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Bug 357057

Summary:	[Dialogs] Save Dialog Should Default to Last Save Location if There is Nowhere More Relevant
Product:	[Eclipse Project] Platform	Reporter:	Haravikk Kh\'arr <eclipse>
Component:	UI	Assignee:	Platform UI Triaged <platform-ui-triaged>
Status:	CLOSED WONTFIX	QA Contact:
Severity:	enhancement
Priority:	P3	CC:	remy.suen
Version:	3.8
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	All
Whiteboard:	stalebug

Description Haravikk Kh\'arr

2011-09-08 07:05:52 EDT

Build Identifier: 20110615-0604

A fairly niche case, but one that I frequently find quite a hindrance.

Basically, when saving a file that has no useful default location, specifically in the case of untitled text files, the save dialogue always annoyingly defaults to having no folder selected. While many other editors will supply a suitable location, such as a source folder, appropriate package, and so-on, this doesn't happen for blank files that are created without a project or folder selected.

The proposal therefore is that in cases where no default folder is provided to the save dialogue, that it should instead default to the last folder that a file was saved to, either during that session, or of all time.

To describe my particular case, I use basic text files a lot for storing simple notes that don't require anything fancy, early design stages and so-on, and also for storing data-files that may not be in a format with an appropriate Eclipse editor. These are often saved to the same folder, or at least a folder within the same project or folder structure, so it's very annoying to have expand the hierarchy every time to find the folder that I need, every single time.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Create a new untitled text file (File -> New -> Other, select Untitled Text File).
2. Type something into the file.
3. Save (File -> Save).

Repeat the steps, and note that each time you will be asked to select a folder from the "root" level.

Comment 1 Haravikk Kh\'arr

2011-09-08 09:14:44 EDT

Oh, I just wanted to add; when defaulting the last save location, it should probably be the last location that a similar file was saved to; i.e - a file without a default save location.

So if I save a text file to /notes, and a java file to /source, then when I save a new text file, it should default to /notes.

It's possible that more intelligent behaviour could be added, but I think it's best to keep it simple. However, for a little added intelligence, Eclipse could remember the last X such save locations, such that when you perform a new save without default location, it can have the last one open and selected by default, but also open the others as well, so if you have two or three common locations, then they are all nice and easy to get to.

Comment 2 Haravikk Kh\'arr

2011-09-12 13:36:45 EDT

Just wanted to add, another solution for consideration is for the default folder to simply be based on the currently selected file(s) in the package explorer.

Basically, it would just work out a folder layer that all files have in common (easy if it's just one file) and default to that, since it's usually the user's working directory.

Personally I would love to have the option of this behaviour or the last folder behaviour as a project setting, so I can adjust depending upon how I'm organising my project(s).

Comment 3 Lars Vogel

2019-11-14 03:46:43 EST

This bug hasn't had any activity in quite some time. Maybe the problem got resolved, was a duplicate of something else, or became less pressing for some reason - or maybe it's still relevant but just hasn't been looked at yet.

If you have further information on the current state of the bug, please add it. The information can be, for example, that the problem still occurs, that you still want the feature, that more information is needed, or that the bug is (for whatever reason) no longer relevant.

If the bug is still relevant, please remove the "stalebug" whiteboard tag.