Photos - Can't tell difference between folders/image thumbnails

[nitewulf 0]

I have a folder/sub folder structure for my family photos.  Navigating with the client apps is very difficult.

 

1. You are presented with a tiled layout of thumbnail squares.  Which ones are subfolders?  Which ones are just pictures?  There should be a way to easily glance at the screen and identify folders.

2. Folders are mixed in with pictures.  If you have a folder with a mix of sub folders and pictures, the sub folder could be # 50, or 500 in the list.  Folders should by default all be at the top/left of the viewing area.

 

I would suggest:

 

1. An option to disable thumbnails for folders.  

2. An option to enable a highlighted border around folders.

3. An option to default sort so that folders are all at the top/left of the viewing area.

4. Maybe a completely different UI element for a tile representing a folder.  Maybe something that looks like a folder.

Edited April 25, 2016 by nitewulf

[Luke 39835]

Hi, yes, good ideas. the folder name should always be on top so if you're not seeing that somewhere, please let me know of a specific example. thanks.

[nitewulf 0]

Here's a perfect example.  This is a screen shot from the end of my Photos.  All of these are thumbnails of pictures except for 1.  Can you spot the Folder?

 

 

 

The folder name is only visible if there are no "loose" pictures in the folder.  Like this:

 

That folder only has sub-folders, no loose pictures in it.  It's still in the middle of the row though which can be difficult to find if its sub-folder with 100s of photos, I'd like them to be all on the left to easily find.  But at least I can identify it as a folder.

[Luke 39835]

well i would like to see the entire screenshot of the app please, thanks.

[nitewulf 0]

Sure, was just trying to save space in the post.  Here's full screen shots of the two above.

 

I circled in blue the Folder.

 

 

 

All of these tiles represent Folders.  There are no loose pictures in here.  The above screen shot is from one of these folders, 2nd Row, 7th column.

[nitewulf 0]

Here is the left side of the "Pre 2006" Folder.  I've circled the sub-folders.  The rest are loose pictures in the "Pre 2006" folder.

 

 

[Luke 39835]

ok, i've pushed an update so that photo albums will always show a title

[nitewulf 0]

Looks awesome now.  Much more functional thanks!  Please also consider sorting alphabetically by folder first, then alphabetically by photo.

[Luke 39835]

Yup, I've got that in the web client now, need to do it in theater as well.

[ebr 15609]

Yup, I've got that in the web client now, need to do it in theater as well.

 

Can't we make this happen at the API level instead of the apps having to do something special?

 

If not, what do the apps need to do because I think this should be done for all of them.