Android: "Select all" files option in multiselection mode

[jabarros]

In #1176 multi select feature was developed and to avoid wasting time selecting all files in a folder one by one, an option to select all the files in a folder is necessary. This will let us select all files in a unique click.

[davivel]

An option in the overflow menu should be enough.

[davigonz]

Is anyone working on this?

@sd1998 No, contributions are welcome 😉

[sd1998]

@davigonz I would like to work on this.

[jesmrec]

@sd1998 for me it is ok, go on!! first of all, we should agree the way it is going to be displayed. I think in several options:

• Set a global checkbox in multiselection mode. By selecting it, all checkboxes will be selected
• Set an option in tool bar or three-dot-menu to select all the stuff.
• (... your ideas)

Also, it would be cool to include an additional option to "deselect" all the stuff

If you are going to work on this, maybe is a good idea to create mock-ups before starting to be sure if all of use are on the same page, and we agree in the UI.

[sd1998]

@jesmrec I will add the mockups here is some time. I think the second options will be better and I think that the option in three-dot-menu should only be available if the user has already selected an item(i.e is already in multiselection mode).

[sd1998]

@jesmrec I have made the mockup. The mockup is not very good as I still learning to make these so Sorry for the inaccuracy to replicate the UI completely but the mockup still represents vaguely the option in tree-dot menu to select all the items and deselect all the items. Is this type of representation of the options ok?

[sd1998]

@jesmrec Is this alright? If it is then I will start working on it.

[jesmrec]

looks good for me. Are he options "Select all" and "Deselect all" always in the three-dot-menu, and not in the toolbar (although there is room for this)?

CC @davigonz @michaelstingl

[davigonz]

Thanks @sd1998 for the mockup, I have a couple of questions:

1. Does the option select all appear when the user has already selected one or more files or when there's no one selected? In my opinion it could appear in both cases.
2. Does the option deselect all make sense when there's no file selected? Think it should appear just when the select all option is being used.

What do you think?

[sd1998]

@davigonz Actually as I have seen on a couple of apps the select all option only appears when the user has selected one or more files (hence I made the mockup that way) and I still believe that will be a better approach. I agree with the deselect all option to be visible only when the user has selected one or more files.

[sd1998]

@jesmrec Yes I just checked there is enough space so I think it would be better to add the select all icon on the toolbar and the deselect option to be in the three dot menu.

[jesmrec]

which icon will you use in the tool bar for "Select all"? I like the 1. approach of @davigonz

[sd1998]

I have thought of using this

So the select all option should be visible even when the iser has not select a single file?

[theScrabi]

It's not bad since its the one that is listed when you search for an Icon corresponding to that option.
I somehow don't like it tho.

@sd1998 what do you think about this icon here? Do you like it?

[sd1998]

@theScrabi Yes it is ok. I have another alternative.

I found this here
What do you think about this? Or should I go with the one you have suggested?

[jesmrec]

this icon is very close to the "Move" icon. For deselecting... any idea? or will not be never placed in toolbar ?

[theScrabi]

The problem is that all these select all icons are verry abstract, and there is not a "commonly known" icon for select all, So I wouldn't recommend using only the icon. I'd recommend to put at least a text beside of it, so no toolbar.

[sd1998]

@theScrabi I agree. So I will be adding the option in the three dot menu.