Improve sidebar sorting: group shared table views and revisit table ordering

[juliusknorr]

Problem

Currently, when a user is shared multiple views of the same table without having access to the parent table itself, these views appear in the sidebar navigation as independent entries. They are not ordered next to each other, leading to a confusing user experience. In general, the logic for sorting tables and their views in the sidebar could benefit from a review and potential redesign.

Proposal

• Ensure that all views belonging to the same table (even when only shared individually) are grouped together or ordered logically in the sidebar navigation.
• Consider ways to visually indicate the relationship between table views, especially for users who cannot see the parent table.
• Re-discuss and define the overall ordering principles for tables and shared views in the sidebar.
  • Should personal/shared tables be grouped?
  • How are favorites, recents, and alphabetical order respected?

Example screenshot

[juliusknorr]

cc @marcoambrosini @enjeck @blizzz

[osm-frasch]

I agree with you...would make the handling with the views clearer.

[alexanderdd]

related (?) #1683

[marcoambrosini]

Some thoughts from my PoV:

Consider ways to visually indicate the relationship between table views, especially for users who cannot see the parent table.

One option could be grouping them now under a collapsible navigation element just like for table owners. The only difference would be that the main entry would not be a router link, but a collapsible caption element.
The problem with such approach is that the table owner might not want to leak the table title to the views recipients. So it gets a bit tricky.
Also I can imagine scenarios where the incoming shared views are not really that related, although the parent table is the same.. This makes me think: is it ok to assume that they are and thus show it in the UI?

Re-discuss and define the overall ordering principles

• We could use collapsible captions for Favorites, Shared, and Private, this is in line with some of the competitors.
• I think everything should be drag and drop reorder-able as @alexanderdd brings up.
• Any attempt at smart sorting could potentially disorient the user. E.g: I receive a bunch of new shares -> my navigation and thus workspace changes drastically. For this reason I think that the last added element should be the last shown in the list.

[blizzz]

One option could be grouping them now under a collapsible navigation element just like for table owners. The only difference would be that the main entry would not be a router link, but a collapsible caption element.
The problem with such approach is that the table owner might not want to leak the table title to the views recipients. So it gets a bit tricky.

Also first thing that comes to my mind. I am hesitant about leaking the table name, but mostly because it was not exposed in such cases before. If we introduce such a changed behaviour we might indeed leak some table names that should not. Actually I do not expect table names to be sensitive in 99% of the cases, especially when parts are shared, but there is the remaining part, and that might hurt trust.

One thing that might be an option is an additional field in the table settings to choose one alias name that is used in such cases. This leaves the question for a default (I would not want to use the ID) and brings us back, only with just another thing to maintain.

Maybe the first view name can be used, but it might be misleading and not helpful, especially when Generic names are chosen, there are no warranties that the more important name comes earlier either.

A fight for space would be concatenating all views names, and short them with an ellipses. With the little space I am doubtful though that it would be very informative.

What if, instead, we place them in one "frame", make it collapsible, without a (text) caption but a little of white space, and being indicated by a background gradient (and maybe a fine border on top and one or two sides or top and bottom). The collapse-state would need to be remembered, maybe just client side.

Also I can imagine scenarios where the incoming shared views are not really that related, although the parent table is the same.. This makes me think: is it ok to assume that they are and thus show it in the UI?

Imo they are still related enough that grouping makes sense (anecdotal evidence, all i have). Don't think it is worse to make this one more complicated than necessary?

• We could use collapsible captions for Favorites, Shared, and Private, this is in line with some of the competitors.

• I think everything should be drag and drop reorder-able as @alexanderdd brings up.

👍

• Any attempt at smart sorting could potentially disorient the user. E.g: I receive a bunch of new shares -> my navigation and thus workspace changes drastically. For this reason I think that the last added element should be the last shown in the list.

This is OK with a complete manually sorted list. Though you could still argue, that new tables can be highlighted for a week or two in some way, so that the user is encouraged to sort them somewhere? When they appear on the bottom, and you already have a long list, they are not well visible and it would be very cumbersome to drag them up. Unless, you have a move to top/bottom context menu action 🤔