Add Media Files Button to Sidebar

[PaulJ00]

I suggest adding an additional button to the left sidebar that allows users quick access to Media Files.
For users with limited browsing skills (like older people), it can be difficult to locate images through the current list bar.

Ideally, administrators could choose whether or not this extra button is visible to users.
I would also prefer if the images were displayed as small thumbnails instead of just a text list without graphics.

If this idea is accepted, I’d be happy to implement it myself and submit a pull request to the main repository.

[DavidMStraub]

I agree, but I'd suggest combining this change with the implementation of some improvements to the media view (justifying it being a separate view). We can use this issue to brainstorm.

By the way, you are aware that the media list view already has a thumbnail grid view, right?

[PaulJ00]

Yes i am aware of this feature but in my opinion the thumbnail grid view should be shown by default.
Maybe an sort function would make sense here. Right now i am using prefixes to sort the pictures by name.
Examples for sort types could be datatype, year, filesize, count of references and name (ascending and decending).
Another way to make this more usefull would be an option to create folders but i think this would be very time consuming to implement.

[DavidMStraub]

I agree sort should be part of the original implementation and it should be easy, we just need to add a dropdown - the sorting itself is already present (in the current view, you can sort the table and then switch to thumbnail view again).

Regarding folders, what would be cool eventually is to have something like virtual folders which are essentially filters - like a "by_date" folder with folders for centuries - but I agree that's more work and is not something we should target right now.

Some questions,

• Do you agree we should keep the table under lists? How should we then link between the media table and media gallery?
• What should the URL of the media view be? Right now the media list is under /medialist/ - /media/ is tricky as it's used for the individual media objects
• Currently, clicking on "Media" in the breadcrumb view of a media object links to the list view. Should it link to the gallery view instead?

[PaulJ00]

I would prefere to to let the table under lists untouched so we have a more technical view where you can fire complex querys and see that technical stuff.
The new media gallery should in my opinion act as seperate overview for endusers how want to discover some images with the thubnail view. I think an link beteween the gallery and the technical list is not necessary.
In terms of the URL im not sure. Maybe /mediaview/ would make sense.