Inserting an ordered image series is a usability horror in WordPress
Polemically said: I don't want to play 5min Where's Waldo? each time when entering an image series, but instead want to perform an efficient from-to-selection within 5secs.
Use cases & usability problems already fully described with screenshots & text in the following tickets
But let's face it: WP Core moves slowly, especially with key widgets, which must be robust.
I now see an opportunity WITHIN Gutenberg, where a more rapid/agile improvement (MVP) is possible!
Block Inserter → Media → Images / Videos
This is a standalone UI, independent from WP Core.
✅ One aspect is better there: Original aspect ratio (full width, height varies)
❌ The other needs are also not fulfilled there.
Proposal: Add ad-hoc sorting + view controls to the UI
Decently in bottom bar (preferred)
or more prominently integrated into top bar with search (alternative)
Controls
Sort — Options
Title A-Z
Title Z-A
File A-Z
File Z-A
Path A-Z
Path Z-A
Modified ↑
Modified ↓
Sort — Remarks
MVP: "Title A-Z" in addition to "Modified"
Notes on particular sort modes
Path: If you not only have a fully flat structure, but a clustering into /wp-content/uploads/YYYY-MM/or external-domain.com/animals/pets/cat.jpg, this sort mode can reflect that.
Other ideas (for later, if the Media Library API provides the info)
Portrait → Landscape, Landscape → Portrait — To cluster by aspect ratio
Added ↑, Added ↓ — Another date sorting mode
Show
No metadata
Title
Title…
Tit…le
…Title
Filename
Filename…
File…name
…Filename
Show — Remarks
If metadata is shown, it is shown below the image in a caption style.
The display modes without ellipsis show the full string, soft wrapped onto multiple lines (to support long file names)
The display modes with the ellipsis on start mid end shows the string at max 1-2 lines (to be decided) and otherwise places an ellipsis accordingly. Start and end: I know for sure CSS supports this. Mid: Not sure if CSS can do this. If it requires JS and gets to complex, then skip it from the MVP.
Inserting an ordered image series is a usability horror in WordPress
35346
Block Inserter → Media → Images / Videos
Proposal: Add ad-hoc sorting + view controls to the UI
Controls
Sort — Options
Sort — Remarks
/wp-content/uploads/YYYY-MM/
orexternal-domain.com/animals/pets/cat.jpg
, this sort mode can reflect that.Show
Show — Remarks