sharing, show "shared by X" information

[schiessle]

This was brought to my attention by @ser72 and needs some input by our designers, cc @jancborchardt

Following Scenario:

User1 shares a file with user2, then user2 goes to his shared folder. User2 will see the shared file and instead of the "Share" action the string "Shared by user1".

This creates the first question, shouldn't the "Share" action always be named "Share" and the "Share1 by user1" added as a additional information? Is it obvious that the user now needs to click on "Shared by user1" to share the file again?

Now we continue and user2 reshares the file to user3. Afterwards user2 will no longer see the "Shared by user1" string, but just "Shared". The information that user2 shared the file superposes the information that the file was shared by user1 to user2 (this information is now completely lost, especially bad if we remove the Shared folder for OC7 because it is the only indicator that it is a shared file). If user2 unshares the file again the label of the action will change back to "Share", only after a page reload the old label "Shared by user1" will come back.

My first idea to solve the issue:

I tried to add the "Shared by X" information as a additional information in brackets after the actual action.

• If the file wasn't shared at all you would just see: Share
• If the file was shared to you you would see: Share (Shared by user1)
• If the file was shared to you and you reshare it you would see: Shared (Shared by user1)

But I would consider it still a bit confusing, especially the result in the third case. What do you think? How could we provide this information in a consistent and meaningful way?

[schiessle]

An alternative idea, so that the action is always "Share":

• If the file wasn't shared at all you would just see: Share
• If the file was shared to you you would see: Share (Shared by user1)
• If the file was only shared by you: Share (Shared by you)
• If the file was shared to you and you reshare it you would see: Share (Shared by user1 and by you)

[jancborchardt]

Is it obvious that the user now needs to click on "Shared by user1" to share the file again?

Did we have people complain about that? The share menu is on the right, and it stays on the right, so yes I would say it’s obvious. Indicator and menu toggle are one and the same.

Afterwards user2 will no longer see the "Shared by user1" string, but just "Shared".

I think that we wanted, but couldn’t solve – @DeepDiver1975? I would agree that »Shared by user1« should stay even if you reshare.

That is from what I think the only change we need to do. The above suggestions look too complicated. »Share« or »Shared« 2 times after each other are kind of confusing and make the info really long.

As info: In the future, when shared, the entry should just say »Shared« and show the avatars of the people who have access to the file right next to it.

[jancborchardt]

@schiesbn if you want to tackle it, please go ahead:

• [ ] »Shared by user1« should stay if you reshare
• [ ] when shared, the entry should just say »Shared« and show the avatars of the people who have access to the file right next to it. (Maximum of 4, if there’s more show »+10« (or however more there are).)

[DeepDiver1975]

As info: In the future, when shared, the entry should just say »Shared« and show the avatars of the people who have access to the file right next to it.

I think this will cause too much load on the server

[schiessle]

I would agree that »Shared by user1« should stay even if you reshare.

This would mean that in case of a reshare we would have no indicator that the user shared the file because the text would stay the same, right?

[jancborchardt]

Ok, then maybe a stop-gap solution until we find out how to do it with avatars would be:

If only 2 people are part of a share:

• The recipient has the indicator »Shared by Thomas« – like now
• The sharer has the indicator »Shared« – like now. Maybe add »Shared with Björn«

As soon as there are more people, the indicator changes for everyone to:

• »Shared (Thomas, Björn, Jan)«

Instead of the above mentioned avatars, just write out the names. Only show the first three, if it gets longer say: »Shared (Thomas, Björn, Jan, +6)«

What do you think?

[jancborchardt]

If we want to have it even simpler, cut out the first case and there also say »Shared (Thomas)« or »Shared (Björn)«. Then it gets less clear who the owner of the file is, but maybe that’s not that important anyway.

[schiessle]

If only 2 people are part of a share:

• The recipient has the indicator »Shared by Thomas« – like now

That's the case if I received a share but didn't reshare it, right? I think that's OK. It becomes more interesting if it is a file which was shared to me and which I reshared.

• The sharer has the indicator »Shared« – like now. Maybe add »Shared with Björn«

This would be also the indicator if I reshare the file? So the information that it is a shared file which was shared to me is gone?

As soon as there are more people, the indicator changes for everyone to:

• »Shared (Thomas, Björn, Jan)«

This would mix up "shared by" and "shared from"? If I take the other example into account then the file would have been shared to me by Thomas and I would have reshared it to Björn and Jan.

For Folders I don't think it is a big problem if we lose the "Shared by Thomas" information, because the folder icon would still indicate that it is a shared file and not my own file. But in case of single file shares we wouldn't have any indicator that it is a shared file and not my own file.

[jancborchardt]

Then:

• If you are the owner: »Shared with Thomas, Jan«
• If you are not the owner: »Shared by Thomas (you, Jan)« (if you are the only recipient, cut it to simply »Shared by Thomas«, like now)

What do you think?

[jancborchardt]

Or more verbose for the second case: »Shared by Thomas with You, Jan, Frank« (»with« instead of the parentheses)

[jancborchardt]

@schiesbn what do you think about the simpler proposals above?

[jancborchardt]

This was fixed by the above pull requests! :)