What about adding a preference for tabs that works like this:
When checked, any file clicked on in the project drawer is automatically added as a tab. This is the current behavior.
When unchecked, you must command-click (or something like that) to add a file to the tab bar.
This would work well for me, because many times I'm working on a set of files, but i must refer to other files temporarily (eg to check an interface). I always forget to close those files and I end up with a lot of extra files in my tabs that I don't want open for more than a moment.
The idea above would allow you to have a set of open tabbed files that comprise your working set. Files that are not specifically opened as a tab will only appear while you are looking at them. When they are being viewed, all the tabs will be in the off state. When you click a tab again, the temporary file will disappear. To look at it again you must choose it from the project drawer.
Come to think of it, this is a bit like the behavior of Safari or Firefox. Imagine if every page you clicked on became a new tab in your browser.
Ed
Doh! My bad - Looks like Fred B. beat me to the idea. Sorry for not paying attention.
On Jan 22, 2005, at 7:08 PM, Edmundo Ortega wrote:
Come to think of it, this is a bit like the behavior of Safari or Firefox. Imagine if every page you clicked on became a new tab in your browser.
On Jan 22, 2005, at 7:08 PM, Edmundo Ortega wrote:
The idea above would allow you to have a set of open tabbed files that comprise your working set. Files that are not specifically opened as a tab will only appear while you are looking at them. When they are being viewed, all the tabs will be in the off state. When you click a tab again, the temporary file will disappear. To look at it again you must choose it from the project drawer.
As this seems to be a topic, here's another possible idea:
What about having Red Dot/Yellow Dot-like buttons stationed in the right hand corner of a project.
I'm also not in favor of things happening automatically. Certainly I build up an excess of used tabs, but sometimes I'm aware of it and want them there. I don't want to have to go looking for them again if they automatically close. It's not a big deal, it's just seems like it would be an unpredictable interface.
Clicking on The Yellow Dot minimizes (closes) all 'idle tabs', which would be all tabs that have not had front time (or edit time!) for X period of time. The Red Dot closes all tabs -- perhaps having a yellow dot would alleviate the need for this, but I often find I close all tabs just so I can start from scratch.
I suspect idleness is going to be difficult to define. I often briefly skim through tabs, which would reset idleness if idleness is not based on changes, but simply viewing. Alternately, there are often files I want open that I don't ever edit -- documentation, etc.
Offtopic, but I'd love a preference to set which side the project drawer opens, or just under the actions button in the project drawer. Or just permanently set it to the left. That is a weird Mac OS X interface quirk.
Also, weren't there some wild rumors about a new beta (3) being released 'tomorrow' about three days ago? ;-)
-Ben
On Jan 22, 2005, at 7:08 PM, Edmundo Ortega wrote: Also, weren't there some wild rumors about a new beta (3) being released 'tomorrow' about three days ago? ;-)
It's the "developer-tomorrow", not tobe confused with the more colloquial "tomorrow" ;-).
Sorry, it was actually Ben Parzybok who wrote the comment about tomorrow. My missquote.
Offtopic, but I'd love a preference to set which side the project drawer opens, or just under the actions button in the project drawer. Or just permanently set it to the left. That is a weird Mac OS X interface quirk.
I actually always have my drawer on the right. An option for this would be nice.
On 23. jan 2005, at 23:53, Tobias Luetke wrote:
Offtopic, but I'd love a preference to set which side the project drawer opens, or just under the actions button in the project drawer. Or just permanently set it to the left. That is a weird Mac OS X interface quirk.
I actually always have my drawer on the right.
Me too. The same with my Mail.app drawer, so no fixing it on the left please ;-).
On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 20:03:02 -0800, Ben Parzybok info@ideacog.net wrote:
Offtopic, but I'd love a preference to set which side the project drawer opens, or just under the actions button in the project drawer. Or just permanently set it to the left. That is a weird Mac OS X interface quirk.
I think you'll have to take that up with Apple. I'm not sure the developer has any say on which side a drawer comes out. It's whichever side if further from the edge of the screen. At that's the way it behaves for me in all OS X Apps.
I agree that it would be nice for it be a preference and be consistent.
Patrick
On Jan 24, 2005, at 7:17 AM, Patrick Burleson wrote:
I think you'll have to take that up with Apple. I'm not sure the developer has any say on which side a drawer comes out. It's whichever side if further from the edge of the screen. At that's the way it behaves for me in all OS X Apps.
Actually MacJournal has a setting for it, so it's possible in some way. -Ben
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Ben Parzybok -
Edmundo Ortega -
Patrick Burleson -
Sune Foldager -
Tobias Luetke