Mimetypes: Inodes

[hlechner]

Inter-process Communication files:

• [ ] socket (inode/socket)
• [ ] pipe (inode/fifo)

Unix Device files:

• [ ] block device (inode/blockdevice)
• [ ] character device (inode/chardevice)

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Socket / Pipe

Description:

A socket is a special file used for inter-process communication. These allow communication between two processes. In addition to sending data, processes can send file descriptors across a Unix domain socket connection using the sendmsg() and recvmsg() system calls.

Unlike named pipes sockets are fully duplex-capable.

Both Socket and Pipe are inter-process communication files. Basically its communication point of two sides.

gvfs-info: here

Old Issues: #592 #593

Design Association: Pipe, Physical connection, Cables, Outlet

Note: Due to the similarity Socket and Pipe can share the same mimetype.

Icons as reference:

Numix-Circle Related Icons: Numix Related Icons: Other Individual Icons:

Block Device / Character Device

Description:

Device files are used to apply access rights and to direct operations on the files to the appropriate device drivers.

Unix makes a distinction between character devices and block devices. The distinction is roughly as follows:

• character devices provide only a serial stream of input or output;
• block devices are randomly accessible;

Both character device and block device are Unix Device File, used to access directly the device.

gvfs-info: here

Old Issues: #590 #591

Design Association: Generic Device, Chip (CI), Generic PCI card

Note: Due to the similarity character device and block device can share the same mimetype.

Icons as reference:

Numix-Circle Related Icons: Numix Related Icons: Non-Numix theme related icons: Other Individual Icons:

[hlechner]

Socket/Pipe:

First Drafts: Description: Does someone have a better pipe icon that can fit into the mime? The best result that I reached is the icon above.

Notes: I've created this issue to unite the similar issues about inode.

[hlechner]

Block Device / Character Device:

First drafts:

[hlechner]

Socket/Pipe:

[andia89]

Too detailed. Try removing the thin outline and make the pins less detailed. Similar to the one already present in numix

[ismaelgv]

Just an idea, a bit more symbolic:

Edit: It is just a simple draft

[hlechner]

@wa4557 following your idea I try to simplify the icon. Just removing the thin line: And simplifying the pins:

Yea, it's a lot better without the line, but I couldn't find a better way to simplifying the pins, these drafts aren't good. Do you think is too confusing using these pins? I kind like it, of couse not for the lower resolution icons.

Great idea @ChuckDaniels87 !! I was thinking what could fit there that work on smaller icons and imo it fit very well, could you send a pull request of this one?

[hlechner]

How about this design then?

[palob]

Still too busy with that many pins. The smaller sizes look like a guitar/mandolin peghead.

[hlechner]

Maybe is something more close to this? I look at my last drafts and I think: humm a square spider lol

[palob]

Maybe more squarish like what you posted above as Numix (Circle) related icons?

[hlechner]

The best result that i reached with the numix circle symbol was this one:

However still with the problem with too much pins like the other one, don't you think?

[dirtydancing]

Maybe keep the squarish as it is consistent with the Numix-Circle design, and include pins just on one side, not on all four sides, e.g. horizontally to the right, or, if better for alignment, vertically to the bottom?

[hlechner]

@dirtydancing did you mean something like that?

I couldn't figure out how to better manage it.

[dirtydancing]

Yeah, but I meant pins on just one side, probably only horizontally to the right.

One more thought: how about not having these pins (to the right) on the outside, but rather having them on the inside of the square (background colour/cut out)? But that might not work for the smaller sizes.

[hlechner]

A new try for block device/character device:

[dirtydancing]

Well, in this case, I have to say that I like the earlier version better, with all the pins the same size. This new take is a little confusing to me, as I do not recognize the pins, which tend to have the same length.

[hlechner]

Yea, @dirtydancing I thing I'm just adding more of the same kind of design.

It's hard to me to find a good way to represent it, any help is very welcome

[palob]

Maybe with the pins connected to the chip like it's done in the Adwaita icon for SSDs?

[hlechner]

something close to this?

[palob]

How does it look on 16x16? The smaller parts are harder to get right.

[hlechner]

Some drafts:

It's kinda hard to recognize it

[palob]

Leftmost or rightmost in dark colouring might be OK but then again I wonder if it's a good all-around metaphor for all types of device files.

[palob]

We've now got the firmware mimetype icon which this could be symlinked to. I wonder if a device icon without the paper sheet would be a better fit for this though.