Feature: Switch to Windows file transfer dialog when Files is closed

[Thorium0]

What's the Problem?

If you close the files window during a large file transfer, then it's impossible to see the progress if even if you reopen it.

Solution/Idea

Add an option to show the default windows file transfer popup, instead of adding it to the queue window in the top right.

Alternatives

Another solution would also be to make file transfer queues global between all files windows, instead of each window having their own queue.

Priorities

No response

Files Version

2.1.5.0

Windows Version

21H2

Comments

No response

[gave92]

I'll check if you can show the explorer progress dialog without stopping the operation. If not, would it be ok to show progress in the notification center? Or perhaps it's possible to show a custom progress dialog.

[Thorium0]

A notification would work, but it would be problematic if you dismissed the notification or simply don't use the notification center. A custom progress dialog would definitely be preferable.

[ELowry]

Wouldn't it be possible to push Files to the system tray until the file transfer is finished? Possibly with some updating percentage bar under the icon, or a hover-title with the percentage as text?

Then clicking the taskbar icon would re-open the files UI with the file transfer popup open.

And right-click options could include Open Files and Exit and Cancel Transfer.

[mdtauk]

Files should have background threads for tasks run when the app window was open, so background tasks can continue when the window is closed, but the app is continuing to run in the background.

For as long as the status bar icons still exist in Windows, the app icon should appear there while the app is open in the background.

As for what can be done with the app in that tray icon state, thats a different discussion. But when tasks complete, Files should use the windows notifications to display any completed or error/problem messages the User will need to know about, so they can re-open the app window and take action.

[heftymouse]

With the app now intended to run in the background, this can probably be rethought. Perhaps making a minimal Status Centre view openable from the tray icon?

[yaira2]

This will still be needed in case the process is completely closed.

[heftymouse]

I feel like it's reasonable to expect the user to keep the process open while doing an operation, now it can get entirely out of the way when you close the window

[yaira2]

Displaying it in a flyout might work, but we have to keep in mind the user can hide the tray icon so we'd want to account for setups like this as well.