[TxMt] Tabbed Interface Observations

[Eric Knapp]

Hi all,

I would like to start a discussion on the tabbed interface in project  
windows. I have some issues that I would like to point out and I will  
offer my opinions. However, I really just want to see what the TM  
community thinks about these things.

When a project window has lots of open files and there is not enough  
room to fit tabs across the top of the window a arrow appears next to  
the tabs. When you click on the arrow you are given a list of those  
files that do NOT have a tab. You can then click on one of those  
files to bring it to the front. But, then the front file does not  
show its tab. You can see what file you are working on by looking at  
the title bar but I think this is confusing.

The interface is combining a list interface with a tabbed interface  
and I think this could be improved. The first suggestion I have is to  
have all open files in the list and always show the arrow. You could  
have the files that have visible tabs be in bold. There are times  
when I just don't see an open tab and click on the arrow only to also  
not find the file there.

The next suggestion is to have the tabs scroll and always show the  
currently forward file's tab. I don't mean to add a scroll bar, just  
that the tabs could shift over when a file is selected from the arrow  
list.

Does anyone else find that this behavior could be improved? Are there  
other suggestions? Has this discussion already occurred? If so then  
many apologies.

-Eric