Hello
I don’t know BeOS, neither Haiku. So, I won’t propose some mockup or some theory about UI, I will simply ask a question.
Can I select several windows and apply on them an action (for example, minimizing or resizing) as if they were a single window ?
Thanks
Well using the Deskbar (the menu system on the right, have a look at the screen shots) you can “minimize all” and “restore all” the windows of a single application. but its limited to that.
you might find the workspaces handy for working with a collection of windows together.
So, if I want that two windows, whatever the application, stand side by side or be arranged horizontally, I should do that manually, right?
I only realised you could do that in M$ windows last year by holding down control and clicking a few task bar buttons, I did it without thinking and was surprised when it worked. I must say though that it’s an invaluable feature for arranging two windows side by side etc. (I always wondered there was an option to tile windows when it made them all too small to be usable). I really miss this feature using Gnome at work, and it would be great to have the capability in Haiku.
I guess it could just be written as an extension or something, but it would be nicer to be in the tracker. Hmmmm… Maybe I’ll have a crack at it sometime, I’d like to contribute something!
I didn’t know that from Windows (XP or Vista?). Once we have two windows arranged side by side (or otherwise), does this group behaves as a single window and, more exactly as a frameset?
I’ve used it on XP, not even used Vista yet so I don’t know, they don’t behave like a single window, or a set, all that happens is the context menu for the buttons on the task bar lists the following options:
The term group is a bit misleading as it doesn’t create a group per se, it just means the group of currently selected windows. It’s just very useful when you want to tile a couple of programs etc.
Something I’d like to see is the ability to split the view in a window so you can be viewing two (or more) different folders in one window. Konqueror supports this but Windows hasn’t since 3.1! It’s very useful and much easier to manage when moving files about - there’s just less clutter at the expense of sometimes being slightly confusing (in konqueror each view shares the address bar at the top so you have to know which view is currently selected to know which folder is which).
While it’s not a group per se, it’s very closed to the question. Nonetheless, it seems that this is a taskbar’s feature only, but not a window’s property.
I know the Konqueror’s splitting feature, but it’s about managing directories only. Realises that one could do the same at a more general level than the file browser only with windows.
For example, you’re working on stuff from a given folder, this stuff is related to one or two apps. Hence, you could group and tile these three windows as your convenience.
From this perspective, one has something like a “workstack” instead of a workplace. Since one displays a folders’ content beside some apps, one could consider an other way than the common open/save dialog: drag&drop of course, but a previewing as well.
Sure, this example involves a lot of combinatories far beyond a simple arrangement, but gives an idea to the possibilities at the window level.
As an illustrator, I’m used to use the Shift-key for multiple selection, though this is as well a current procedure. I’m also used to use the Alt+Shift keys to select inside a group of object.
The question is where and when displaying the menu for grouping the selected windows?
The Haiku’s windows shape presents a nice opportunity: at the right-side of the tab, once a window is selected with the Shift-key pressed appears the menu (which is by this mean contextual):
Sounds very good.
maybe…
Minimize
Maximize
…
Now if only we had same way to influence the programmers…
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma GandhiFrameset?
It’s a web tag with which you can divide a window in rows and/or columns named frame and you can allow the resize of each rows/columns. Each frame can display a specific document.
So, in my mind, a group of windows could allow to resize separately the width of each one, or the height.
Ok, i see what You mean. No, in fluxbox one can only group windows together to behave like a single window, but they are not visible simultaneously.
But having a feature where one can ‘lock’ two or more windows together side by side would be quite cool and definitely has its usages. If Wm supports window snapping then it would also help. Windows would snap together neatly and one would just right-click on window border and select from menu (maybe) ‘lock these windows’ or something like that…
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma GandhiI have used Fluxbox WM on linux and it has a feature where one can group any windows together using ‘tabs’. When windows are tabbed together then all the window functions are applied to all the tabbed windows simultaneously. You just drag a window with middle mouse button (or by holding down ‘shift’-key and left mouse button) ontop another window, release and bang! - they are tabbed together. You can also untab easily with same action. Here you can see 3 windows tabbed together (Terminal, Rox-filer (filemanager) and Firefox): http://myyr.restkeskus.ee/gallery/2007_08_23_165812_1024x768_scrot.png
It would be awesome for Haiku to have this functionality.
But i think all these superb features should be OPTIONAL eg they can be switched off from preferences. If one wants VERY simple interface then he/she should have a way to also achieve it.
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma GandhiWell, I should install Fluxbox to see that by myself, but do the tabs windows behave as a frameset ?
Do the windows be grouped side by side only, or we can grouped them one upon the other ?
I agree with you that such a feature should be an option, yes.
First i must correct myself - all window functions are applied to all tabbed applications EXCEPT “close” which is applied to active tab (application) so only the application in active tab is closed.
What do You mean by frameset?
Tabs pretty much work like tabs in firefox - the top border of the window is divided to as many parts as there are applications tabbed together. Clicking on specific part (tab) activates this application and brings it forward.
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma Gandhi