[scopes] Need a mechanism to load more query results

[Robert Schroll]

Many APIs return only partial results to a query, along with a token for requesting further results. There should be a way for scopes to request those results when the user has viewed all of the current results.

The obvious trigger would be when the user pulls up at the bottom of the results list. This feels natural, and it would mirror the pull-down-at-top-to-refresh behavior. But this could also happen automatically when the user approaches the bottom of the list, like infinite-scroll webpages.

--------UX comment---------

The requiered design for this bug is 'in progress' because it's part of a bigger redesign project. Link to the related epic Canvan card: https://canonical.leankit.com/Boards/View/107963243/114601007

[Michał Sawicz (saviq)]

The problem with that is, this only works for a flat list of results. Scope have results split in multiple categories and what you propose could only work for the last category.

On top of that there's the problem of having a very long list of results, scrolling through something like that is always tedious, we'd need to add an obvious way to go to top.

And then there's a question of when do we surpass what a scope is meant to be. Usually it's meant to be a quick view onto a set of data, not a full-blown application.

[Robert Schroll (rschroll)]

In my use case, the new results would all go into new categories. It's not unlikely that some scopes will present a single category; these would also be able to add results without worry.

We already allow results to pop up in arbitrary positions as they come in. Previous versions of my scope retrieved the results one-by-one, and some of these could end up above my scroll position. It's slightly annoying but not that bad, and it would be tolerable in this context too. I think it's fine to leave it up to scope authors to use this in a sensible way, and not disallow it simply because it could be used badly.

I don't understand why the user would need to get back to the top of the list of results. Any upwards scroll brings down the header, which provides controls to alter the current query or quit. The only reason you'd need to be at the top of the list would be to refresh the query. But if you've had to summon more results, the current query isn't working so well, so why repeat it?

Both of these worries could be addressed by replacing the current results with the new results, instead of appending the new ones. I think that'd feel less natural for the UX point of view, but I haven't tried either.

I think this fits just fine within the "quick view of data" mentality. Suppose you have a "nearby businesses" scope that you're using to find a place to eat. You happen to be outside a mall and all n results that the scope loads at first are for the foot court. You shouldn't have to say, "I guess that's good enough." You should be able to easily summon results for a larger radius and find out what else is around.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Robert Schroll (rschroll)]

For the record, I've implemented a workaround to provide a "Load more" button at the bottom of the list of results. It specially crafts a query that the scope will use to load the next group of results. There are many problems with this approach (confusing queries displayed, departments disappear even if you're browsing one, no way to return to the previous page), but it's something.

See the code here: https://github.com/rschroll/gmail-scope/commit/7288adc97953471863eee71fc65ca5582c974a90

[Albert Astals Cid (aacid)]

unity8 waiting for design -> Incomplete

[Paty Davila (dizzypaty)]

The requiered design for this bug is part of a bigger redesign project. Link to the related epic Canvan card: https://canonical.leankit.com/Boards/View/107963243/114601007