v0.12 Win32: Only one image tab instance

[JohnFredC]

Double clicking an image in the browser opens a new image tab. But...

Double-clicking another image in the browser re-uses that same tab instance for the new image, replacing the previously opened image in the tab.

On the other hand, importing the clipboard always opens a new (additional tab) as it should, and the Compare function always starts a new tab, allowing multiple Compares, as is appropriate.

So this bug is that multiple image tabs cannot be opened from the browser.

[xnview]

Currently you have Ctrl+Alt+O or menu item to open in a new tab

[JohnFredC]

OK. I see. Sorry... forgot about that menu.

Please implement the default behavior to be as XnView 1.95 (et al) customarily behaves.

[xnview]

Hum not sure that default behavior must be to open a new tab, so a setting

[thibaud]

Pierre,

Please consider using some standard default shortcuts for such thing.
ctrl+alt+o is not user friendly. it's a 2 step action it requires you to make a selection first (drop the mouse) and use you 2 hands to alt+ctrl+o.

why not have a simple ctrl+dblclick to open in new tab.
also middle mouse button to close tab would be nice.

[JohnFredC]

I don't understand. Why change the behavior from XnView 1.95 and ask users to learn new, specialized behavior just for the MP version?

The mouse and keyboard UI should behave the same way in all iterations of XnView.


Sorry for whining, but...

[thibaud]

I don't understand. Why change the behavior from XnView 1.95 and ask users to learn new, specialized behavior just for the MP version?

Agree that behavior should probably be consistent between xnview and MP.
yet I'm all up to any ergonomics improvements that can be made to both.
and more specifically MP (i'm not using xnview).

[oops66]

I agree with John, for the inputs devices (mouse & keybord) the default behavior for the MP's versions and for V1.9x must be exactly the same (synchronized improvements)!

[xnview]

I don't understand. Why change the behavior from XnView 1.95 and ask users to learn new, specialized behavior just for the MP version?

Many users don't understand this behaviour of XnView, in a standard use you need only 1 view. This attached view use less resources than 'new tab view'
So Ctrl+Click is good, and perhaps an option for advanced users

[JohnFredC]

any users don't understand this behaviour of XnView

Wow! I haven't encountered any such users. All Internet browsers use a tabbed interface these days and no one seems to have a problem with them... even my 8 year old cousin is tab-happy.

Why you would want to suppress the very thing that makes the XnView GUI uniquely superior to other image browsers escapes me. Shoot, even Corel PhotoPaint copied XnView's paradigm.

But it doesn't matter. As long as there is an option to enable the XnView 1.95 behavior for users who want it, I'll be happy.

One thought, though:

If the problem truly is that multiple image tabs are confusing users (sorry, just can't get my mind around that), then two tabs (one browser, one image) would also be confusing. Wouldn't they?

Therefore, in the case where the XnView behavior is set to open only one image tab, then there should be no tab strip displayed by default, lest the user be confused about that.

This is the way other image browsers work (and why I don't use them, incidently).

So: the distinction should not be what happens with a double-click on a thumbnail. Instead, the distinction should be: document tabs vs no document tabs.

When document tabs are NOT shown, then opening an image from the browser would replace the previous image in the viewer. When document tabs ARE shown, images should open from the browser into new tabs as in 1.95.

[oops66]

...and perhaps an option for advanced users ...

Yes this option will be welcome even for none advanced users (as into v1.9x) !

[xnview]

Ok, i was thinking about this problem. Perhaps a problem for me only

I you dbl-click on a thumbnail, xnview open a new tab. But this tab is not the same if you use 'open in a new tab'.
This view (and only this one) is linked with the browser, to be always synchronized. If you change the viewed file in this tab, the browser will change too.

If you think that view & browser can be not synchronized, so there is no more problem. Dbl-click can open a new tab each time...

I don't know if this synchronized view is useful If you dbl-click or type ENTER on a view, the browser will open the folder for this picture...

[JohnFredC]

Yes, Pierre. These are excellent points and warrant more thought. Some options (on a right-click tab-properties dialog, perhaps) might be useful to clarify what's going on:

(Any) Image tab options/properties dialog:

Button: Synchronize browser with this tab now
Options:
[x] Keep browser synchronized with this tab.
[x] Do not synchronize with browser

Browser tab options/properties:

Image tab combobox showing list of image tabs

Button:
Synchronize this browser with selected tab now

Options:
[x] Always synchronize this browser with selected tab

Button: Stop synchronizing

Options
[x] Never synchronize browser


Toolbar and main menu access to these functions would be convenient.

Some indication would be needed of:

1. Whether the browser is synchronized ("lock" icon displayed in the browser's tab).

2. Which image tab is synchronized with the browser (chain icon in the tab, perhaps)

[xnview]

Yes, Pierre. These are excellent points and warrant more thought. Some options (on a right-click tab-properties dialog, perhaps) might be useful to clarify what's going on:

So it's useful??

[JohnFredC]

It is useful...

1. ...to understand that an image tab is linked to the browser
2. ...to know which image tab is linked to the browser
3. ...to know when a linkage has been changed/broken
4. ...to be able to deliberately break/reassign that linkage, if required.

Does that help?