Preferences > Folder: On top you have the table with:
Below you have checkbox options and one general hint. And some buttons.Shortcut | Folder | File Operation
⌘ 1 | My Folder One | Move files
⌘ 2 | My Folder Two | Move files
⌘ 3 | My Folder Tres | Move files
...
GC offers a new button: [ Fix broken links of renamed/moved folders ]
Why do we need this? How does this option help? How does it work?
Let's assume we assigned these folders:
/Users/me/project/wep/My Folder One
/Users/me/project/wep/My Folder Two
/Users/me/project/wep/My Folder Tres
Later we recognize two typos:
• Folder "wep" should be "web" actually.
• And "Tres" should be "Three".
• If you changes "wep" to web" all three folder assignments get invalid. Or all 10 if they all have a common base filepath which changes.
Because the reference is strictly by filepath GraphicConverter shows the old name still. But instead of a folder icon you have a "unknown/broken-link" icon.
I propose that GraphicConverter saves a reference to each folder both by filepath and by node-ID (special link: .vol/[volnumber]/[filenumber] ).
macOS and mac apps offer this very useful feature to refer files/folders also by their node-IDs with file:///.vol/[volnumber]/[filenumber] . This is widely used. That way also renaming and moving files/folders ensures valid file references. So files which are open by one app, can be renamed in another app, and many more such dynamic use cases. Ever Mac user uses these daily, most not realize this consciously. But on Windows/Linux you typically get "file not found" errors in such situations.
GraphicConverter uses this everywhere. If you are in the browser and some parent above your current folder is renamed: No problem. It continues robustly. A feature which I love the Mac for compared to Windows and Linux. Or rename a file in Finder which is open in GraphicConverter's Editor. No problem. The name change get's reflected in the window title bar and work resumes.
How would it work here in this Preferences:
• When the use clicks "Try to fix links to folders which were moved or renamed"
• then GC tries to resolve the node-ID and if found updates the filepath accordingly.
• Some where only folders above where moved/renamed keep the same name but their icon changes to a folder icon again.
• Those where its own folder names changed, e.g. "Tres", now show under their new name "Three" and the folder icon again.
Important
• It is good that by default GC works strictly by filepath!
• Because if you rename a folder on purpose and then re-create a fresh folder with the old name with the intention that this is the new receiving folder now, then GC will continue to send to the re-created fresh folder at the same filepath. Instead of automatically following the folder everywhere on the filesystem where it it moves to in its lifecycle. That would be potentially undesired.
But as a "oneshot" link repair function this would be a handy feature. Although only used rarely.
Relink 10 folders manually is a bit annoying, but you will survive it.
Anyways at least I wanted to share this "deluxe UX" idea. But could totally understand if you say: Hey nice, butI can't afford such perfection just for the sake of perfection. But if you give it a shot out of curiosity or conviction, fine with me!
