My 14 Ultimate Feature Requests

[CaliforniaJerry]

Here is a list of Features Iā€™d like to see implemented in order to make this my favorite web development tool. Although ordering matters, Blue highlighted ones are of special importance. (WeBuilder v9.5.2.106, Windows XP Pro SP2)

1. Project: Remember & Restore All Open Files << Scratch This
Opening a Project should open all previously opened files, and restore their position and size. [ Actually, I just realized this might not be a good idea. I use multiple Projects to move from one project folder to another, so I can navigate my hard drive easily from within the development tool. So leaving Project selection the way it is works well, to allow you to navigate to other files on your system without leaving the development tool. (see 1(alternate). ]

1(alternate). Launch Application & Open Saved Files List: Remember & Restore Open Files, Sizes & Placement
Remember and restore the last desktop setup, files, sizes, & locations, from the last time you launched the WeBuilder Application (when that option is set), AND when you open a Saved File List. See this post: http://forums.blumentals.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4193

2. Dialog Windows: Remember & Restore Location
Remember and restore dialog windows, such as Preferences and Search, to the same location as when last used. I may drag it to a different location on my desktop, such as in a corner, or on the desktop area of a second monitor. I expect it to appear there every time I open it.

3. Preview: Highlight Corresponding Code
When you select an area in the Preview (or Split) window, this should highlight the corresponding text in the code. The reverse should also happen. When you highlight code, you should be able to see where that code is being displayed in the Preview window. I realize this requires different functionality than a simple browser instance for preview, but it is a required feature of this type of web development tool. (see Dreamweaver, Kompozer, etc.) See this post: http://forums.blumentals.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4190

4a. Find In Files: ALL > Display Full Results Text
The code string in the Search Results Message Frame should be the entire line of code, don't cut this line short. Show the full line of code from the beginning of the line, to (at least) the search query string. If it's a long line, you'll have the adjustable column width (see other suggestion, 4d) to allow viewing it.

( See separate post for these find in files suggestions: http://forums.blumentals.net/viewtopic. ... 94&p=14152 )

4b. Find In Files: ALL > Highlight Query String
The exact query string in the Search Results Message Frame should be highlighted (with yellow, or selectable, background color), or underlined in red (see Dreamweaver).

4c. Find In Files: ALL > Minimal Path Info
Keep unnecessary text in the path column to a minimum by default, if you can get away with just saying the file name, that's all you need. It's the results text that needs to be full length (see other suggestion, 4a). The Search Results Message Frame could possibly have an option (a toggle) to display full path or only folders and/or file names below the project path.

4d. Find In Files: ALL > Adjustable Results Columns
After performing a ā€œSearch > Find In Files > ALLā€¯, the results string in the Search Results Message Frame should be listed in a separate (and adjustable) column, so that it is left-justified and easy to read. (It should also Remember and restore the column size on the next instance.)

4e. Find in Files: ALL Progress Bar
Show a progress bar during processing, including the number of files searched out of the total (see Dreamweaver.)

5a. Find in Files: Search History
There should be a history of previous search strings in the Find In Files.

5b. Find in Files: Keyboard Shortcut
There should be a default Keyboard Shortcut for Find In Files: CTRL+SHIFT+S, perhaps.

6. Find
Please also apply the suggestions for ā€˜Find In Filesā€™ to the regular Find command.

7. Long Path Names in Window Title
When Tiling Open files, the file name "Titles" need to be scrollable, or show the right side of file name, not left, or display full name on hover.

8a. Sidebar Frame: Remember & Restore Size & Location
Allow the Floating Sidebar Frame (it floats when you drag it away from the lower area) to be re-sized (and restored) to preset dimensions and location on desktop (including multiple monitors)

8b. Sidebar Frame: Message Frame > Remember & Restore Location
If I drag the message window over to the floating sidebar, please restore it to the same size and location next time I use it, even after I shut down and re-launch the application.

8c. Sidebar Frame: Minimize Button
Allow the Floating Sidebar Frame to be minimized, both with a button, and with "View > Hide Panels F4". Three places I can think of where it could be minimized to. (1) Slide it over to the side closest to its location (left, right, or left), with a small arrow, and a thin rectangular box to contain it (as in Dreamweaver.) Or, (2) it could go into the Code/Preview/Split tab bar. Or, (3) it could go in the Open Files tab bar. Be sure it restores to previous size and location (see 7b).

9a. Tile Mode: Default Window Size
When opening a file in Tile Mode, itā€™s size should default to similar size as windows already opened. I custom fit two or three windows to view side by side on my multiple monitor desktop, and when I open a new file, itā€™s window should mimic those already open.

The behavior now is to open in full screen mode, and when reduced it spans two monitors and is placed off the screen to the left, so I have to scroll way over to see it. (See Note below about Multiple Monitors.)

9b. Tile Mode: Linked Text Scrolling
Provide a toggle that links two files that are open horizontal or vertical split-screen, to scroll at the same time. (see Microsoft Word) When one scrolls, so does the other. Perhaps allow a linking method (like Photoshop Layers) so you can specify which windows will scroll together, up to (at least) 4 files at one time.

10. Edit: Undo/Redo
Retain Full Edit Undo/Redo History, even after a save. Also, show a History Dropdown from the Undo Button.

11. Text Editor: Colors
Allow user to select text while "Preferences > Text Editor > Color" is open.
For Example, if I want to change colors on the <div> element tag, I could select that element in My Code, and the corresponding item in the color settings would be highlighted.

12. Projects Window
The ā€œProject > Projectsā€¯ popup window should highlight, or check mark what project is currently Active.

13. Auto complete Element Tags
Provide an ā€œOption > Preferencesā€¯ to allow </ (less than, slash) to auto complete depending what the last open tag was. (See Dreamweaver)

14.Multiple Monitors
Please be sure to test on Multiple Monitor systems.

NOTE: When I refer to Multiple Monitors, I currently have three monitors, but one desktop. The desktop dimensions are simply expanded to include all the viewing area. I can drag an application window across monitors and leave it there, or I can expand a window sidways across any portion of the extra wide desktop. This is how I can have three files in Tile Mode and see them all in full width, one in each monitor. Since it takes time to set this up each time, that is why remember & restore is so important.

[chrisjlocke]

10. Edit: Undo/Redo
Retain Full Edit Undo/Redo History, even after a save. Also, show a History Dropdown from the Undo Button.

When this is implimented, will you buy me another 2 GB of RAM that I'll need for my laptop. I'll also be drinking more coffee, as WeBuilder gets slower and slower.

[syrupcore]

wowzers. that's some list. A lot of these have been requested before. while it may seem like you're being helpful to put them all in a list in a single post (I know that takes a lot of time!) it's actually better to first search for the request and then either add your vote/specifics there or (if you can't find a similar request) create a new thread with your request. The only way for the team to know how desired "feature X" is if a number of people ask for it. As this is, a lot of your requests will be lost and you're missing an opportunity to combine your vote with others (via existing threads).

[CaliforniaJerry]

When this is implimented, will you buy me another 2 GB of RAM that I'll need for my laptop.

Thanks Chris, for the feedback. Sure, I'll buy everyone the RAM they need! LOL Well, maybe it doesn't have to be a FULL history, but it could default to ten, and have a Preferences setting to add more, or to be disabled.

while it may seem like you're being helpful to put them all in a list in a single post (I know that takes a lot of time!) it's actually better to first search for the request and then either add your vote/specifics there or (if you can't find a similar request) create a new thread with your request.

Thanks Will, some of them - Remember and Restore, especially - I think should not need community input. They are industry standards of which I think the developers should already be aware - at least that's been my experience. Besides, it seems that you are only going to get a vote or feedback from a small percentage of the readers of this forum, let alone all other users who don't even use the forum. In it's current version, I am finding the program difficult to use. I'm hoping the next upgrade will resolve some of these issues. See: Remember & Restore - File Sizes & Placement

See These Posts:
Message-pane always resizes to default size after restart!

Select Preview Area, Highlight Related Code

'Find In Files' - Better Resluts Display

'Load File List' > Default Folder Location

(by the way, I shortened the subject a bit since 'suggestions' = 'requests,' I hope that's ok. JL)

[ringoffire]

10. Edit: Undo/Redo
Retain Full Edit Undo/Redo History, even after a save. Also, show a History Dropdown from the Undo Button.

like this?

GUI controls from BCGSoft CO Ltd.

me too!
+1

[xenon2050]

Nice list! I don't have multiple monitors ATM, however I think that the remember and restore is a important and needed feature to have. I like the idea of having a undo list saved even after you close the file... I'm not sure how that would work though and I do want this program to remain light on memory usage (if disk usage goes up for this I wouldn't mind).

Preview: Highlight Corresponding Code would be freakin awesome! Currently I rarely use the preview option because it just makes more sense to have FF open with Firebug...

[CaliforniaJerry]

I upgraded to WeBuilder v11.1.0.128, Oct. 2011

I don't see any way to automatically restore my previously opened files after exiting and launching again. Was this request implemented?

[reacher]

Works for me out of the box. I'm pretty sure I didn't tweak any settings on updating to the latest version, but closing WB with open files results in it opening with the same files opened, which I was I think you are talking about?

[CaliforniaJerry]

Not sure how I missed this the first time I looked, but it's right there in Preferences...
Options > Preferences > General > On Startup: "Open previously opened documents"

[CaliforniaJerry]

I've asked a related question in a new post. Please see: Save & Restore Previously Opened Files As A Named Set