Solving the problem of the missing "New Folder" and "New Smart Folder" entries in File menu
I am the latest person to be driven nuts by following the Folders and Tags instructions, which says, "Choose File > New Folder from the menu bar." I, of course, have no "New Folder" or "New Smart Folder" entry in my File menu. I go crazy trying to figure this out.
Eventually, I find out the right way to search this support forum, and find that this same problem has stumped many other people:
- Folders seem to have disappeared from the navigation menu in Mac OSX in the navigation menu?, 2016-01-24
- why can't i see 'create new folder' in the file menu. I have 1password for Mac and a Family sub, 2016-06-14
- Can't create a new folder in Mac 6.1., 2016-04-01
The answer, of course, is that the "New Folder" or "New Smart Folder" entries only appear in my File menu when a) I am viewing a single vault, not "all vaults", and b) the vault is not a 1Password.com-hosted vault. However, the Folders and Tags instructions don't mention this.
When multiple people get confused by the same behaviour, it's a sign that the product interaction design has a weak point, and/or that the documentation is inadequate. I'd argue that it would good for Agile Bits to improve both.
1. In cases where folders aren't supported (when viewing all vaults, or viewing a 1Password.com-hosted vault), instead of hiding the menu items, show them, but disabled (greyed out). Then users won't wonder why they aren't seeing something that is supposed to be in the menu. They will know the software has such menu items, and will just need to figure out why they are disabled.
2. Alternatively, in cases where folders aren't supported, keep the "New Folder" or "New Smart Folder" entries in the menu and enabled, but have them display an explanatory dialogue: "it's not possible to create a folder because you are viewing all vaults, switch to viewing one vault to use folders" or the like.
3. In the sidebar of the 1Password 6 window, between Categories and Tags, there can appear a section Folders. Currently this section is invisible when there are no folders, and in cases where folders aren't supported. It would help if the section header "Folders" could appear always, to help users discover the feature. When there are no folders, include a graphic that indicates an empty list. When folders aren't supported, show a brief explanatory message. If you want to hide the clutter, then use the same hide/show capabilities used for the other sections.
4. In the documentation, mention that Folders aren't supported in some cases. For instance, in the Easy Access section of the documentation, add a paragraph about there being cases when folders aren't supported, and how to move the app to a case where they are supported.
Then perhaps this topic won't come up every few months.
I hope this suggestion is helpful to the application designers.
1Password Version: 1Password 6 Version 6.5.2 (652003) AgileBits Store
Extension Version: n/a
OS Version: 10.10.5
Sync Type: WLAN
Referrer: forum-search:No "Folder" or "Smart Folder" option in File menu
