Actions for simple tasks

Hi there

I was doing a little bit of work on my website last night, and had to attach a PDF to my page.

Why do I still have to use an Action to attach a PDF (or any other downloadable file) to my page? Why can’t I just drag and drop the file into Freeway?
Using an Action to attach a file to your page is incredibly clunky. It served a purpose when Actions were first invented, but there had been no progress in this area.

I know this seems like a little thing but I do its indicative of the way Freeway feels to me in general - a bit clunky.

It’s nearly 2010 now. The original PDF Action was mostly written by myself around 2002 and it’s not really changed since then.

In short - can some of the simple tasks we use Actions for not be built into Freeway?

James


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You can drag and drop a PDF into freeway - but it will see it as an
image and create an image box for you.

David

On 17 Apr 2009, at 09:54, James Davies wrote:

Why can’t I just drag and drop the file into Freeway?


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This is true, but it’s not really what I’m after.

I think Freeway was frustrating me last night because of the number of steps required to attach a file to a page for download. I’m sure there must be room for improvement in this area.
Maybe a few suggestions:

  1. I’d like to highlight a word or graphic, right-click for the contextual menu, select “link file”, look for my file and that’s it!
    Any styles already applied to the text should be unaffected except for obviously making it look like a hyperlink.
  2. Highlight a word, drag a file from the Finder onto it. When my mouse pointer (with file stuck to it) hovers over the highlighted word, a blue box appears around it (the standard Finder method) and I can drop the file onto it.

In both cases the linked file should get copied to the resources folder automatically when published, and uploaded as normal, conforming to the HTML output preferences already set in the document.

Thanks,

James

On 17 Apr 2009, 9:19 am, David Owen wrote:

You can drag and drop a PDF into freeway - but it will see it as an
image and create an image box for you.


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You can use the file upload action as part of the function you are
looking for.

Also try putting this in the actions wish list: http://www.actionsforge.com/wishes

David

On 17 Apr 2009, at 10:52, James Davies wrote:

In both cases the linked file should get copied to the resources
folder automatically when published, and uploaded as normal,
conforming to the HTML output preferences already set in the document.

Thanks,

James


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On 17 Apr 2009, at 10:52, James Davies wrote:

  1. I’d like to highlight a word or graphic, right-click for the
    contextual menu, select “link file”, look for my file and that’s it!
    Any styles already applied to the text should be unaffected except
    for obviously making it look like a hyperlink.

+1

Heather


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Ah, but there’s the problem. This should be added to the Freeway wish list, not the Actions wish list :slight_smile:

It shouldn’t be an Action at all. There are probably quite a few Actions that should no longer be Actions.

Rollovers are another function that would benefit from not being an Action. If rollovers were built into Freeway properly then they could benefit from a UI overhaul without the shackles of the clumsy Action UI/API.

James

Also try putting this in the actions wish list: http://www.actionsforge.com/wishes


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Add me to James’ suggestions also.
On 17 Apr 2009, at 11:26, Heather Kavanagh wrote:

On 17 Apr 2009, at 10:52, James Davies wrote:

  1. I’d like to highlight a word or graphic, right-click for the
    contextual menu, select “link file”, look for my file and that’s it!
    Any styles already applied to the text should be unaffected except
    for obviously making it look like a hyperlink.

+1

Heather


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For now its only a small stone throw (even a stone drop) from what you
need.

  1. Highlight a word/graphic command-K > external > then type the file
    name: my_file.pdf

  2. Select the file “upload Stuff” action: navigate to my_file.pdf (in
    upload to HTML location)

David

On 17 Apr 2009, at 10:52, James Davies wrote:

  1. I’d like to highlight a word or graphic, right-click for the
    contextual menu, select “link file”, look for my file and that’s it!
    Any styles already applied to the text should be unaffected except
    for obviously making it look like a hyperlink.

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I totally agree with James that there are some things that actions do that could
be done a lot better in the application or…
simply make actions a fully integrated part of the application so there is no UI
or functionality mismatch! (sorry but I couldn’t resist plugging that one
again!).

On the subject of linking PDFs for download I would say that the application is
very close to perfect at the moment. What it doesn’t do, however, is manage the
file upload.
For example;

  1. Select the word you wish to make a link
  2. Go to the Edit Hyperlink dialog box
  3. Select the External tab
  4. Press the Choose button and select your PDF file

The link is creates as a relative path from the published folder to the file.
The user should have the option to move a copy of this file into the Resource(s)
folder and link to it there. I would imagine that a check box in this dialog
would do it;
x Upload and link to this file

Dragging and dropping files to create links currently creates file:// references
and could benefit from a similar ‘Upload and link’ option as well.

I think that when an action is doing the work of core functionality, like
uploads, then it’s time to start to think about integrating it into the
application.

Regards,
Tim.

On 17 Apr 2009, at 10:52, James Davies wrote:

  1. I’d like to highlight a word or graphic, right-click for the
    contextual menu, select “link file”, look for my file and that’s it!
    Any styles already applied to the text should be unaffected except
    for obviously making it look like a hyperlink.


Extend Freeway the way you want with FreewayActions.com
http://www.freewayactions.com


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