List and compact views seem to be the most problematic with click-to-rename. Icon view is the default view, and is less accident prone, as the icon is larger than the text (usually). Here's what I think at the moment:
Compact view: probably too compact for click-to-rename.
Icon view and List view: needs only the text clickable, as has been said above. Also, clicking any other part of the item (row, including empty space; icon) needs to reselect it, ending the rename. Double clicking should not enter rename, to reduce accidental activation. Renaming should be activated by a single click on the text of an item that is already selected.
I'm not certain list view is even a good idea at all...the label is the main target used to select items. But in icon view I think that, well implemented, it would work well.
In the upstream bug report there is a patch from last year. I have attempted to get it working, and I have gotten click-to-rename for icon view. But one issue: if an icon is selected, double clicking on the label is acting as two clicks, i.e. it activates rename and then positions the cursor. It should instead open the file/folder, not rename. I tried implementing a rename delay, but it didn't solve the problem. Please forgive any mistakes in the patch, I'm still learning. It works, but is not finished.
List and compact views seem to be the most problematic with click-to-rename. Icon view is the default view, and is less accident prone, as the icon is larger than the text (usually). Here's what I think at the moment:
Compact view: probably too compact for click-to-rename.
Icon view and List view: needs only the text clickable, as has been said above. Also, clicking any other part of the item (row, including empty space; icon) needs to reselect it, ending the rename. Double clicking should not enter rename, to reduce accidental activation. Renaming should be activated by a single click on the text of an item that is already selected.
I'm not certain list view is even a good idea at all...the label is the main target used to select items. But in icon view I think that, well implemented, it would work well.
In the upstream bug report there is a patch from last year. I have attempted to get it working, and I have gotten click-to-rename for icon view. But one issue: if an icon is selected, double clicking on the label is acting as two clicks, i.e. it activates rename and then positions the cursor. It should instead open the file/folder, not rename. I tried implementing a rename delay, but it didn't solve the problem. Please forgive any mistakes in the patch, I'm still learning. It works, but is not finished.