2007 tab improvements

[Ryan Williams]

The tab system has been improved in 2007 as I'm sure we all know, but I don't think it's hit perfection yet and would recommend the author(s) look at the latest stable version of Firefox for inspiration.

The main features that I feel would work excellently in a HTML editing environment are:

1. When a tab is middle-clicked the tab should close, displaying any appropriate confirmation dialogues

2. When either of the two arrows used for scrolling through tabs are held down, scrolling should continue at a constant rate; this was actually a feature of 2006's otherwise inferior tabs that's somehow been lost in translation

3. A way of showing pretty much all tabs at once in a vertical list should be available, such as a third box after the two scroll arrows

If these were implemented I reckon the tabs would be pretty much bulletproof. I was going to also suggest some kind of indicator for where a tab will be moved to when dragged, but I don't think that has as much of a functionality impact as the others.

[syrupcore]

3. A way of showing pretty much all tabs at once in a vertical list should be available, such as a third box after the two scroll arrows

This one is available via 'alt+w' or the 'window' menu. I'm not sure how they're arranged in that list though.

[Ryan Williams]

Hey, randomly it looks like.

That's roughly what I meant, although the extreme lag that menu has when you've got a couple of dozen files open makes it too inconvenient to be used too much. It's also tucked out the way from the tab bar and quite easy to miss.

[Karlis]

I will check on how many of these can be done.

[ikeo]

how come each tab doesn't have its own close button (like in firefox).
I really hate having to mouse up to the top right corner of my widescreen to close out a document I was briefly looking at.

[MikeyB]

how come each tab doesn't have its own close button (like in firefox).
I really hate having to mouse up to the top right corner of my widescreen to close out a document I was briefly looking at.

You can close a document by clicking on the tab with the middle mouse button, or right-click then close if your mouse doesn't have a middle button!

The same works in Firefox, I do it all the time rather than trying to click the small 'x'

[ikeo]

its still two mouse clicks instead of one and I don't have a middle mouse button.

[syrupcore]

ctrl+f4 will close the currently selected page as well. I've also assigned the design software standard as a keyboard shortcut - "ctrl + w"

And to offer a different perspective... I really don't want close buttons on the tabs. takes up room and I'd rather see more characters of the file name. I use the keyboard a lot and there are already ways to close a window quickly. Obviously, to each his own but the whole 'feature request' thing is a big balancing act for Karlis and team because we all code differently. I've certainly asked for things that haven't made it in (and may never) because it's specific to the way I work and the blumentals team needs to keep an eye on the big picture, not just my picture. I mean, of course, MY PICTURE IS THE CORRECT PICTURE, but that's a different story...

will

[ikeo]

Okay ... at least can the "Code Editor/Preview/Horizontal Split/Vertical Split bar be movable?
That way I can put it under to the tab bar when I move it up to be closer to the close button.

[syrupcore]

ikeo, karlis may very well decide that it's worth implementing close buttons if enough folks ask for it - I was only offering another opinion. an opinion certainly no more valid than yours.

for now at least, I'd recommend setting up the ctrl+w shortcut to close the current window. it's a really easy and very common keystroke for 'close current' in multi-window/multi-tab environments (including firefox). once you do it a few times, you'll be totally hooked and wishing you didn't need to see those ugly close tab buttons in firefox.