Winge II
Last Tuesday I had a whine about "Notes Usability". Judging by the fact that there were 32 responses it seems you lot need to let off steam as well. In what might become a Tuesday feature, here's another one.
When you create a new copy of a database on a server and bring up the Select Folder dialog it shows you the folders below the Notes root in which you can create it. This is good! As below
Now let's see what happens when you select to create the new copy on your local machine. The Select Folder looks like this. Not so good!
Now I appreciate that, in theory, I can create the copy of the database where I like on my machine. But why on earth would I want it anywhere but below the <path>\Notes\Data\ root folder!?
Please, please, please can you just default me to the Notes data directory! I feel like I'm taking crazy-pills....
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Actually I create copies of local databases in all sorts of different locations. Mainly for my own backup purposes. I usually don't want it in my Notes\Data directory so I know that I won't inadvertently make any changes to it.
I agree that it should default to Notes\Data but I still want to be able to save the file anywhere I want.
I have an issue with non-sticky dialog boxes. When I import an image and select JPEG, I want it to remember that the NEXT TIME I do the same thing !!! The frustrating thing is that the directory browser itself is sticky - it remembers where you last browsed, and it is context-specific i.e. it is different for File,Import and File, Export.
tq
Thanks Jake, this is something that has infuriated me for a while. I disagree with the comment above re backups - generally as far as I can tell the only people who use the notes client menu structure are developers or power users anyway. Should this case not be justified then I would argue that the default directory where the developer client is installed should be the \\Root\Data as outlined as in this situation the most common destination must be local for notes db testing/evaluation locations.
I wish it would default to the data directory as well. I agree with Ian that is important to be able to create the database wherever you want, but more often than not I am creating them in my data directory. Just yesterday I had to create 15 replicas on a users laptop and each time I had to navigate to the data directory. That made the process take a lot longer.
I agree with Ian Howe above as I frequently make backup copies in a different location than my notes data folder. but on the same topic, while opening a database using database open dialog and you type in the server name and click on browse button, i don't understand why it shows your local drive and not the folders on the server??
Yeah! And what about creating a new replica. Isn't there the slightest chance that I would want to create the replica in the same directory as the original?
Notes 3.x seemed to think so, as it provided the original database's path as default for the new replica.
As for copying db's to directories outside the notes path for backup purposes, yeah, I do that sometimes.
"Please, please, please can you just default me to the Notes data directory!..."
or to the last directory used in the actual session.
I disagree with Ian Howe (for whatever that's worth). Your backup files should fall below the data folder. It's just good organizational practice. The /data directory should be considered your root while working within notes, the system outside that node shouldn't need worry about .nsf files. That being said, my file structure can be a gong show from time to time.
The only problem with that Jamie is the fact that the files may not get backed up if they are just on your local drive. I have created them on a network drive that is backed up every night for this purpose before.
Yes, Jamie, basically you are right, but having them outside of /data means they will absolutely positively not be replicated by the Notes client.
And sometime that's just what I want - without using the "disable replication" checkbox.
I don't see any good organizational practice in keeping files inteded for backup (!!) purposes within your regular working environment (where they might be subject to alterations by whatever scheduled action).
To me it seems that the default directory of this dialog must have some correlation to the phases of the moon ...
So, we're all in agreement then. You should be able to choose any location for the new copy but it would make a lot more sense to always default to the data direcory...
I think Harkpabst sums it up well. I too have never seen any pattern in what gets used as a "default".
As a dissenting voice, let me say that I store my databases in a personal folder outside of the data directory. Then all of my work data is stored in a single directory I can easily backup without going hunting all over my hard drive. If I need it in the data folder for preview purposes, etc, I just create a .DIR file in the data directory pointing to my personal folder. By the same token, I too agree that it should default to the data directory. Cheers!
Another suggestion:
In the "New..." database dialog the server's list is sorted, Ok.
...but in the "New Copy" dialog the server's names are unsorted. Why ?
1. It should default to the data directory.
2. If you're making one-time backups (rather than replica copies you want to work off), outside the data directory is best - but you should remove it from your workspace. Just so long as Notes doesn't know about it - then it won't touch it.
3. Try creating a new copy/replica on a server and clicking the folder button. Then press a key, say "s". That should take you to the first folder beginning with "s", right? No! It blanks out the dialog. Arghhh!!!
4. I have been typing in a keyhole throughout this post. This textarea is awful narrow in Opera 6.
FileDlgDirectory=C:\Lotus\Notes\Data
I don't see any Relation to the default directory in the Database -> New Copy dialog in 5.0.11.