippybox]

I think this is a good idea, but I don't associate any file types with IrfanView so I agree with Bhikkhu. I make use of the 'Load custom file types' so it would not be good to get rid of that, especially because of its great customizability and it doesn't use the registry. ‘Load only associated types while moving through directory’ is also a good option. Every user has different needs, as this thread illustrates. It would not be good to make users conform to IrfanView. It should be able to adapt to users.

[Frank]

Use only associated types in 'Save as...' dialog / Save custom file types

It's not my intention to make users conform...

IrfanView is able to load custom files.
I want the same free decision possibility for the 'Save as...' dialog!
The possibility to save also only custom files!

... It should be able to adapt to users.

Thanks Skippybox! You are right!
That means, my feature requests must be renamed in:
"Use only associated types in 'Save as...' dialog" or "Save custom file types:"

[Skippybox]

Maybe when the option ‘Load custom file types’ could disappear and make place for your idea (to fill in the save-formats ourselfs) I could see your point and even vote for it.
For that matter, the option ‘Load only associated types while moving through directory’ may vanish too (in my opinion).

What do you mean? What would be left if both options for loading were gone? How could you move through a directory?

I would want to be able to load different files than the ones I would want to save or open or associate. Filling in fields for load, save, and open would be nice. There still is room. Another tab might be in order.

Frank, the option "Use only associated types in 'Save as...' dialog" certainly might appeal to some users. Your picture though depicts it as a radio button with the two loading options. This would not be the right place for it, since it is a separate option and would more likely be a checkbox. By placing it where you have it, it would mislead users by making them think you pick one of the three. It probably should be in the section above where you placed it.

It's not my intention to make users conform...

No Frank, I wasn't saying that. You're idea would actually make IrfanView conform to users. Right now users must conform to the ways of IrfanView for these drop-downs.

[Frank]

Nevertheless I hope that everyone understands my idea!
Also with the online translator YAHOO!® Babel Fish it's sometimes not simple for me to understand or translate everything correctly!
My intention is to give the users more free decision possibility ... !
I wait and will see, what new features the next version includes!

If somebody wants to refine my idea, then it's not a problem for me!

[matera]

I still think that a user-editable list for Save wouild be best. I choose not to associate icons with Iview, but I do use it sometimes to edit/save icons. I switch between formats often enough to make the last-used format irrelevant more than half of the time, and with my eyes picking JPG and PNG out of that long list is a real headache. Using Save for a Save As only solves a little of the problem. An option to use either the default list or a user-editable list should suit almost everyone.

[Skippybox]

Nevertheless I hope that everyone understands my idea!
Also with the online translator YAHOO!® Babel Fish it's sometimes not simple for me to understand or translate everything correctly!
My intention is to give the users more free decision possibility ... !
I wait and will see, what new features the next version includes!

If somebody wants to refine my idea, then it's not a problem for me!

Don't worry about the translation. We have no problem understanding your idea, Frank. We just think that it needs expanding to be useful for most users. That is why we think an editable field would easily serve everyone. Yes, your idea would definitely work for some users, but not all. With limited real estate, the field would be better. Just about everyone would like to limit the save types, no matter how they use IrfanView. If we weren't under such constraints with space, it would be nice to see this option, since it does go well with the others.

[Frank]

idea: improved options for the 'Load' and 'Save' settings

I have updated my idea!
I think - it's important to have the same possible options for the 'Load' and 'Save' settings!

See my updated idea:

(Click to view full size!)

[Skippybox]

Cool! Very cool, Frank.

Except, why 'Save only associated types while moving through directory'? That doesn't quite make sense.

[Mij]

For me it does not matter that I have a long list of different formats in the Open and Save dialogs, but it would be nice if the few I do use frequently were at the head of the list.
That could be achieved if they were listed in the same order as they are written in the Load Custom Files Type string. The default Custom Files string should be recast in alphabetic order. I could then delete from the string any that I never want to load or save and move to the head of the string those types that I Open or Save frequently. The formats would then appear in Open or Save with my Favorites first followed by the ones I rarely use, in alphabetic order as they do at present.
Perhaps it might even be possible to change the color of some entries in the string and cause the formats in the dialogs to display in those colors too. That might help Matera to find her JPG and PNG entries.

[Skippybox]

Neat idea. What happens if you don't use the Load Custom Files option? Would there need to be another control? How would the user or the program make the separation between formats you could open and those you could save? It might get confusing.