File Management Pane Documentation

This document describes the features available in the left-hand pane of the application, which is primarily used for loading and managing files.

Overview

The left pane provides multiple ways to load XML, JSON, and ZIP files into the application and lists the currently loaded files, allowing users to select files for viewing and perform basic management tasks.

File Loading Methods

• Upload Files Button:

  • Opens the system's file browser.
  • Allows selecting one or multiple files with .xml, .json, or .zip extensions.

• Paste Content Button:

  • Opens a dialog window for pasting content.
  • Users can paste raw text content (XML or JSON).
  • The dialog attempts to auto-detect the content type (XML/JSON).
  • Users must provide a filename (without extension); the appropriate extension (.xml or .json) is added automatically.
  • Content is validated before being added to the file list.

• Drag and Drop:

  • Files (.xml, .json, .zip) can be dragged from the user's system and dropped onto the application window (likely the main content area or the file list area).
  • Dropped files are processed and added to the list.

File List

Displays all currently loaded files.

• File Display:

  • Shows the filename for each entry.
  • Uses distinct icons for regular files (like a document icon) and ZIP archives (like a zipped folder icon).
  • Highlights the currently selected file.

• Tooltips: Hovering over a file name reveals a tooltip with additional details:

  • File Type (XML, JSON, ZIP).
  • File Size (for regular files) or number of internal files (for ZIPs).
  • Origin ZIP Name (if the file was extracted from a ZIP archive within the application).

• Selection: Clicking a file name selects it, loading its content into the main viewing area (Tree View/Source View) unless it's an un-extracted ZIP.

ZIP File Handling

ZIP archives are handled specially in the file list:

• Expansion: ZIP file entries can be expanded/collapsed using an arrow icon to show their internal contents.
• Internal File Listing: When expanded, a list of detectable XML/JSON files within the ZIP is shown.
• Extraction:
  • Checkboxes appear next to the internal files.
  • Selecting one or more internal files enables an "Extract Selected" button (or similar).
  • Clicking "Extract Selected" adds the chosen internal files as regular entries to the main file list. These extracted files will indicate their origin ZIP in their tooltip.
• Direct Viewing: ZIP archives themselves cannot be viewed directly in the Tree/Source views; a message indicates this when a ZIP entry is selected.

File Actions Menu

Hovering over a file item reveals a menu icon (typically three vertical dots) providing access to actions for that specific file:

• Rename: Allows editing the filename directly in the list.
• Delete: Removes the file from the application session.
• (Potential) Compare: May offer an option to initiate a comparison with another file (linking to the diff view).
• (Potential) Download: May offer an option to download the source content of the file.

Pane Collapse/Expand

The entire left pane can be collapsed into a compact view showing only icons or expanded to the full view using a dedicated toggle button (often a menu or back-arrow icon).