Favorites (pinning)

[thecodeassassin]

Hi, It would be great if one could add favorites (spaces, files etc) to the left sidebar navigation.

This would make it very easy to pin commonly used folders or files and make them more accessible.

[micbar]

@tbsbdr This is indeed a missing piece in our system.

[michaelstingl]

I'd like to elaborate on the "pinned items" feature request with some technical considerations:

Implementation Proposal for Pinned Items in OpenCloud

The pinned items feature would allow users to "pin" frequently accessed files, folders, and spaces to the sidebar for quick access. Here's a technical approach to implement this feature:

Key Requirements

• Cross-client synchronization: Pinned items should be synchronized across all clients (web, desktop, mobile)
• User-specific: Pins should not be shared with other users (unlike shares)
• Persistent: Pins should survive logout/login and device changes

Technical Implementation Options

Option 1: WebDAV Property (Similar to Favorites)

Extend the WebDAV properties system similarly to how favorites are implemented:

• Add a new property oc:pinned to files and folders
• Set to "1" for pinned items, "0" for unpinned
• Store as extended attributes (xattr) using the pattern user.oc.pin:{userType}:{userId}@{idp}
• Implement handlers in the WebDAV PROPPATCH endpoint

This approach would mirror the existing favorites implementation and leverage the established infrastructure. The main advantage is consistency with the current implementation and simpler integration with existing clients.

Option 2: Modern Approach - LibreGraph API Extension

Alternatively, create a new LibreGraph API extension endpoint:

/v1.0/extensions/org.libregraph/pinnedItems

With methods:

• GET /v1.0/extensions/org.libregraph/pinnedItems - List all pinned items
• POST /v1.0/extensions/org.libregraph/pinnedItems - Add an item to pinned items
• DELETE /v1.0/extensions/org.libregraph/pinnedItems/{item-id} - Remove an item from pinned items

Data would be stored using the CS3/Reva Preferences API:

• Use a namespaced key like org.opencloud.pinned/items
• Store as a JSON array of resource IDs/paths

This approach would align with the modern API direction but would require more implementation effort.

Frontend: Web Client

Regardless of backend implementation, extend the web client:

• Add a "Pin" option to the file/folder context menu
• Create a new sidebar navigation item for "Pinned" using the extension architecture
• Implement a view to display pinned items

Other Clients

Update mobile and desktop clients to support the same functionality using either approach.

Recommendation

The WebDAV property approach (Option 1) might be the most straightforward implementation since:

1. It mirrors the existing favorites implementation
2. It leverages the file metadata infrastructure already in place
3. It ensures proper user-specific data separation
4. It would be easier to implement across all clients consistently

Benefits

• User experience: Quick access to frequently used resources
• Consistency: Pins follow the user across all their devices
• Implementation: Follows established patterns in OpenCloud
• Performance: Minimal overhead using the existing xattr storage

Would love to hear feedback on these approaches or alternative implementation ideas.