GTK library (extension) for directory listing build

[d47081]

Yet another question, related to this subject:

Directory listing with Glib

I want to build some local files list for navigation in the browser window. I can do that with native language API, but maybe some Glib/Gio abstractions exist? I found how to open the file asynchronously and handle its content, just not sure about the directory list, because it’s also the file in Linux fylesystems: File::for_uri(&uri.to_string()).load_contents_async(Some(&cancellable), |result| { match result { Ok(_) => todo!(), Err(_) => todo!(), } }); In other words,…

Maybe some high-level library exist to simply build the files tree in the directory with navigation features in parent/child members, sort order, file handler callback function?

I mean specialized library like GtkSourceView for TextBuffer

[Sid]

• Gtk.FileChooserWidget before GTK 4.10

• Gtk.FileDialog from GTK 4.10.

[d47081]

Thanks, but I mean some widget, to simply build the list with the constructor, without create new separated columns, models, sort order… Something like the completed directory viewer application but without the window frame

I want create local files navigation page in browser, not file open dialog

[gwillems]

Hi,

You can use a Gtk.ListView with a Gtk.DirectoryList as model.

The DirectoryList will take care of building the files tree, automatically in the background.

You’ll just have to implement a factory to create the row widgets, depending on what you wish to display (file name, icon, …).

[d47081]

Yes, that’s it maybe! Thank you!

[d47081]

@gwillems could you please provide any example of DirectoryList implementation in C or Rust, or Python
because I’m writing this code, and yet not understand what exactly DirectoryList model gives me, comparing to manual list factory:

let directory_list = gtk::DirectoryList::new(None, Some(file));
let selection_model = gtk::SingleSelection::new(Some(directory_list));
let factory = gtk::SignalListItemFactory::new();

factory.connect_setup(|_, list_item| {
    use gtk::prelude::{Cast, ListItemExt};
    let label = gtk::Label::new(Some("Item filename label"));
    list_item
        .downcast_ref::<gtk::ListItem>()
        .expect("Needs to be ListItem")
        .set_child(Some(&label));
});

let list_view = gtk::ListView::new(Some(selection_model), Some(factory));

I expect maybe some filename labels auto parsed there, but no, I want make it manually also. It is my first experience with GTK list building, so I really stuck with that. Found only this article, but it does not explain the DirectoryList implementation:

https://gtk-rs.org/gtk4-rs/stable/latest/book/list_widgets.html

[gwillems]

Look at the gtk4-demo > Lists > File browser.

The DirectoryList is declared in a ui file, then initialized here.

The demo also declares a FileBrowserView type as abstraction for the 3 different views, but what really matters is just their factories (see the ui file).

The model is then packed in a GridView, but a ListView would also work.

[d47081]

Thank you!

I never like XML templates, just found there only I’m on the right way with current implementation, just wrongly expected File on cast from the ListItem, instead of FileInfo and did that in connect_setup not connect_bind event

If somebody want short example, here is my working draft in Rust, with one Label test column:

let selection_model = gtk::SingleSelection::builder()
    .model(&gtk::DirectoryList::builder()
    .file(file)
    .attributes("standard::name,standard::display-name,standard::icon,standard::size,standard::content-type")
    .monitored(true)
    .build())
    .build();

let factory = gtk::SignalListItemFactory::new();

factory.connect_setup(|_, object| {
    use gtk::prelude::{Cast, ListItemExt};

    let label = gtk::Label::builder().halign(gtk::Align::Start).build();

    object
        .downcast_ref::<gtk::ListItem>()
        .unwrap()
        .set_child(Some(&label));
});

factory.connect_bind(|_, this| {
    use gtk::prelude::{Cast, ListItemExt};

    // Downcast requirements
    let list_item = this.downcast_ref::<gtk::ListItem>().unwrap();
    let item = list_item.item().unwrap();
    let file_info = item.downcast_ref::<gtk::gio::FileInfo>().unwrap();
    println!("{:?}", file_info.icon());
    println!("{:?}", file_info.name());

    let row = list_item.child().and_downcast_ref::<gtk::Label>().unwrap();
    //..
});

[d47081]

Just one thought: do I really want connect_bind method or maybe I can create column widgets like icons, filename, time, etc in the connect_setup? That’s strange I should init there empty Label, empty Image… when the FileInfo already parsed by DirectoryList

[gwillems]

@d47081

do I really want connect_bind method

Yes, the items may be “recycled” by gtk, i.e. the widgets created in setup will be kept and bind again to another model element.

If you don’t use bind, then the row may not show the right values.

Theoretically you could ignore setup and do everything in bind, but as widgets creation is expensive you will get suboptimal performances.

[d47081]

@gwillems

Theoretically you could ignore setup and do everything in bind, but as widgets creation is expensive you will get suboptimal performances.

Thanks, already dropped setup as it’s really not wanted in this case, will use bind one instead!

[d47081]

One feature I can’t find yet, is the .. navigation to the parent. Is API option exist somewhere or I should use external widget to handle the parental navigation?

[gwillems]

That’s a special folder, so makes sense it’s not listed by default.

Developers have the freedom to choose the back navigation method (Alt+up key, button, …) that suits their UI the best.

[d47081]

That’s a special folder, so makes sense it’s not listed by default.

But cant I simply enable it?

The problem is model generated by DirectoryList backend, now I don’t know how to extract this element (if it really exist in the model list) from there, but maybe with push/prepend operation to SingleSelection or somewhere else, yet reading the docs…

I’m just working on local files browser in browser application. That is system feature, I would like to have this .. without any other UI buttons, Firefox already implements it, I want same.

[gwillems]

Not sure it’s easily feasible…
Maybe with a separate listmodel with a single Gio.FileInfo for .. that you add in a new section (without header) of the listview/columnview.

[d47081]

Well, thanks for info - will try to make it by the ‘hard way’ so

[d47081]

Recently found that by enabling single_click_activate option, sometimes I have following warnings in CLI debug:

gtk_widget_compute_point: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed

And after some time I get core dumped error with application close. So I believe the setup implementation is really wanted, but yet not tried with it as removed. Just for info.