Folders / Categorization

[saboooor]

The Launcher should have folders, and should have a menu like the menu when you hold/swipe right the folders should have a dedicated section in the scrollbar here's a concept image (even the folder icon under the star in the scrollbar is there too cuz im extra)

[8bitPit]

I am planning to implement folders. However, this feature is quite time consuming.

[jakcharvat]

I feel like the grid style doesn't go well for one handed usage, and also doesn't fit the rest of the UI. I love the list folder style though.

[Shinra04]

Yeah, grids won't do for folders

[8bitPit]

@timklop suggested a tab design:

[timklop]

I also suggest making the tabs look like MD chips: https://material.io/design/components/chips.html#

May not be the correct use case for them but in this context I feel like it would be the best looking solution.

For a more fitting use case bottom navigation would be better but that requires a good solution in terms of icons and transparency: https://material.io/design/components/bottom-navigation.html#usage

[Shinra04]

It's a good placement for the folders. Can be improved on from here.

[jakcharvat]

I think this tab thing could work well with the gesture bar I describe in #68. There could be a button on the bar that would open a selection of the categories. I'm aware it would require an extra click, but it would maintain the launcher's minimalist style

[Shinra04]

The gesture pill idea would make things confusing when you consider that some devices have that by default. Altering its functions would make it less intuitive. Also, not all devices have virtual navigation keys. There's no real necessity to implement it now, as the G icon solves 2 issues (search and news), and there are simple gestures possible for the folders.

[ZeRoZeRoRaZ]

Another idea for implementing folders: The same way as application list on right do folder list on left. Letters would represent folder first letter and apps would be grouped not by letter but by folder name.

Games

• xxx
• yyy

Tools

• aaa
• bbb

Transport

• zzz
• Kik

[Montell2099]

@timclop The idea about material MD-chips UI buttons seems nice.

Personally I would totally prefer folders, but I read that the dev wrote about the difficulties about it. Perhaps in the future!

[cauerego]

i hate this general idea.

it goes against the minimalist design and incentive. #345

of course folders become essential once we install too many apps. point is, it's too many. we should never install too many.

a better idea, imho, would be to have just 1 "folder": trash. install them all in there. when we get sick of 'em or need space, press empty trash. that's it.

[Rod911]

How about this: A toggle in the settings to set the default action for scrolling i.e scroll through apps or scroll through folders/categories. You can then implement a single list that scrolls through favorites, categories and uncategorized apps custom made by the user.

[cauerego]

the more features, the less likely any dev can keep up with each feature awesomeness. but this dev already knows this...

if not the "uninstall bin" i'm pretty sure they'll eventually come up with a nice smart way to handle this.

most likely this will turn, first, into some kind of auto-generated categories... that feels to me like all part of a global engineers community uphill battle for organizing any kind of data points when they grow too much.

however, desktop apps turned into web apps for very good reasons, and one of the main factors is how giving so much liberty to any dev, such as with building an app, can easily break any OS.

so i also foresee we'll eventually agree apps are better off if kept to a minimum (even zero, if you use chromebook for instance), no matter how big your device is or it supposedly can handle.

if not that, the mobile webapps will rise sooner or later anyway. apps the way they're heading today on mobile are just following too many of the same troubled steps as in desktop, even when using *nix.

of course, i could be wrong.

[citydelver]

The chip idea may work nice. But I think a drawer-like vertical list could suit folders very well.

[7xcritical]

I could see it being a thing where it opens to a list to the right (in the open space with a transparent background) and there are about five or six apps in there, and maybe the ability to chose the icon for individual folders

[sfosdal]

a tree based design seems like it would fit in with the way it is working now. opening a folder would just present the apps inside the folder in the same style of list that exists at the top level.

[berdzena]

I'm using 2 app for this.. Edge gestures and total launcher. For now it's best solution for me. You can create folder in TL and open by swipe with in niagara launcher..

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gC1sJVSeSsgeYfzu8

[chareos]

Folders are a necessity. Minimalism is very desirable. Just make them text-only, and integrate them in the right alphabet list. It may look like A B C Chat D E F Fun G ... and so on

Also, folder shouldn't open as a window or a pop up. Just propose the usual app list ; if really needed, add the folder name as a taller label on top.

This approach may keep consistent the user interaction, keep things minimalist, offer some serious convenience, and even look neat.

[duraleigh]

Any updates on the timeline/likelihood of folders? I live for this launcher, but I am anxious to be able to declutter.

[scarfa]

I like @chareos idea to integrate the folders into the alphabet list but I would prefer all the folders to be at the top of the alphabet list for easy access instead of scattered all over. This is probably my #1 requested feature b/c if you have a lot of apps installed, there are some you only use once in awhile but can't remember the name, it's better to have folders that you can organize and at least have an idea what category the app should be in.

[raflut]

I think I have read all the comment but have not seen the following mentioned. I feature I like in my previous launcher was that clicking on folder opens a pre set app and swiping actually opens the folder.

I would like to see something like that. Clicking to open app and swipe right to open the folder.

[Bushmills]

Combining functions to open a folder and alternatively launch an app, depending on gesture, is the concept I like best too. But I'd prefer long push for folder opening, rather than swiping. Consider that right swipe is already in use by Niagara, if app provides appropriate shortcuts. Going well with the idea of "category" buttons, with the most relevant app of that category, represented by those apps in the folder, may also be that not just any app is launched by tapping, but an app from the folder. For those who know Nova launcher, launching the first app in the folder by alternative gesture is an idea I like too: changing button binding to another app from same category/folder is then realised by simply dragging that other app to first position. The fact that the alternative gesture is a swiping gesture is what I dislike in Nova. My current setup, using LLX, involves swiping too - but not for folder opening and primary app launching. Instead I have, just as suggested, folder open on long push, and primary app on tapping. Swiping up, right, down and left launch additional apps. for example, my "comm" button (phone icon) launches phone dialer when tapping, and email client, web browser, instant messengers (actually another folder) and SIP phone, depending on swipe direction. the "media" button does camera (tap), picture viewer, music player, video player, cams monitor on swipes. Long push, again, for the remaining apps by opening folder. 16 categories, from navigation, development, system tools, file tools, shop, networking, education etc allow me to organize everything I am and have been using. 5 apps per button, 16 buttons in a 4x4 grid, are (up to) 80 apps for single gesture launch, one folder (5x7 grid) takes up to 31 apps - not 35 because the five single gesture apps I have arranged in a cross shaped layout, reflecting the gestures for launching them. This leaves the 4 corner empty, and serves as quick reminder or visual help, useful when changing app/gesture mapping. I don't suggest this for Niagara, because this will most likely collide with the notion of simplicity Niagara is upholding. But the gesture subset of long push, and single tap seems simple enough, especially if no two different setups by implicit (position dependent) launch of primary app are needed. Though maybe we could distinguish between "simplicity" and "efficiency" - one doesn't always have to mean the other.

[ghost]

there is a minimalist way to implement folders which will go with the Niagara interface.

Folders would look like apps but with a folder image on the right.

when you click on it a pop up opens (like the one when you long press an app)

the apps will appear in a list format.

sweet and simple

[rancor1223]

@vanshcrunch I like this idea too, but I think the folder icon is unnecessary. We are the ones putting the folder there, surely we will remember that it's a folder.

[8bitPit]

@Bushmills Wow, your setup is well thought out!

[8bitPit]

Thanks everyone for providing so many ideas! Here are some of my thoughts: My intention is to keep app options from app actions separated. So, if you want to get some info about an app or you want to modify it, you can always do that by long tapping. Swiping opens shortcuts & notifications instead. I also thought you could add custom shortcuts / widgets & related apps there as well.

I would also like to add another categorization features as well. Here’s the deal: it wouldn’t be one system which works the same for every category: it would be tailored to each category individually. For example: Every app which is placed in the music category will show up above your favorites when you connect your headphones / speakers. Games could be filtered out in the app list and added at the bottom. So, they get an own section which has a controller, or something related as an icon. A message/mail folder on the other hand can always be accessed from within the favorite list, but every app which has a notification attached will be shown in the favorites directly. Those are just some ideas and the challenge would be to keep it simple, so it should feel intuitive how each category works. Next to supporting widgets & shortcuts, folders are one of the biggest challenges.

[Bushmills]

@Bushmills Wow, your setup is well thought out!

Thank you, @8bitPit, though I rather consider it "incremental refinement", or result of user interface evolution throughout the years. Same process which reduced pretty picture, or worse, animated wallpapers to a boring and unspectacular complete black.. Which is also why I describe to some detail here, even though it may seem at bit off-topic at first glance, hoping that the suggested combination of those two gestures is considered under the light of having some gravity, because not completely untested or in need of prior experimentation.

[Shinra04]

I'm liking the direction the ideas are going to. Right now, the best ideas to implement folders/categorisation seem to be:

• Create app-like element as a folder(appears at the top of its respective letter category); tapping expands list of apps in it below, ordered by frequency
• Same element but launched by a right swipe, and the apps appear in a single line (4 at a time) and can be swiped through.
• A new gesture on the G icon, maybe a double tap, which switches to a new screen of folders only, with the trusty scroller; folders open in either of the ways above.
• The addition of functionality for when an appropriate folder shows up on favourite page for easy access, like when headphones are connected.

[mathieujobin]

I love Niagara launcher thank you.

I don't want to manage folders by myself

Auto filter by app types would be all we need I think

There is a single filter selection menu.

• all
• games
• transport
• social
• troubleshooting
• etc

Once selected you can still browse through the alphabet

My two cents

Thanks

[Bushmills]

About those launchers which do attempt to sort apps into categories (like Smart Launcher) my complaints are that this feature can't be turned off! Problem 1: Those predefined categories don't match my own categories preferences well. Problem 2: custom categories, i.e. those added by user, are excluded from hashing app into. Problem 3: Most apps end up in the wrong app folder. I find the need to chase after wrongly sorted apps, to move them to the correct folder, more of an annoyance than the effort to move them manually into the proper category. If at least such a feature could be disabled, I wouldn't have to suffer.

[mathieujobin]

@bushmills. Makes sense

Since this is proposed as an option it would sure be possible to turn it off. Default should remain unchanged

Maybe the auto category could be an overwriteable default?

[Nitneroc85]

I think the best option is making folder for favorites for example, select many apps and click on "group" button, by default the icon is a folder icon but can be changed and the launcher ask for the folder name then the folder is displayed on favorite and we can short click for display item or long click for, rename, change icon, add apps, remove apps or "ungroup" in this case all apps stay in favorite but not in a folder :)

[Dedisurya]

How to make application folder on home screen ?.

[crissak22]

I'm liking the direction the ideas are going to. Right now, the best ideas to implement folders/categorisation seem to be:

• Create app-like element as a folder(appears at the top of its respective letter category); tapping expands list of apps in it below, ordered by frequency
• Same element but launched by a right swipe, and the apps appear in a single line (4 at a time) and can be swiped through.
• A new gesture on the G icon, maybe a double tap, which switches to a new screen of folders only, with the trusty scroller; folders open in either of the ways above.
• The addition of functionality for when an appropriate folder shows up on favourite page for easy access, like when headphones are connected. Love your launcher ☺️ a

nd the folder feature will be the icing on the cake. As for my suggestions, sorry but Ihave to leve it to the experts.

[crissak22]

Love your great launcher and the folder feature will make it truly amazing. Your summation of thd discizssions so far seems faultlrss to me so I'll leve this to the expert! ☺️

[crissak22]

Apologies for horrible spelling😕

[IanStone2]

How about an option for more than column of favorites? Instead of extending the list past the bottom and requiring scrolling?

Maybe 1 to 4 columns? Possibly an option for app names to be visible or on the right, on the left, or below the icon would work well with this.

I am quite impressed with your creation. I skimmed through this thread and feel like this might not be why you want but it was my first idea to make it more usable by myself.

If you have widgets that I can move and put favorites in then I could create something like the columns with some playing around.

Cheers

Ian Stone

Vancouver, BC

Canada

[verboze]

Personally, the design I'd love to see is reminiscent of the original iOS folder design:

• the folder is a simple icon
• when the icon is tapped, the folder expands and reveals the contents of the folder. Other icons and the background are grayed out
• the expanded folder and icon stay fully on the screen. Scrolling is available if the list of items is longer than can be displayed
• Tapping on the icon or outside of the content area of the folders or pressing the back button closes the folder.
• the content list would be 3-4 icons per row to further differentiate from the regular list

I think this design is in line with the minimalistic approach of the launcher :))

[paijojo]

yes, the launcher should have a folder to combine several important applications on the home screen if the list of favorites is full.

[seekr]

+1 to this feature because on Samsung One (Android Pie) UI we stopped having an icon for Work Profile and this was a good replacement for having a single icon for all Work Profile apps. Now they all appear in Niagara as duplicate apps.

[koppor]

Maybe Tags could be an option. I would love to have auto tagging...

Smart Launcher does it well for Games etc. However, that is a bit too static for me...

[adiktofsugar]

Hey, just started using this launcher, and really like it except for not being able to group apps in some way on the main screen. I've never been sold on the idea of folders, so I was really excited with action launcher's "covers". They act exactly like one app unless you swipe up on them. When you do that, it opens a folder (the same as when you click a folder).

For Niagara, I'd really like something similar to exist. A favorited app could have "related apps" that show when you do some gesture on them (left swipe?). I'm thinking they just appear underneath the main app, just like normal favorited apps.

So, with this idea, you basically just hide apps in the favorites section until you do some action, which shows the apps you've marked as "related" to the app you're doing the action on.

I'm not sure if this is clear, but it seems like it could be relatively simple, given it's limited scope, and could solve the issue of grouping apps together on the main screen without introducing folders.

Thoughts?

[Paladium72]

I prefer the same style like the app drawer. You swipe on it and it's open in a vertical string.

This Launcher has his vertical style and has not to mix with any other Launchers.

[hadsizefendi]

Merhaba Uygulama gerçekten başarılı. Çok beğendim oldukça basit, sade ve şık. Özellik eklemesi için opsiyonel bir tavsiyem olacak, sağ tarafta alfabetik bir kızak var. bu kızağı alfabe yerine küçük kategori simgelerine çevirmek. Belirlediğimiz klasör veya kategorilerde hareket ettirmek oldukça kullanışlı olur. Tıpkı (Smart Launcher)'de olduğu gibi. İyi çalışmalar.

Hello The application is really successful. I like it very simple, simple and stylish. I will have an optional recommendation for adding features, there is an alphabetical sled on the right. turn this sleigh into small category icons instead of alphabetic. Moving to the folder or categories we have determined is very useful. Just like in Smart Launcher. Have a nice work day.

[likhitr]

I think we should have a folder system but not like the traditional app drawer with grid, but it should be embedded into something like the notifications we get in favourites area.

Slide right on the folder to open apps inside it. and slide back left on the folder name to close it.

I'll try to make a graphic representation and put it up if I can.

[MatthiasHeil]

I'd be very happy if there was an option for strictly alphabetical listings for each "letter group" of apps. I have carefully renamed my apps so that effectively most letters represent groups/"folders". For example, Feedly and NYT and e.g. Spiegel Online have become "news - Feedky", "news - NYT" and "news - Spiegel Online".

On the one hand it's great that apps that are used more frequently are automatically pushed to the top of each "letter group", on the other hand making this optional would perfect my Niagara experience.

Another option I'd like to see is a start screen without any (suggested or favourited) apps.

Last not least an export/import option (remember my carefully renamed apps) would be dearly appreciated.

All in all, I know no better launcher than Niagara, and will remain its reliable apostle...-)

[eche779]

I love the left, list of apps into the folder. Would make the launcher perfect.

[Paladium72]

Make folder from one side swipe and the other is for the App's. Changeable for left and right handed guys.

Folder are the same like the App's just swipe over and open the folder for go more to center of the display.

[Methotrex8]

Here's an idea based on @MatthiasHeil's post. @8BitPit, can you access each app's categorization from the PlayStore? If you can do that, then, it might be possible to implement automatically sorting the existing list into categories. Then, each app will be listed alphabetically or based on usage. I'm thinking of preserving the current list style, but utilizing a different sorting method for the list. Does this make sense to you? Let me try again but by using this example:

"folder mode" displays like this:

• Games
  • Angry Birds
  • Clash of Clans
• Messaging
  • Messenger
  • Viber
  • Whatsapp

If you can do this type of sorting for the apps, you might then implement the same gestures to get to each category/folder instead of each letter group. Is this possible?

[N1cknamed]

I wanted to share my ideas for how this feature might be implemented, and I made a few quick mock-ups. Here is the design: https://imgur.com/a/cejyulw

Notifications from apps inside the folder would not display their content but instead which app they came from. When you expand the folder the apps would display their notifications as usual.