Rename "OpenTerminal" to "Open Terminal" (patch)

[humdinger]

To be consistent with other Tracker add-ons like "Mark as New" or "Open Target Folder", OpenTerminal should be renamed to "Open Terminal".
Attached a patch. I think it's complete, but after my recent adventures with committing build-breaking patches, I limit myself to committing harmless documentation and maybe correcting typos in the GUI...

[humdinger]

Rename "OpenTerminal" to "Open Terminal".

[mmadia]

if anything, i'd favor removing the spaces from those add-ons. ZipOMatic, TextSearch, FileType, and DiskUsage -- these names are consistent with R5.

[humdinger]

I don't agree. The add-ons you mention are "independant" applications that are invoked with the selected file(s). "Open Target Folder" and "Open Terminal" are more like other Tracker functions like "Get Info", "Open With" or "Move To". The verb in these commands make the difference. I'm not sure I explained it right...

[jonas.kirilla]

I think I get what you mean: the difference between -names- (of the executables add-ons) and -actions- (or commands) like in menu items. Use "TextSearch" to "search text".

E.g. "TextSearch" is a name - an identifier for -this- add-on. "Search Text" would be an action, and just plain language with no emphasis on the tool. "TextSearch" is a tool you use, whereas "Search Text" is an action. (verb + object?) "Search Text" would be similar to "Mark as Read". They begin with, and hinge on the verb.

The mix of these two: "Text Search" is a noun (noun phrase?), and could be seen as either plain language or the name of the tool. I get a feeling of neither-nor.

I prefer either "TextSearch" or "Search Text", and I suppose it all depends on whether you want to put emphasis on the tools themselves, or on what you do with them. IMO, Haiku should aspire to the latter.

[mmadia]

Replying to humdinger:

...The add-ons you mention are "independant" applications that are invoked with the selected file(s). "Open Target Folder" and "Open Terminal" are more like other Tracker functions like "Get Info", "Open With" or "Move To". The verb in these commands make the difference.

If you mean that 'Mark As New' and the similar ones only work properly when being called from the Tracker right menu, then yes, i understand.

But they are still add-ons and I value all the add-ons having consistent naming with each other. eg, "Mark As New" *could* become simply "MarkNew" if "MarkAsNew" isn't desirable.

As far as renaming the add-ons from their current name to a word phrase, i don't like it. Yes, there is a learning curve to realize 'TextSearch' is the tool to search files for text. But, imo its a small curve.

Using phrases could get messy.. how verbose would the phrases get? what happens when two add-ons that perform a similar function are installed by the user? what happens once the locale kit is merged to trunk?

[anevilyak]

Personally I'd rather see the tracker add-on API improved to a) allow exporting multiple actions, b) export friendly names to said actions, and c) ideally allow them to integrate directly into the menu rather than being segregated into add-ons like they are now. However, until such changes are made (which are, I assure you, not trivial), I'd suggest staying with the existing scheme for the reasons cited by Matt and others. Trying to rename the add-ons into phrases is imo a horrible hack at best.

[leavengood]

Well until I added Mark As New and Mark As Read, Open Target Folder was the only Tracker add-on with spaces in the name. I actually was thinking of removing the spaces from the Mark As pair, but didn't.

I don't know if I had any particular logic in mind when I named those (it was quite some time ago.) I guess it just felt appropriate to make them sort of a verb phrase.

I'd be OK with removing all the spaces in Tracker add-ons for consistency (and to remove the ugly backslashes in the Jamfiles.)

But at the same time I think humdinger's logic makes sense. I also agree with Rene that it might be nice to incorporate these in the actual Tracker menu like Windows Explorer. I would just want them to still be in a certain place with menu separators so as not to disrupt muscle memory for the other standard actions. Of course with a lot of add-ons the menu could get pretty messy...

[mmadia]

Comment:5 with a note about muscle memory, has been created as #5126. At this point, what should be done? Should the add-ons "Mark\ as…", "Mark\ as\ Read-R", "Open\ Target\ Folder-O" be renamed to remove spaces?

[humdinger]

I would like to avoid CamelCase where possible. "MarkAsRead" looks strange. IMO we just have to live with that small inconsistency of action-named add-ons with spaces that read natural and app-named add-ons without. Since "OpenTerminal" like "Open Taget Folder" doesn't call a separate app like "TextSearch" or "ZipOMatic", I'd still go with spaces.

[stippi]

I followed Humdingers reasoning in hrev34676. :-)