Visible file path for documents stored in CryptDrive

workflowproduction

If I am creating documents within my CryptDrive, is it possible set up a visible file path for the current document? It would be good if we could see where a document is stored in Drive. A file path within the toolbar for CryptPad applications would be perfect. Something like we see in the explorer for Windows or Linux where the folder hierarchy is clear like this: Drive > Folder > Sub folder > File.

Organizing with tags is helpful. But the precise, logical file path would be ideal. If anyone has set this up and can share, I would be grateful.

AlexQ

Hello @workflowproduction , welcome to the CryptPad forum.

Current State

1) File Path in CryptDrive

I'm sure you mean point 2, but to clarify and for later readers: In CryptDrive the file path is automatically shown at the very top of the list of files and folders. It is shown as "CryptDrive / subfolder / subfolder / [...]".

2) File Path in CryptPad Files

AFAIK this is not implemented, if you only have the open file, you can't see, where it is stored, neither in the app, nor int he URL.

I guess this might be due to technical reasons, maybe the logical path information is stored solely in the CryptDrive and not part of the file itself.

My knowledge is not deep enough to know this but as a clue we know that:

a) CryptPad has a strict zero knowledge approach, so I assume that the files itself contain very little meta information and in generel only a much information as needed (which would not include path information)
b) one can share files and even store shared files in ones own CryptDrive
c) there's this thing about owning a file which many users don't understand (me included, I'm not sure), e.g. you can have a copy of your file in a teams CryptDrive, but you would still have it too AFAIR (and can even choose to hide it in your local CryptDrive via option)

So technically I doubt that a filepath info in addtion to this info in the CryptDrive view would be implemented soon.

Feature Request

AFAIK no one asked for this before, so you can post a feature request at this forum with the corresponding tags for "feature request" and maybe "CryptDrive". If so please "close" this discussion here via the option to mark a posting as answer.

Notes

Please note:

IMHO the toolbar is for actions which are used often. The space for buttons is limited, especially if you use CryptPad on smaller mobile screens. So a better place might be the file menu, especially the properties dialogue.
Feature requests usally take a long time, if they are not obviously very important by user feedback or by self explanation. This is also due to funding and due to different complexity of feature requests.
I predict you won't get much user feedback / support since most users seem to be one time visitors: They ask a question and arenot seen ever again. If one is lucky, they give feedback if the answer solved the problem. Also the CryptPad team has limited time and does not give as much feedback as one would expect. So if you want to help yourself, then consider reading some of the feature requests and bug reports in the forum and give feedback yourself, so that others are motivated to do so on your posting(s).

workflowproduction

Thanks for the reply, @AlexQ. You're right about option #2 as my query. Good clarification.

I suspect some of the same speculation you provided, especially regarding the zero knowledge and sometimes shared nature of files in CryptPad. My thought was that the file path displayed in the application would be specific to the user. But again, there may be a logical reason this cannot happen, even when the file is not in a shared drive.

If it is possible to add a file path, I agree the properties dialogue is a good location and I see what you mean about the tool bar getting cluttered.

For now, I'm creating a tagging system that will help me organize files. So, as a feature request, I would not consider this high priority. But I'd keep it on my wish list if there isn't an absolute barrier such as zero knowledge logic.

AlexQ

Many thanks for your detailed feedback @workflowproduction .

Since Mathilde already tagged your posting as feature request she usally has also read your postign and would have responded, if my explanation was to far fetched.

Call to Action

You can theoretically improve the chance of your feature request by giving more details regarding the use case. I for example don't udnerstand the use case at once, so it could be, that the developers have troubles, too.

Example

Like you I use tags and of course subfolders to organize my CryptDrive. But I did not yet miss the path info when I have one of the files open. Usalls I remember from where I opened it or I look and search at the CryptDrive. Especially sicne the search function does a recursive search about all subfolders and shows the path info in the results.

So I'm curious and I want to help you. I guess that your workflow differs from mine or that you have many files or that you, like so many, work in parallel on many things, so that one has to look up, where the current file is from.

Problem

Please note that currently one can make feature requests at the forum AND via GitHub AND via chat. I'm not informed about the logic behind this at the moment, especially since issues at GitHub seem to get preferred. On the other hand it ssems that the GitHub issues feature requests are usally posted from the CryptPad developers themselves and that the forum was obviously made to prevent to much issues at GitHub since it got a bit to much and to chaotic. The forum is usally a good place, but it does not yet work good enough regarding feedback or outcome.

Also note that I suppose that the CryptPad developers currently work on the december CryptPad release, so all in all, don't be disappointed, but patient.