UI techniques for navigating a file manager of an electronic computing device
Techniques are disclosed for a swipe based file manager navigation mode in electronic computing devices, such as a touch screen device. Digital files may be organized in a hierarchical or treelike file manager capable of having multiple directory or folder levels. Folders (or directories) may allow a user to group files into separate collections, and folders may be organized within other folders. In some embodiments, the navigation mode may allow a user to navigate through or access the directory levels of the file manager using vertical swipe gestures. In some such embodiments, a vertical gesture performed to access a child (lower) directory level may have to be performed over the directory or folder to be accessed. As the user navigates through the directory levels, the navigation mode may be configured, in some embodiments, to provide animations.
1. An electronic device, comprising:
a display for presenting a hierarchical digital content directory to a user; and
a user interface including a file manager navigation mode configured to allow a user to access higher directory levels in response to a higher level navigation gesture and access lower directory levels in response to a lower level navigation gesture;
wherein the navigation mode is further configured to provide:
a first animation showing one or more sub-headers and content associated with each sub-header of a lower directory level collapsing into a graphic associated with a higher directory level in response to a higher level navigation gesture, wherein the graphic is associated with a header of the higher directory level and is labeled with a description and a number so as to provide a semantic view of the lower directory level, the description being descriptive of the one or more sub-headers of the lower directory level, and the number identifying a quantity of the sub-headers of the lower directory level; and
a second animation showing the graphic expanding to present the one or more sub-headers and the content associated with each sub-header in response to a lower level navigation gesture, wherein the one or more sub-headers are simultaneously presented with the header of the higher directory level, and wherein the content is positioned such that each content item is related to one of the sub-headers.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first animation, the second animation, the higher level navigation gesture, and the lower level navigation gesture is user configurable.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein if a given lower directory level has no sub-headers, the corresponding higher directory level is represented by a graphic that is labelled with a number that identifies a quantity of files stored in that given lower directory level.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the lower level navigation gesture and the higher level navigation gesture are swipe gestures oriented in substantially opposite directions.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the navigation mode is further configured to present multiple directory levels at the same time.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the number identifying a quantity of the sub-headers of the lower directory level may be less than the total number of content items of the lower directory level.
7. The device of claim 5 wherein separate directory levels are separated by a level division.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein each graphic associated with at least one higher directory level is organized under a respective header of the higher directory level.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein a given higher directory level includes a plurality of source folders, each source folder associated with one or more lower directory levels, and a displayed one of the source folders is, after its selection, at least one of shaded and highlighted to indicate that it is the source folder of corresponding lower level content items also displayed in response to the selection.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein multiple directory levels of the file manager can be accessed and simultaneously presented for display in response to a continuous swipe gesture that passes through a content item of each directory level.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein the lower level navigation gesture is performed over a graphic intended to be expanded.
12. A mobile computing system, comprising:
a processor;
a touch screen display for displaying a hierarchical digital content directory to a user; and
a user interface executable on the processor and including a swipe based file manager navigation mode configured to display:
a first animation showing one or more sub-headers and content associated with each sub-header of a lower directory level collapsing into a graphic associated with a higher directory level in response to a substantially vertical higher level swipe gesture, wherein the graphic is organized under a header of the higher directory level and is labeled with a description and a number so as to provide a semantic view of the lower directory level, the description being descriptive of the one or more sub-headers of the lower directory level, and the number identifying a quantity of the sub-headers of the lower directory level; and
a second animation showing the graphic expanding to present the one or more sub-headers and the content associated with each sub-header in response to a lower level swipe gesture oriented in a direction opposite the higher level swipe gesture, wherein the one or more sub-headers are simultaneously presented with the header of the higher directory level, and wherein the content is positioned such that each content item is related to one of the sub-headers.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the navigation mode is further configured to display multiple directory levels at the same time.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein a higher directory level includes a source folder for a lower directory level and the source folder is, when selected, at least one of shaded and highlighted, so as to indicate that it is the source folder of corresponding lower level content items also displayed in response to the selection.
15. The device of claim 12 wherein the animations are accompanied by at least one of a sound effect and graphic.
16. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a plurality of instructions encoded thereon that when executed by one or more processors a process to be carried out for navigating hierarchical digital content having multiple directory levels, the process comprising:
present via the electronic device, a first animation showing one or more sub-headers and content associated with each sub-header of a lower directory level collapsing into a graphic associated with a higher directory level in response to a higher level navigation gesture, wherein the graphic is associated with a header of the higher level and is labeled with a description and a number so as to provide a semantic view of the lower directory level, the description being descriptive of the one or more sub-headers of the lower directory level, and the number identifying a quantity of the sub-headers of the lower directory level; and
present via the electronic device, a second animation showing the one or more sub-headers and the content associated with each sub-header expanding into a lower directory level in response to a lower level navigation gesture, wherein the one or more sub-headers are simultaneously presented with the header of the higher directory level, and wherein the content is positioned such that each content item is related to one of the sub-headers.
17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the process further comprises: present via the electronic device multiple directory levels at the same time.
18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the number identifying a quantity of the sub-headers of the lower directory level may be less than the total number of content items of the lower directory level.
19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the lower level navigation gesture is performed over a graphic intended to be expanded.
20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the lower level navigation gesture is a swipe gesture performed in a direction opposite the higher level navigation gesture.