action .mode -> .browseMode, reworked .sync(..) (ctrl_R)...

Signed-off-by: Alex A. Naanou <alex.nanou@gmail.com>

ui (gen4)/features/app.js

@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ var NWHostActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX add ability to use devtools on background page (node context)...
 	// XXX get the devtools stage...
 	showDevTools: ['Interface|Development/Show Dev Tools',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(action){
 			if(action == '?'){
 				// XXX get the devtools stage...
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ var NWHostActions = actions.Actions({
 		}],
 
 	toggleSplashScreen: ['Interface/',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 		}],
 })
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ var ElectronHostActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// XXX should this be a toggler???
 	showDevTools: ['Interface|Development/Show Dev Tools',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(action){
 			var w = electron.remote.getCurrentWindow()
 
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ var ElectronHostActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// XXX make this a real toggler...
 	toggleSplashScreen: ['Interface/',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(action){
 			var splash = this.splash = (!this.splash || this.splash.isDestroyed()) ?
 				electron.remote.getGlobal('splash')
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ var WindowedAppControlActions = actions.Actions({
 		}],
 
 	toggleSplashScreenShowing: ['Interface/Splash screen on start',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		core.makeConfigToggler('show-splash-screen', 
 			['on', 'off'],
 			function(action){

ui (gen4)/features/base.js

@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 			this.images && this.images.replaceGID(from, to)
 		}],
 
-
+	
 	// basic navigation...
 	//
 	focusImage: ['- Navigate/Focus image',
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 			.focusImage(0)
 			.focusImage(0, 'global')
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getImageOrder('ribbon', target) == 0 && 'disabled' }},
 		function(all){ this.focusImage(0, all == null ? 'ribbon' : 'global') }],
 	lastImage: ['Navigate/Last image in current ribbon',
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 
 		NOTE: this is symmetrical to .firstImage(..) see docs for that.
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getImageOrder('ribbon', target) 
 				== this.data.getImageOrder('ribbon', -1) && 'disabled' }},
 		function(all){ this.focusImage(-1, all == null ? 'ribbon' : 'global') }],
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 		Shorthand for:
 			.firstImage('global')
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.data.getImageOrder() == 0 && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){ this.firstImage(true) }],
 	lastGlobalImage: ['Navigate/Last image globally',
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 
 		NOTE: this symmetrical to .firstGlobalImage(..) see docs for that.
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.data.getImageOrder() == this.data.getImageOrder(-1) && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){ this.lastImage(true) }],
 
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 		NOTE: this also modifies .direction
 		NOTE: this is .symmetrical to .nextImage(..) see it for docs.
 		`,
-		{browseMode: 'firstImage'},
+		{mode: 'firstImage'},
 		function(a, mode){ 
 			// keep track of traverse direction...
 			this.direction = 'left'
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 
 		NOTE: this also modifies .direction
 		`,
-		{browseMode: 'lastImage'},
+		{mode: 'lastImage'},
 		function(a, mode){ 
 			// keep track of traverse direction...
 			this.direction = 'right'
@@ -693,19 +693,19 @@ actions.Actions({
 		}],
 
 	firstRibbon: ['Navigate/First ribbon',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getRibbonOrder(target) == 0 && 'disabled'}},
 		function(){ this.focusRibbon('first') }],
 	lastRibbon: ['Navigate/Last ribbon',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getRibbonOrder(target) 
 				== this.data.getRibbonOrder(-1) && 'disabled'}},
 		function(){ this.focusRibbon('last') }],
 	prevRibbon: ['Navigate/Previous ribbon',
-		{browseMode: 'firstRibbon'}, 
+		{mode: 'firstRibbon'}, 
 		function(){ this.focusRibbon('before') }],
 	nextRibbon: ['Navigate/Next ribbon',
-		{browseMode: 'lastRibbon'},
+		{mode: 'lastRibbon'},
 		function(){ this.focusRibbon('after') }],
 })
 
@@ -720,6 +720,7 @@ core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 		'serialization',
 	],
 	suggested: [
+		'sync',
 		'edit',
 		//'tags',
 		//'sort',
@@ -734,8 +735,7 @@ core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 			function(res){
 				// we save .current unconditionally (if it exists)...
 				if(res.raw.data){
-					res.index.current = res.raw.data.current
+					res.index.current = res.raw.data.current }
-				}
 
 				var changes = res.changes
 
@@ -743,10 +743,11 @@ core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 					return
 				}
 
-				// data...
+				// basic sections...
-				if((changes === true || changes.data) && res.raw.data){
+				// NOTE: config is local config...
-					res.index.data = res.raw.data
+				;['config', 'data'].forEach(function(section){
-				}
+					if((changes === true || chages[section]) && res.raw[section]){
+						res.index[section] = res.raw[section] } })
 
 				// images (full)...
 				if(res.raw.images 
@@ -756,11 +757,11 @@ core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 				// images-diff...
 				} else if(changes && changes.images){
 					var diff = res.index['images-diff'] = {}
-					changes.images.forEach(function(gid){
+					changes.images
-						diff[gid] = res.raw.images[gid]
+						.forEach(function(gid){
-					})
+							diff[gid] = res.raw.images[gid] }) }
-				}
 			}],
+		// XXX restore local .config....
 		['prepareIndexForLoad',
 			function(res, json, base_path){
 				// build data and images...
@@ -773,7 +774,9 @@ core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 
 				var img = images.Images(json.images)
 
-				// this is needed for loading multiple indexes...
+				// handle base-path... 
+				// XXX do we actually need this???
+				// 		...this is also done in 'location'
 				if(base_path){
 					d.base_path = base_path
 					// XXX STUB remove ASAP... 
@@ -829,7 +832,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 
 	// NOTE: resetting this option will clear the last direction...
 	toggleShiftsAffectDirection: ['Interface/Shifts affect direction',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		core.makeConfigToggler('shifts-affect-direction', 
 			['off', 'on'],
 			function(action){
@@ -847,7 +850,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 			state.base = this.base },
 		undo: function(state){ 
 			this.setBaseRibbon(state.base) },
-		browseMode: function(target){ 
+		mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.current_ribbon == this.base && 'disabled' }},
 		function(target){ this.data.setBase(target) }],
 
@@ -954,7 +957,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 		}],
 	shiftImageLeft: ['Edit|Sort|Image/Shift image left', {
 		undo: undoShift('shiftImageRight'),
-		browseMode: 'prevImage'}, 
+		mode: 'prevImage'}, 
 		function(target){ 
 			if(target == null){
 				this.direction = 'left'
@@ -964,7 +967,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 		}],
 	shiftImageRight: ['Edit|Sort|Image/Shift image right', {
 		undo: undoShift('shiftImageLeft'),
-		browseMode: 'nextImage'}, 
+		mode: 'nextImage'}, 
 		function(target){ 
 			if(target == null){
 				this.direction = 'right'
@@ -975,7 +978,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 
 	shiftRibbonUp: ['Ribbon|Edit|Sort/Shift ribbon up', {
 		undo: undoShift('shiftRibbonDown'),
-		browseMode: 'prevRibbon'}, 
+		mode: 'prevRibbon'}, 
 		function(target){ 
 			this.data.shiftRibbonUp(target) 
 			// XXX is this the right way to go/???
@@ -983,7 +986,7 @@ actions.Actions({
 		}],
 	shiftRibbonDown: ['Ribbon|Edit|Sort/Shift ribbon down', {
 		undo: undoShift('shiftRibbonUp'),
-		browseMode: 'nextRibbon'}, 
+		mode: 'nextRibbon'}, 
 		function(target){ 
 			this.data.shiftRibbonDown(target)
 			// XXX is this the right way to go/???
@@ -1046,16 +1049,16 @@ actions.Actions({
 				this.data.getImages(
 					this.data.getRibbon(ribbon || 'current'))) }],
 	mergeRibbonUp: ['Edit|Ribbon/Merge ribbon up',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.data.ribbon_order[0] == this.current_ribbon && 'disabled' }},
 		'mergeRibbon: "up" ...'],
 	mergeRibbonDown: ['Edit|Ribbon/Merge ribbon down',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.data.ribbon_order.slice(-1)[0] == this.current_ribbon && 'disabled' }},
 		'mergeRibbon: "down" ...'],
 	// XXX should this accept a list of ribbons to flatten???
 	flattenRibbons: ['Edit|Ribbon/Flatten',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.data.ribbon_order.length <= 1 && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){
 			var ribbons = this.data.ribbons
@@ -1245,16 +1248,16 @@ core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 var ImageGroupActions =
 module.ImageGroupActions = actions.Actions({
 	expandGroup: ['Group/Expand group', 
-		{browseMode: 'ungroup'}, 
+		{mode: 'ungroup'}, 
 		function(target){ this.data.expandGroup(target || this.current) }],
 	collapseGroup: ['Group/Collapse group', {
 		journal: true,
-		browseMode: 'ungroup'}, 
+		mode: 'ungroup'}, 
 		function(target){ this.data.collapseGroup(target || this.current) }],
 
 	cropGroup: ['Crop|Group/Crop group', {
 		journal: true,
-		browseMode: 'ungroup'}, 
+		mode: 'ungroup'}, 
 		function(target){ this.crop(this.data.cropGroup(target || this.current)) }],
 })
 
@@ -1285,7 +1288,7 @@ module.ImageEditGroupActions = actions.Actions({
 		function(gids, group){ this.data.group(gids, group) }],
 	ungroup: ['Group|Edit/Ungroup images', 
 		{journal: true},
-		{browseMode: function(){
+		{mode: function(){
 			return this.data.getGroup() == null && 'disabled' }},
 		function(gids, group){ this.data.ungroup(gids, group) }],
 
@@ -1500,7 +1503,7 @@ module.CropActions = actions.Actions({
 			}
 		}],
 	uncrop: ['Crop/Uncrop',
-		{browseMode: function(){ return this.cropped || 'disabled' }},
+		{mode: function(){ return this.cropped || 'disabled' }},
 		function(level, restore_current, keep_crop_order){
 			level = level || 1
 
@@ -1538,13 +1541,13 @@ module.CropActions = actions.Actions({
 			}
 		}],
 	uncropAll: ['Crop/Uncrop all',
-		{browseMode: 'uncrop'},
+		{mode: 'uncrop'},
 		function(restore_current){ this.uncrop('all', restore_current) }],
 	// XXX see if we need to do this on this level??
 	// 		...might be a good idea to do this in data...
 	uncropAndKeepOrder: ['Crop|Edit/Uncrop keeping image order', {
 		journal: true,
-		browseMode: 'uncrop'}, 
+		mode: 'uncrop'}, 
 		function(level, restore_current){ this.uncrop(level, restore_current, true) }],
 	// XXX same as uncrop but will also try and merge changes...
 	// 		- the order is simple and already done above...
@@ -1552,7 +1555,7 @@ module.CropActions = actions.Actions({
 	// 		  only problem here is how to deal with new ribbons...
 	mergeCrop: ['- Crop|Edit/Merge crop', {
 		journal: true,
-		browseMode: 'uncrop'}, 
+		mode: 'uncrop'}, 
 		function(){
 			// XXX
 		}],
@@ -1573,7 +1576,7 @@ module.CropActions = actions.Actions({
 	
 	// XXX not sure if we actually need this...
 	cropFlatten: ['Crop/$Flatten',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.data.ribbon_order.length <= 1 && 'disabled' }},
 		function(list){ this.data.length > 0 && this.crop(list, true) }],
 	cropRibbon: ['Crop|Ribbon/Crop $ribbon',
@@ -1733,7 +1736,7 @@ module.CropActions = actions.Actions({
 		core.doc`
 		`,
 		{
-			browseMode: 'uncrop',
+			mode: 'uncrop',
 			getUndoState: function(d){
 				d.placements = this.data.getImagePositions(d.args[0]) },
 			undo: function(d){ 
@@ -1796,7 +1799,7 @@ module.CropActions = actions.Actions({
 		
 		NOTE: this is a shorthand for .removeFromCrop(..) but only supports
 			ribbon removal.`,
-		{browseMode: 'uncrop',},
+		{mode: 'uncrop',},
 		function(gids){ 
 			var that = this
 			gids = gids || this.current_ribbon

ui (gen4)/features/collections.js

@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 			.collectionToTop(gid)
 				-> this
 		`,
-		{browseMode: 'uncollect'},
+		{mode: 'uncollect'},
 		function(collection){
 			collection = collection || this.collection
 			collection = this.collectionGIDs[collection] || collection
@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 		NOTE: this will remove any gid, be it image or ribbon.
 		`,
 		{
-			browseMode: function(){ return !this.collection && 'disabled' },
+			mode: function(){ return !this.collection && 'disabled' },
 			// XXX two ways to go:
 			//		- .collect(..) + .data.placeImage(..)
 			//		- rewrite .collect(..) to use .data.placeImage(..) (like: .addToCrop(..))
@@ -1079,7 +1079,7 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 			i.e. each gid given will be resolved to a ribbon which will be
 			removed.
 		`,
-		{browseMode: 'uncollect'},
+		{mode: 'uncollect'},
 		function(gids, collection){
 			var that = this
 			gids = gids || 'current'
@@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ var CollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 	// Config and interface stuff...
 	//
 	toggleCollectionCropRetention: ['Interface/Collection crop save mode',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		core.makeConfigToggler(
 			'collection-save-crop-state', 
 			[
@@ -2718,7 +2718,7 @@ var UICollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 		collectionGetterWrapper(function(title){ this.loadCollection(title) })],
 	loadMainCollection: ['Collections/Exit collection view',
 		{
-			browseMode: 'uncollect', 
+			mode: 'uncollect', 
 			// prevent this from showing up in .uiDialogs list...
 			__dialog__: false,
 		},
@@ -2750,7 +2750,7 @@ var UICollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// XXX do we need this???
 	cropImagesInCollection: ['Collections|Crop/Crop images in collection...',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return (!this.collections 
 					|| Object.keys(this.collections).length == 0) 
 				&& 'disabled' }},
@@ -2764,7 +2764,7 @@ var UICollectionActions = actions.Actions({
 				})
 		}, null, false)],
 	cropOutImagesInCollection: ['Collections|Crop/Remove collection images from crop...',
-		{browseMode: 'cropImagesInCollection'},
+		{mode: 'cropImagesInCollection'},
 		mixedModeCollectionAction(function(title){
 			var that = this
 			this.ensureCollection(title)
@@ -2900,7 +2900,7 @@ var CollectionMarksActions = actions.Actions({
 		function(collection){
 			return this.collect(this.marked, collection) }],
 	uncollectMarked: ['Collections|Mark/Remove marked from collection',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return (!this.collection || this.marked.length == 0) && 'disabled' }},
 		function(collection){
 			return this.uncollect(this.marked, collection) }],
@@ -2910,7 +2910,7 @@ var CollectionMarksActions = actions.Actions({
 		function(collection){
 			return this.collectTagged('bookmark', collection) }],
 	uncollectBookmarked: ['Collections|Bookmark/Remove bookmarked from collection',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return (!this.collection || this.bookmarked.length == 0) && 'disabled' }},
 		function(collection){
 			return this.uncollectTagged('bookmark', collection) }],
@@ -2939,7 +2939,7 @@ var UICollectionMarksActions = actions.Actions({
 	// UI...
 	// XXX should these be a separate feature???
 	markImagesInCollection: ['Collections|Mark/$Mark images in collection...',
-		{browseMode: 'cropImagesInCollection'},
+		{mode: 'cropImagesInCollection'},
 		mixedModeCollectionAction(function(title){
 			var that = this
 			this.ensureCollection(title)
@@ -2950,7 +2950,7 @@ var UICollectionMarksActions = actions.Actions({
 				})
 		})],
 	addMarkedToCollection: ['Collections|Mark/Add marked to $collection...',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.marked.length == 0 && 'disabled' }},
 		mixedModeCollectionAction(function(title){ this.collectMarked(title) })],
 })

ui (gen4)/features/comments.js

@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ var FileSystemCommentsActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX this will not save comments for merged indexes...
 	saveComments: ['- File/',
 		function(path, date, logger){
-			if(this.location.method != 'loadIndex' 
+			if(this.location.load != 'loadIndex' 
 				|| this.location.loaded.length > 1){
 				return
 			}
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ var FileSystemCommentsActions = actions.Actions({
 	//*/
 	loadComments: ['- File/',
 		function(path, date, logger){
-			if(this.location.method != 'loadIndex'){
+			if(this.location.load != 'loadIndex'){
 				return
 			}
 

ui (gen4)/features/core.js

@@ -485,6 +485,58 @@ var IntrospectionActions = actions.Actions({
 	isEvent: 
 		actions.doWithRootAction(function(action){
 			return !!action.__event__ }),
+
+	// XXX revise... 
+	getActionMode: ['- Interface/',
+		doc`Get action browse mode...
+
+		Get and action's .mode(..) method and return its result.
+
+		Expected values:
+			'disabled'		- actions is disabled
+			'hidden'		- actions is hidden
+
+		NOTE: other values are ignored.
+		`,
+		function(action, mode_cache){
+			var m = action
+			var visited = [m]
+			var last
+
+			// check cache...
+			if(m in (mode_cache || {})){
+				return mode_cache[m] }
+
+			// handle aliases...
+			do {
+				last = m
+				m = this.getActionAttr(m, 'mode')
+
+				// check cache...
+				if(m in (mode_cache || {})){
+					return mode_cache[m] }
+
+				// check for loops...
+				if(m && visited[m] != null){
+					m = null
+					break
+				}
+				visited.push(m)
+			} while(typeof(m) == typeof('str'))
+
+			//return m ? m.call(this) : undefined
+			return m ? 
+				// no cache...
+				(mode_cache == null ?
+						m.call(this)
+					// cache hit...
+					: last in mode_cache ? 
+						mode_cache[last] 
+					// call check and populate cache...
+					: (mode_cache[action] = 
+						mode_cache[last] = 
+							m.call(this)))
+				: actions.UNDEFINED }],
 })
 
 
@@ -1799,7 +1851,7 @@ var JournalActions = actions.Actions({
 			.journal up until and including the undone action.
 		NOTE: only the undone action is pushed to .rjournal
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return (this.journal && this.journal.length > 0) || 'disabled' }},
 		function(){
 			var journal = this.journal.slice() || []
@@ -1854,7 +1906,7 @@ var JournalActions = actions.Actions({
 
 		Essentially this will remove and re-run the last action in .rjournal
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return (this.rjournal && this.rjournal.length > 0) || 'disabled' }},
 		function(){
 			if(!this.rjournal || this.rjournal.length == 0){

ui (gen4)/features/examples.js

@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ var ExampleActions = actions.Actions({
 			// target...
 			// XXX more docs!
 			null, 
-			// state accessor...
+			// state getter...
 			function(_, state){ 
 				// get the state...
 				if(state == null){
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ var ExampleUIActions = actions.Actions({
 		}],
 
 	exampleActionDisabled: ['Test/$Disabled example action',
-		{browseMode: function(){ return 'disabled' }},
+		{mode: function(){ return 'disabled' }},
 		function(){ 
 			console.log('Disabled action called:', [...arguments]) }],
 

ui (gen4)/features/filesystem.js

@@ -382,13 +382,15 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 					!index
 						&& console.error('Failed to load index from:', paths)
 
-
 					// prepare the location data...
-					index.location = {
+					index.location = 
-						path: path,
+						Object.assign(
-						loaded: loaded,
+							index.location || {},
-						method: 'loadIndex',
+							{
-					}
+								path: path,
+								loaded: loaded,
+								load: 'loadIndex',
+							})
 					if(from_date){
 						index.location.from = from_date
 					}
@@ -597,7 +599,8 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 
 							location: {
 								path: path,
-								method: 'loadImages',
+								load: 'loadImages',
+								sync: 'syncIndexWithDir',
 							}
 						})
 						.then(function(){
@@ -675,7 +678,7 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// XXX revise logger...
 	// XXX revise alignment...
-	loadNewImages: ['File/Load new images',
+	loadNewImages: ['File/Load new images to index',
 		core.doc`Load new images...
 		
 			Load new images from current path...
@@ -691,6 +694,10 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 		
 		NOTE: this will not load images that are already loaded.
 		`,
+		{ locationSync: true,
+			mode: function(){ 
+				return ['loadIndex', 'loadImages'].includes(this.location.load) 
+					|| 'disabled' }, },
 		function(path, logger){
 			path = path || this.location.path
 
@@ -843,6 +850,8 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 		NOTE: no actual data is removed.
 		NOTE: this will not remove generated previews from index.
 		`,
+		{ locationSync: true,
+			mode: 'loadNewImages', },
 		function(logger){
 			var that = this
 			logger = logger || this.logger
@@ -887,7 +896,7 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// XXX EXPERIMENTAL...
 	// shorthand...
-	syncIndexWithDir: ['- File/',
+	syncIndexWithDir: ['File/Synchronize index to path',
 		core.doc`Load new and remove deleted images...
 
 			.syncIndexWithDir()
@@ -898,6 +907,8 @@ var FileSystemLoaderActions = actions.Actions({
 			.loadNewImages()
 			.removeMissingImages()
 		`,
+		{ locationSync: true,
+			mode: 'loadNewImages', },
 		function(logger){
 			return Promise.all([
 				this.loadNewImages(),
@@ -1137,7 +1148,7 @@ var FileSystemLoaderUIActions = actions.Actions({
 				var dialog = this
 				var path = that.location.path
 
-				if(that.location.method != 'loadIndex'){
+				if(that.location.load != 'loadIndex'){
 					make('No indexes loaded...', null, true)
 					return
 				}
@@ -1405,7 +1416,7 @@ var FileSystemSaveHistoryUIActions = actions.Actions({
 	// Unsaved changes will be saved to .unsaved_index when switching 
 	// from current to a historic state.
 	//
-	// NOTE: this will show no history if .location.method is not 'loadIndex'..
+	// NOTE: this will show no history if .location.load is not 'loadIndex'..
 	// NOTE: this will set changes to all when loading a historic state
 	// 		that the latest and to non otherwise....
 	//
@@ -1441,7 +1452,7 @@ var FileSystemSaveHistoryUIActions = actions.Actions({
 				}
 
 				// only search for history if we have an index loaded...
-				if(that.location.method != 'loadIndex'){
+				if(that.location.load != 'loadIndex'){
 					make('No history...', {disabled: true})	
 
 					// select the 'Unsaved' item...
@@ -1758,7 +1769,7 @@ var FileSystemWriterActions = actions.Actions({
 			}
 
 			// XXX
-			if(path == null && this.location.method != 'loadIndex'){
+			if(path == null && this.location.load != 'loadIndex'){
 				path = this.location.path
 			}
 
@@ -1798,7 +1809,7 @@ var FileSystemWriterActions = actions.Actions({
 							.spawn('attrib', ['+h', full_path])
 				})
 				.then(function(){
-					location.method = 'loadIndex'
+					location.load = 'loadIndex'
 					location.from = index.date
 
 					//return location

ui (gen4)/features/history.js

@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ var URLHistoryActions = actions.Actions({
 			this.url_history = this.url_history || {}
 			var item = !clear ? (this.url_history[url] || {}) : {}
 
-			open = item.open = open || this.location.method
+			open = item.open = open || this.location.load
 			check = item.check = check || this.location.check || 'checkPath'
 
 			// remove the old value...
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ var URLHistoryLocalStorageActions = actions.Actions({
 					})
 				}
 
-				this.openURLFromHistory(l.path, l.method)
+				this.openURLFromHistory(l.path, l.load)
 
 			} else {
 				this.openURLFromHistory(0)
@@ -514,17 +514,17 @@ module.URLHistoryFSWriter = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 				res.then(function(l){
 					// push saved to top...
 					if(that.config['url-history-push-to-top-on-save']){
-						that.pushURLToHistory(l.path, l.method)
+						that.pushURLToHistory(l.path, l.load)
 
 					// update...
 					} else {
 						var e = that.url_history[l.path]
 						if(e != null){
-							e.open = l.method
+							e.open = l.load
 							that.storeURLHistory()
 
 						} else {
-							that.pushURLToHistory(l.path, l.method)
+							that.pushURLToHistory(l.path, l.load)
 						}
 					}
 				})

ui (gen4)/features/keyboard.js

@@ -263,9 +263,7 @@ module.GLOBAL_KEYBOARD = {
 		ctrl_F: 'F11',
 		meta_F: 'F11',
 
-		// XXX EXPERIMENTAL: which should it be???
+		ctrl_R: 'sync!',
-		//ctrl_R: 'loadNewImages!',
-		ctrl_R: 'syncIndexWithDir!',
 		ctrl_alt_R: 'reload!',
 		ctrl_shift_R: 'F5',
 
@@ -616,7 +614,7 @@ var KeyboardActions = actions.Actions({
 
 					// check if we have no doc...
 					if(doc == null || doc == ''){
-						console.warn('Action has no doc: "'
+						console.warn('Action has no short doc: "'
 							+ a.action +'" at: "'+ code +'"') 
 						// XXX ???
 						return

ui (gen4)/features/location.js

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ var object = require('lib/object')
 
 var actions = require('lib/actions')
 var features = require('lib/features')
+var toggler = require('lib/toggler')
 
 var core = require('features/core')
 
@@ -22,26 +23,17 @@ var core = require('features/core')
 
 // XXX need the other .location stuff to be visible/accessible...
 // 		...now this only shows path...
-var LocationProto = {
+var Location = 
+//module.Location =
+object.Constructor('Location', {
 	get path(){
-		return this.__actions.__location.path
+		return this.__actions.__location.path },
-	},
 	set path(value){
-		this.__actions.location = value
+		this.__actions.location = value },
-	},
 
-	
 	__init__: function(actions){
-		this.__actions = actions
+		this.__actions = actions },
-
+})
-		// XXX this does not work...
-		// 		...the oother way around seems best:
-		// 			actions.__location.__proto__ = this
-		//this.__proto__ = actions.__location
-	},
-}
-
-var Location = object.Constructor('Location', LocationProto)
 
 
 
@@ -59,13 +51,18 @@ var Location = object.Constructor('Location', LocationProto)
 var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 	config: {
 		'default-load-method': null,
+
+		'location-stored-attrs': [
+			'sync',
+		],
 	},
 
 	// Format:
 	// 	{
-	// 		path: <base-path>,
-	// 		method: <load-method>,
 	// 		current: <current-gid>,
+	// 		load: <load-method>,
+	// 		sync: <sync-method>,
+	// 		path: <base-path>,
 	// 		...
 	// 	}
 	//
@@ -100,10 +97,6 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 		this.loadLocation(value) },
 
 
-	clearLoaction: ['File/Clear location',
-		function(){ delete this.__location }],
-
-
 	// Load location...
 	//
 	// 	Reload current location...
@@ -131,7 +124,7 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 			if(typeof(location) == typeof('str')){
 				location = {
 					path: path,
-					method: (this.__location && this.__location.method) 
+					load: (this.__location && this.__location.load) 
 						|| this.config['default-load-method'],
 					current: this.current,
 				}
@@ -142,8 +135,8 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 				location = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(location))
 			}
 
-			var method = location.method 
+			var load = location.load 
-				|| this.location.method 
+				|| this.location.load 
 				|| this.config['default-load-method']
 			var cur = location.current
 			var path = location.path
@@ -158,7 +151,7 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 			//this.__location = location 
 
 			// NOTE: the method should set the proper location if it uses .clear()...
-			var res = method && this[method](path)
+			var res = load && this[load](path)
 
 
 			// load current...
@@ -177,6 +170,10 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 			return res
 		}],
 
+	clearLoaction: ['File/Clear location',
+		function(){ delete this.__location }],
+
+
 	// XXX
 	// XXX should these have the same effect as .dispatch('location:*:load', location)???
 	// 		...another way to put it is should we call this from dispatch?
@@ -186,20 +183,19 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 	_loadLocation: ['- File/Save location',
 		{protocol: 'location:*:load'},
 		function(location){
-			this.location.method = this.locationMethod(location)
+			this.location.load = this.locationMethod(location)
 			this.dispatch('location:*:load', location) 
 		}],
 	_saveLocation: ['- File/Save location',
 		{protocol: 'location:*:save'},
 		function(location){
-			this.location.method = this.locationMethod(location)
+			this.location.load = this.locationMethod(location)
 			this.dispatch('location:*:save', location) }],
 	_locationMethod: ['- File/',
 		{protocol: 'location:?'},
 		function(location){ 
-			return (location || this.location).method || null }],
+			return (location || this.location).load || null }],
-
+	// 
-
 	// format:
 	// 	{
 	// 		'protocol:method': 'actionName',
@@ -212,8 +208,7 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 	get protocols(){
 		var cache = this.__location_protocol_cache = this.__location_protocol_cache 
 			|| this.cacheProtocols()
-		return cache
+		return cache },
-	},
 	cacheProtocols: ['- File/',
 		function(){
 			var that = this
@@ -221,11 +216,8 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 			this.actions.forEach(function(n){
 				var proto = that.getActionAttr(n, 'protocol')
 				if(proto){
-					res[proto] = n
+					res[proto] = n } })
-				}
+			return res }],
-			})
-			return res
-		}],
 	// XXX how do we call the dispatched actions and all the matching 
 	// 		pattern actions???
 	// 			One way to go would be:
@@ -316,6 +308,91 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 			}
 		}],
 
+
+	// sync API...
+	//
+	get location_sync_methods(){
+		var that = this
+		return (this.__location_sync_methods_cache = 
+			this.__location_sync_methods_cache
+				|| this.actions
+					.filter(function(n){
+						return that.getActionAttr(n, 'locationSync') })
+					.reduce(function(res, n){
+						res[n] = 
+							(that.getActionAttr(n, 'doc') || '')
+								.split(/[\\\/]/)
+								.pop()
+						res[n] = res[n] == '' ? 
+							n 
+							: res[n] 
+						return res
+					}, {})) },
+
+	sync: ['- System/Synchronize index',
+		core.doc`Synchronize index...
+
+			.sync()
+				-> promise
+
+
+		NOTE: it is up to the client to detect and implement the actual 
+			sync mechanics.
+		NOTE: this expects the return value of the sync handler to be 
+			a promise...
+		`,
+		function(){
+			var method = this.location.sync
+			return method in this ?
+				// NOTE: this should return a promise...
+				this[method](...arguments)
+				: Promise.resolve() }],
+
+	toggleSyncMethod: ['File/Index synchronization method', 
+		core.doc`Toggle index synchronization method
+		
+		NOTE: this will not show disabled methods.`,
+		toggler.Toggler(null, 
+			function(_, state){
+				var dict = this.location_sync_methods
+
+				// get...
+				if(state == null){
+					return dict[this.location.sync] 
+						|| this.location.sync 
+						|| 'none' }	
+
+				// clear... 
+				if(state == 'none'){
+					delete this.location.sync 
+
+				// set...
+				} else {
+					// reverse dict...
+					var rdict = new Map(
+						Object.entries(dict)
+							.map(function([k, v]){ 
+								return [v, k] }))
+					// normalize state to action name...
+					state = state in dict ? 
+						state
+						: (rdict.get(state) || state)
+					this.location.sync = state 
+				}
+
+				this.markChanged
+					&& this.markChanged('config')
+			},
+			function(){ 
+				var that = this
+				return ['none', 
+					...Object.entries(this.location_sync_methods)
+						.filter(function([n, d]){
+							// do not list disabled methods...
+							return that.getActionMode(n) != 'disabled' })
+						.map(function([n, d]){ return d }) ] })],
+
+
 	// 1) store .location
 	// 2) cleanup .images[..].base_path
 	//
@@ -335,9 +412,7 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 					if(l.path == img.base_path){
 						delete img.base_path
 					}
-				})
+				}) } }}],
-			}
-		}}],
 	load: [function(){
 		return function(_, data){
 			var that = this
@@ -356,14 +431,12 @@ var LocationActions = actions.Actions({
 					if(img.base_path == null){
 						img.base_path = l.path
 					}
-				})
+				}) }}],
-		}}],
 	clone: [function(){
 		return function(res){
 			if(this.location){
 				res.__location = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(this.__location))
-			}
+			} }}],
-		}}],
 	clear: [function(){ 
 		this.clearLoaction() }],
 })
@@ -380,6 +453,36 @@ module.Location = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 	actions: LocationActions,
 
 	handlers: [
+		// handle:
+		// 	- local configuration...
+		// 		.location <-> .config
+		// XXX should this handle image .base_path ???
+		['prepareIndexForWrite', 
+			function(res){
+				if(res.changes === true || res.changes.config){
+					var data = {}
+					;(this.config['location-stored-attrs'] || [])
+						.forEach(function(attr){
+							attr in res.raw.location
+								&& (data[attr] = res.raw.location[attr]) })
+					Object.keys(data).length > 0
+						&& (res.index.config = 
+							Object.assign(
+								res.index.config || {},
+								data)) } }],
+		['prepareIndexForLoad',
+			function(res, json, base_path){
+				if(json.config){
+					var data = {}
+					;(this.config['location-stored-attrs'] || [])
+						.forEach(function(attr){
+							attr in json.config
+								&& (data[attr] = json.config[attr]) })
+					Object.keys(data).length > 0
+						&& (res.location = 
+							Object.assign(
+								res.location || {},
+								data)) } }],
 	],
 })
 

ui (gen4)/features/marks.js

@@ -257,37 +257,37 @@ var ImageMarkActions = actions.Actions({
 		}],
 
 	prevMarked: ['Mark|Navigate/Previous marked image',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getImage('current', 'before', this.marked) == null && 'disabled' }},
 		function(mode){ this.prevTagged('marked', mode) }],
 	nextMarked: ['Mark|Navigate/Next marked image',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getImage('current', 'after', this.marked) == null && 'disabled' }},
 		function(mode){ this.nextTagged('marked', mode) }],
 
 	cropMarked: ['Mark|Crop/Crop $marked images',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.marked.length == 0 && 'disabled' }},
 		'crop: "marked" ...'],
 		//function(flatten){ this.cropTagged('marked', flatten) }],
 		//function(flatten){ this.cropTagged('marked', 'any', flatten) }],
 
 	removeMarkedFromCrop: ['Mark|Crop/Remove marked from crop',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 				return (this.marked.length == 0 || !this.cropped) && 'disabled' }},
 		'removeFromCrop: marked'],
 
 	rotateMarkedCW: ['Mark/Rotate marked clockwise',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		'rotateCW: marked'],
 	rotateMarkedCCW: ['Mark/Rotate marked counterclockwise',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		'rotateCCW: marked'],
 	flipMarkedVertical: ['Mark/Flip marked vertically',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		'flipVertical: marked'],
 	flipMarkedHorizontal: ['Mark/Flip marked horizontally',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		'flipHorizontal: marked'],
 })
 
@@ -396,29 +396,29 @@ var ImageMarkEditActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	shiftMarkedUp: ['Mark/Shift marked u$p',
 		{undo: undoShift('shiftMarkedDown'),
-			browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+			mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		shiftMarked('up')],
 	shiftMarkedDown: ['Mark/Shift marked $down',
 		{undo: undoShift('shiftMarkedUp'),
-			browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+			mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		shiftMarked('down')],
 
 	// XXX undo...
 	shiftMarkedAfter: ['Mark|Image/Shift marked $after',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		function(target){
 			this.shiftImageTo(this.marked, target || 'current', 'after') }],
 	// XXX undo...
 	shiftMarkedBefore: ['Mark|Image/Shift marked $b$efore',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		function(target){
 			this.shiftImageTo(this.marked, target || 'current', 'before') }],
 
 	unmarkRibbon: ['Mark/Unmark ribbon',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		'toggleMark: "ribbon" "off"'],
 	unmarkLoaded: ['Mark/$Unmark all',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		'toggleMark: "loaded" "off"'],
 })
 
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ var ImageMarkGroupActions = actions.Actions({
 	// NOTE: this will only group loaded images...
 	groupMarked: ['Group|Mark/-70:Group loaded marked images', 
 		{journal: true,
-			browseMode: 'cropMarked'}, 
+			mode: 'cropMarked'}, 
 		function(){ 
 			this.group(this.data.getImages(this.marked)) }],
 })
@@ -524,16 +524,16 @@ var ImageBookmarkActions = actions.Actions({
 			: this.data.sortViaOrder(this.data.tagQuery('bookmark')) },
 
 	prevBookmarked: ['Bookmark|Navigate/Previous bookmarked image',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getImage('current', 'before', this.bookmarked) == null && 'disabled' }},
 		function(mode){ this.prevTagged('bookmark', mode) }],
 	nextBookmarked: ['Bookmark|Navigate/Next bookmarked image',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.data.getImage('current', 'after', this.bookmarked) == null && 'disabled' }},
 		function(mode){ this.nextTagged('bookmark', mode) }],
 
 	cropBookmarked: ['Bookmark|Crop/Crop $bookmarked images',
-		{browseMode: function(target){ 
+		{mode: function(target){ 
 			return this.bookmarked.length == 0 && 'disabled' }},
 		'crop: "bookmarked" ...'],
 		//function(flatten){ this.cropTagged('bookmark', 'any', flatten) }],
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ var ImageBookmarkEditActions = actions.Actions({
 	// 	'off'	- toggle all off
 	// 	'next'	- toggle each image to next state
 	toggleBookmarkOnMarked: ['Bookmark|Mark/-70:Toggle bookmark on maked images',
-		{browseMode: 'cropMarked'},
+		{mode: 'cropMarked'},
 		function(action){ 
 			return this.toggleBookmark(this.marked, action) }],
 })

ui (gen4)/features/metadata.js

@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ var MetadataUIActions = actions.Actions({
 			function(){ return this.config['metadata-auto-select-modes'] })],
 
 	toggleMetadataGraph: ['Interface/Metadata graph display',
-		{ browseMode: function(){
+		{ mode: function(){
 			return (!graph || this.config['browse-advanced-mode'] != 'on') && 'hidden' }},
 		core.makeConfigToggler('metadata-graph', ['on', 'off'])],
 

ui (gen4)/features/tags.js

@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ module.TagsEditActions = actions.Actions({
 	// NOTE: setting source to 'both' and mode to 'reset' is the same as
 	// 		'images' and 'reset' as all .data tags will be lost on first 
 	// 		pass...
-	syncTags: ['Tag/-10:Synchoronize tags between data and images',
+	syncTags: ['Tag/-10:Synchronize tags between data and images',
 		{journal: true},
 		function(source, mode){
 			// can't do anything if either .data or .images are not 

ui (gen4)/features/ui-partial-ribbons-precache.js

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ var PreCacheActions = actions.Actions({
 	// NOTE: this will not work from chrome when loading from a local fs...
 	// XXX experimental...
 	startCacheWorker: ['Interface/',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 			// a worker is started already...
 			if(this.cacheWorker != null){
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ var PreCacheActions = actions.Actions({
 			this.cacheWorker.url = url
 		}],
 	stopCacheWorker: ['Interface/',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 			if(this.cacheWorker){
 				this.cacheWorker.terminate()

ui (gen4)/features/ui-ranges.js

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ var RangeActions = actions.Actions({
 		}],
 	clearRange: ['Range/Clear range',
 		// XXX not sure if this is the right way to go...
-		{browseMode: function(){ return !this.data.__range && 'disabled' }},
+		{mode: function(){ return !this.data.__range && 'disabled' }},
 		function(image){
 			var r = this.dom.find('.ribbon')
 
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ var RangeActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	cropRange: ['Range|Crop/Crop range',
 		// XXX not sure if this is the right way to go...
-		{browseMode: function(){ return !this.data.__range && 'disabled' }},
+		{mode: function(){ return !this.data.__range && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){
 			var range = this.data.__range
 			var order = this.data.order
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ var RangeActions = actions.Actions({
 		}],
 	cropRangeOut: ['Range|Crop/Crop out range',
 		// XXX not sure if this is the right way to go...
-		{browseMode: function(){ return !this.data.__range && 'disabled' }},
+		{mode: function(){ return !this.data.__range && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){
 			var range = this.data.__range
 			var order = this.data.order

ui (gen4)/features/ui-slideshow.js

@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ var SlideshowActions = actions.Actions({
 
 		NOTE: this will have no effect if the slideshow is not running...
 		`,
-		{browseMode: function(){ return this.toggleSlideshow('?') == 'off' && 'disabled' }},
+		{mode: function(){ return this.toggleSlideshow('?') == 'off' && 'disabled' }},
 		toggler.Toggler(null, 
 			function(_, state){ 
 				if(state == null){

ui (gen4)/features/ui-status.js

@@ -852,12 +852,12 @@ var StatusLogActions = actions.Actions({
 
 	// XXX should this be here or in a separate feature???
 	statusLog: ['Interface/Show status log',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 			// XXX use list
 		}],
 	clearStatusLog: ['Interface/Clear status log',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 			delete this.__status_log
 		}],

ui (gen4)/features/ui-widgets.js

@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ var DialogsActions = actions.Actions({
 
 
 	listDialogs: ['Interface|System/Dialog/Dialog list...',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		makeUIDialog(function(){
 			var actions = this
 
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ var DialogsActions = actions.Actions({
 		})],
 
 	toggleOverlayBlur: ['Interface/Dialog overlay blur',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		toggler.CSSClassToggler(
 			function(){ return this.dom }, 
 			'overlay-blur-enabled',
@@ -2587,7 +2587,7 @@ var BrowseActionsActions = actions.Actions({
 	// 		...this would help with the (global) search -- switch to 
 	// 		flat if searching in root mode...
 	browseActions: ['Interface/Dialog/Actions...',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		core.doc`Browse actions dialog...
 
 		This uses action definition to build and present an action tree.
@@ -2615,33 +2615,33 @@ var BrowseActionsActions = actions.Actions({
 
 
 		Action mode (disabled/hidden) and also be controlled dynamically:
-			- .browseMode() action method is called with actions as base.
+			- .mode() action method is called with actions as base.
 			Example:
 				someAction: ['Path/To/Some action',
-					{browseMode: function(){ ... }},
+					{mode: function(){ ... }},
 					function(){
 						...
 					}],
 				someOtherAction: ['Path/To/Some action',
 					// alias
-					{browseMode: 'someAction'},
+					{mode: 'someAction'},
 					function(){
 						...
 					}],
 
-			.browseMode can be:
+			.mode can be:
 				<function>			- action method.
 				<action-name>		- alias, name of action to get the
 										method from.
 
-			.browseMode() can return:
+			.mode() can return:
 				'disabled'		- item will be disabled.
 				'hidden'		- item will be both hidden and disabled.
 
-			NOTE: disabling in path has priority over .browseMode(), thus
+			NOTE: disabling in path has priority over .mode(), thus
 				it is possible to hide/disable an enabled item but not
 				possible to enable a disabled by default path.
-			NOTE: .browseMode() can be defined in any action in chain,
+			NOTE: .mode() can be defined in any action in chain,
 				though only the last one is called...
 
 
@@ -2704,52 +2704,12 @@ var BrowseActionsActions = actions.Actions({
 
 			// Get action browse mode (disabled or hidden)...
 			//
-			// NOTE: this will cache and reuse action's browseMode, this
+			// NOTE: this will cache and reuse action's mode, this
 			// 		will make things faster when lots of actions use the 
 			// 		same mode test (alias)...
 			var mode_cache = {}
 			var getMode = function(action){
-				var m = action
+				return actions.getActionMode(action, mode_cache) }
-				var visited = [m]
-				var last
-
-				// check cache...
-				if(m in (mode_cache || {})){
-					return mode_cache[m]
-				}
-
-				// handle aliases...
-				do {
-					last = m
-					m = actions.getActionAttr(m, 'browseMode')
-
-					// check cache...
-					if(m in (mode_cache || {})){
-						return mode_cache[m]
-					}
-
-					// check for loops...
-					if(m && visited[m] != null){
-						m = null
-						break
-					}
-					visited.push(m)
-				} while(typeof(m) == typeof('str'))
-
-				//return m ? m.call(actions) : undefined
-				return m ? 
-					// no cache...
-					(mode_cache == null ?
-							m.call(actions)
-						// cache hit...
-						: last in mode_cache ? 
-							mode_cache[last] 
-						// call check and populate cache...
-						: (mode_cache[action] = 
-							mode_cache[last] = 
-								m.call(actions)))
-					: undefined
-			}
 
 			// Wait for dialog...
 			var waitFor = function(dialog, child){
@@ -2944,7 +2904,7 @@ var BrowseActionsActions = actions.Actions({
 										false
 										// hide dirs containing only (statically) 
 										// hidden items...
-										// NOTE: we are not checking browseMode 
+										// NOTE: we are not checking mode 
 										// 		of other items actively here at 
 										// 		this point to avoid side-effects...
 										: Object.keys(cur[key])
@@ -2988,7 +2948,7 @@ var BrowseActionsActions = actions.Actions({
 			['off', 'on'])],
 
 	toggleBrowseActionKeys: ['Interface/Show keys in menu',
-		{browseMode: function(){ 
+		{mode: function(){ 
 			return this.config['browse-advanced-mode'] != 'on' && 'hidden' }},
 		core.makeConfigToggler(
 			'browse-actions-keys', 
@@ -3034,7 +2994,7 @@ module.ContextActionMenu = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 
 	actions: actions.Actions({
 		showContextMenu: ['Interface/Show context menu...',
-			{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+			{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 			uiDialog(function(){
 				return this.current ?
 					this.browseActions('/Image/')
@@ -3193,13 +3153,13 @@ var ButtonsActions = actions.Actions({
 	},
 
 	toggleMainButtons: ['Interface/Main buttons',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		makeButtonControlsToggler('main-buttons')],
 	toggleSecondaryButtons: ['Interface/Secondary buttons',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		makeButtonControlsToggler('secondary-buttons')],
 	toggleAppButtons: ['Interface/App buttons',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		makeButtonControlsToggler('app-buttons')],
 
 	toggleSideButtons: ['Interface/70: Touch buttons', 
@@ -3216,7 +3176,7 @@ var ButtonsActions = actions.Actions({
 		})()],
 
 	toggleButtonHighlightColor: ['Interface/Theme/Button highlight color',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		core.makeConfigToggler(
 			'button-highlight-color',
 			function(){ return this.config['button-highlight-colors'] },

ui (gen4)/features/ui.js

@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 				.centerImage(target)
 				.centerRibbon(target) }],
 	alignRibbons: ['Interface/Align ribbons',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(target, scale, now){
 			if(target == 'now'){
 				now = true
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX skip off-screen ribbons (???)
 	// XXX should the timeout be configurable???
 	alignByOrder: ['Interface/Align ribbons by image order',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(target, scale, now){
 			if(target == 'now'){
 				now = true
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 			}
 		}],
 	alignByFirst: ['Interface/Align ribbons except current to first image',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(target){
 			target = target == 'now' ? null : target
 
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 	// Zooming is done by multiplying the current scale by .config['zoom-step']
 	// and rounding to nearest discrete number of images to fit on screen.
 	zoomIn: ['Zoom/Zoom in',
-		{browseMode: function(){
+		{mode: function(){
 			return Math.min(this.screenwidth, this.screenheight) <= 1 && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){ 
 			var d = (this.config['zoom-step'] || 1.2)
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 			}
 		}],
 	zoomOut: ['Zoom/Zoom out',
-		{browseMode: function(){
+		{mode: function(){
 			return this.screenwidth >= this.config['max-screen-images'] && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){ 
 			var max = this.config['max-screen-images']
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 			this.ribbonRotation('-='+ (a || this.config['ribbon-rotation-step'] || 10)) }],
 
 	resetRibbonRotation: ['Interface|Ribbon/Reset ribbon rotation',
-		{browseMode: function(){
+		{mode: function(){
 			return this.ribbonRotation() == 0 && 'disabled' }},
 		function(){ this.ribbonRotation(0) }],
 
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX make this play nice with crops...
 	// 		...should this be a crop???
 	toggleRibbonList: ['Interface|Ribbon/Ribbons as images view',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 			if(this._full_data == null){
 				// XXX do a better name here...
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ module.ViewerActions = actions.Actions({
 		function(angle){ }],
 
 	toggleImageRendering: ['Interface/Image rendering',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		toggler.CSSClassToggler(
 			function(){ return this.dom }, 
 			['crisp-resize', 'default-resize'],
@@ -936,7 +936,7 @@ module.Cursor = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 
 	actions: actions.Actions({
 		toggleHiddenCursor: ['Interface/Cursor hidden',
-			{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+			{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 			toggler.CSSClassToggler(
 				function(){ return this.dom }, 
 				'cursor-hidden',
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ module.Cursor = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 		// 	.config['cursor-show-threshold']
 		//
 		toggleAutoHideCursor: ['Interface/Cursor auto-hide',
-			{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+			{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 			toggler.CSSClassToggler(
 				function(){ return this.dom }, 
 				'cursor-autohide',
@@ -1127,13 +1127,13 @@ module.Cursor = core.ImageGridFeatures.Feature({
 				})],
 
 		toggleAutoHideCursorTimeout: ['Interface/Hide cursor on timeout',
-			{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+			{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 			core.makeConfigToggler('cursor-autohide-on-timeout', 
 				['on', 'off'],
 				function(){ 
 					this.toggleAutoHideCursor('!') })],
 		toggleAutoHideCursorKeyboard: ['Interface/Hide cursor on keyboard',
-			{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+			{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 			core.makeConfigToggler('cursor-autohide-on-keyboard', 
 				['on', 'off'],
 				function(){ 
@@ -1224,7 +1224,7 @@ var ControlActions = actions.Actions({
 		from reaching the viewer.
 
 		NOTE: this defines the focus/blur handlers on the window object.`,
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		core.makeConfigToggler('lock-unfocused',
 			['off', 'on'],
 			function(state){
@@ -1378,7 +1378,7 @@ var ControlActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX depends on .ribbons...
 	// XXX uses: .focusImage(..)
 	toggleImageClickHandling: ['Interface/Image click handling',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		toggler.Toggler(null,
 			function(_, new_state){ 
 				return new_state ?
@@ -1631,7 +1631,7 @@ var ControlActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX depends on .ribbons...
 	// XXX uses: .focusImage(..)
 	toggleRibbonPanHandling: ['Interface/Ribbon pan handling',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		toggler.Toggler(null,
 			function(_, new_state){ 
 				return new_state ?
@@ -1871,7 +1871,7 @@ var ControlActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX depends on .ribbons...
 	// XXX uses: .focusImage(..)
 	toggleMouseWheelHandling: ['Interface/Mouse wheel handling',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		toggler.Toggler(null,
 			function(_, new_state){
 				return new_state ?
@@ -1976,7 +1976,7 @@ var ControlActions = actions.Actions({
 			})],
 	
 	togglePinchHandling: ['Interface/Pinch zoom handling',
-		{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		function(){
 			// XXX
 		}],
@@ -1986,7 +1986,7 @@ var ControlActions = actions.Actions({
 	// 		...allow ui features to control this...
 	// XXX depends on .ribbons...
 	toggleSwipeHandling: ['Interface/Swipe handling',
-		//{browseMode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
+		//{mode: 'toggleBrowseActionKeys'},
 		toggler.Toggler(null,
 			function(_, state){ 
 				return state ?

ui (gen4)/features/virtual-blocks.js

@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ var VirtualBlocksActions = actions.Actions({
 					...
 				}
 			`,
-		{ browseMode: function(){ return !this.collection && 'disabled' }, },
+		{ mode: function(){ return !this.collection && 'disabled' }, },
 		function(ref, offset, img){
 			ref = ref || 'current'
 			offset = offset || 'after'	
@@ -153,11 +153,11 @@ var VirtualBlocksActions = actions.Actions({
 		core.doc`Add block before...
 		
 			This is the same as .makeVirtualBlock(.., 'before', ..)`,
-		{ browseMode: 'makeVirtualBlock', },
+		{ mode: 'makeVirtualBlock', },
 		'makeVirtualBlock: $0 "before" ...'],
 
 	cloneVirtualBlock: ['Virtual block/$Clone block',
-		{ browseMode: function(){ 
+		{ mode: function(){ 
 			return (this.image || {}).type != 'virtual' && 'disabled' }, },
 		function(ref, offset, img){
 			var img = Object.assign({}, 
@@ -169,15 +169,15 @@ var VirtualBlocksActions = actions.Actions({
 	// crop...
 	// XXX would be nice to avoid these and just register a list and context...
 	cropVirtualBlocks: ['Virtual block|Crop/$Crop $virtual $blocks',
-		{ browseMode: 'makeVirtualBlock' },
+		{ mode: 'makeVirtualBlock' },
 		'crop: "virtual" ...'],
 	cropVirtualBlocksOut: ['Virtual block|Crop/Crop virtual blocks out',
-		{ browseMode: 'cropVirtualBlocks' },
+		{ mode: 'cropVirtualBlocks' },
 		'crop: "!virtual" ...'],
 
 	// marks...
 	toggleMarkVirtualBlocks: ['Virtual block|Mark/Toggle $mark on $virtual blocks',
-		{ browseMode: 'makeVirtualBlock' },
+		{ mode: 'makeVirtualBlock' },
 		'toggleMark: "virtual"'],
 
 	// remove...
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ var VirtualBlocksEditUIActions = actions.Actions({
 	// XXX should we also add a preview (preview constructor from features/metadata.js)???
 	// XXX should we do a sanity check for image type???
 	editVirtualBlock: ['Virtual block/$Edit...',
-		{ browseMode: 'cloneVirtualBlock' },
+		{ mode: 'cloneVirtualBlock' },
 		widgets.makeUIDialog(function(gid){
 			var that = this