Bookmarks "2 columns" order (Zyg Zag vs Halves)

[gety9]

What device and app version are you using

• Device: NA2
• OS: Android 11
• EinkBro Version 12.4.0

Describe the bug
It's not really a bug, but more of UX unfriendlyness :)
I (and imho most users) place their most frequently used bookmarks at the bottom (close to toolbar) so it's easy to press, example:

bookmark7 bookmark8
bookmark5 bookmark6
bookmark3 bookmark4
bookmark1 bookmark2

(bookmarks 1,2,3, etc are usually most frequently used, oldest, etc)

But if you add new bookmark, now it's added at bottom right, "breaking" position of all already in place bookmarks! (all muscle memory is "lost"), example:

bookmark7
bookmark8 bookmark5
bookmark6 bookmark3
bookmark4 bookmark1
bookmark2 bookmark9

i think if we add it to top

bookmark9
bookmark7 bookmark8
bookmark5 bookmark6
bookmark3 bookmark4
bookmark1 bookmark2

it will be much more logical & UX friendly. And we already should have ability to add "last" from this feature #333

[plateaukao]

@gety9
If new bookmark is added to last of the list, not all devices are large enough to see it immediately, after you have around 10 bookmarks in the top list (for example, phone size eReaders). If it's added to a sub folder, then it's harder to modify its order.
For my personal usage habit, I prefer it added in the bottom part of the bookmark list, so that you can move it right away to any place you want.

[dredmorbius]

I thought EinkBro sorted bookmarks alphabetically rather than by add date?

[plateaukao]

@dredmorbius
Now bookmarks' order could be manually changed. (click on the 1,2,3 icon on bottom of the bookmark list dialog)
Once the order is changed by user, the newly added bookmark will appear as the second item (so that it's easily seen, and can be re-arranged).

[dredmorbius]

Thanks, I hadn't noticed. Just confirmed now on my install.

[gety9]

@gety9 If new bookmark is added to last of the list, not all devices are large enough to see it immediately, after you have around 10 bookmarks in the top list (for example, phone size eReaders). If it's added to a sub folder, then it's harder to modify its order. For my personal usage habit, I prefer it added in the bottom part of the bookmark list, so that you can move it right away to any place you want.

@plateaukao Daniel, thank you for explanation, now i understand better.

Looking at it deeper now i think that main UX problem for tablet user is not "addition to beginning" but "Zig Zag" layout.

I suggest we move from current "Zig Zag" layout:

[ 7 ] [ 8 ]
[ 5 ] [ 6 ]
[ 3 ] [ 4 ]
[ 1 ] [ 2 ]

to new "Column Halves" layout

[ 4 ] [ 8 ]
[ 3 ] [ 7 ]
[ 2 ] [ 6 ]
[ 1 ] [ 5 ]

why i propose this? I challenge you to open your bookmarks on tablet (so they are 2 column layout), let's draw it like
[ P ] [ Z ] (init)
[ X ] [ J ]
[ F ] [ R ]
[ A ] [ D ]

and to try to place bookmark "J" in left bottom spot ("1st spot").

what is likely user is trying to get when doing it? Likely he expects something close to

[ X ] [ P ] (ideal)
[ F ] [ Z ]
[ A ] [ R ]
[ J ] [ D ]

what user gets now?

[ P ] [ Z ] (current layout)
[ R ] [ X ]
[ D ] [ F ]
[ J ] [ A ]

-, 5 bookmarks (A,X,F and R,D) switched columns! that's not UX friendly thing to do cause firstly you switched places (confusion :)), secondly distance between columns is much larger than between rows, it's harder to eye to locate (moved 1 position) bookmark in "old spot/area".

what user will get with new layout?

[ X ] [ Z ] (new layout)
[ F ] [ R ]
[ A ] [ D ]
[ J ] [ P ]

close to ideal, if user wants he can (with 1 extra step) move P to right top corner, and that's it - his ideal positon. Everything is intuitive, no/minimal switches between columns. (basically from UX perspective moving/up down (if all elements do it together) is ok, switching (especially between columns) and especially in diagonal way (for right column elements) is not)

= my suggestion
-, (main) either do 2 column layout in "new" way permanently
OR add setting so user can choose 2 column layout as "column halves" vs "zyg zag"
setting likely is better cause:
--, users who mostly use phone (1 column) and import their bookmarks to tablet can set Zig Zag for 2 columns (so their favourtive (lowest) bookmarks are close to bottom)
--, users who mostly use tablet OR don't import their bookmarks cause choose "Column Halves" for 2 columns.
-, (optional) add setting to add new bookmarks to end (vs beginning), so tablet users don't have to do extra step at each bookmark add.

[plateaukao]

welcome sending a pull request. I will review the changes. 🙂

[plateaukao]

More explanation:
What currently implemented is what system supports now. That's how the two column drag-and-drop logic is. To have more fancy and user friendly behavior, it needs effort to create custom list UI, which I don't have intention spending time on it.

If anyone is capable of writing some codes, and work on this suggestion, I will be glad to do code review for the result.

[gety9]

@plateaukao Daniel, all issues that i am opening are opened for your consideration, if you of opinion that something is not worth implementing i always agree - it's your project, you do it in your free time, you are not compensated - i understand all this and appreciate what you achieved (cause Eink Bro is amazing :))

To have more fancy and user friendly behavior, it needs effort to create custom list UI, which I don't have intention spending time on it.

are you sure? I purposefully suggested smallest possible tweak ("main" part). As i see it: now items of the list (taking widget space) are populated are "to the right" (since widget size is limited they fold and form Zig Zag). The only change i propose is to populate them "to the top". For example in css it will be just one change to property, of course java is different, but there should be something similar.

Update: actually you are right, it's not so easy :) With "to the top" they will populate vertically :)

No worries then, i will close the issue.

[gety9]

@plateaukao just re-organized bookmarks, if you mentally draw this zig zag order they go in, it's totally fine, since it (organizing/re-organizing bookmarks) is not frequent action - but do and forget - indeed it's not worth it to waste time implementing (i wasted more time explaining the issue than it would take to understand zig zag and re-organize bookmarks).

Sorry for all the design / idea "write-ups" :) :) and keep up good work!

[plateaukao]

It’s appreciated to propose this idea. Just that it’s not how the system list UI works. If it’s easy, I’ll just modify it. However, it’s not the case. So I thought it’s better to leave the idea for someone who’s willing to implement.

[plateaukao]

@gety9
Out of nowhere, I thought of an easy way to only add a function to calcuate list index between to two columns (with the help of chatgpt). So, it's implemented easily.
It should be able to keep most bookmarks at the same position. Please wait for next release.

enhanced_bookmark_reorder.webm

[gety9]

@plateaukao looks great!

p.s. you don't know what you are doing, i will submit more crazy ideas :), kidding, keep up good work!