Quicksaver
Free arrange improvements
Posted by @ttonyh in https://github.com/Quicksaver/Tab-Groups/issues/46#issuecomment-217741461
The major problem with the Free Arrange layout, is still (since original release) is the unexpected behavior of the tab groups after moving or resizing. Resizing or moving any group that is adjacent to others, could cause a grid like layout to shift dramatically and unpredictably; sometimes knocking the entire layout out of order.
Here are some suggestions to making the Free Arrange a more manageable / usable layout:
Moving or resizing of adjacent groups DON’T cause others near-by to move / bump / resize. Also, allowing groups to overlap - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Increase the auto-align feature to a higher pixel threshold. That way, when you try to align a group to others, you have a better chance getting sides level to others.
Allow for resizing of a group from all sides and corners. This will increase the speed and precision for a perfect grid alignment, if that’s your goal.
Other possible UI improvements:
Reduce the rounded corners; the new Grid display looks more modern in comparison.
Reduce or remove the drop shadow. They just create more visual clutter and look a little dated.
Allow for groups to be positioned off screen. That would give a larger work area that’s not limited by the window size. A keyboard shortcut / modifier can be added that toggles from regular window scroll to tab group scroll. Maybe even a “pan” view, so you can pan the screen of all your groups, like in Photoshop, after zooming into a large photo.
I do agree that free arrange is far from optimal, but I'm sure that from my replies you'll understand why I've decided to move away from free arrange entirely, instead of trying to improve it.
- Moving or resizing of adjacent groups DON’T cause others near-by to move / bump / resize. Also, allowing groups to overlap - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
This requires managing a third dimension in free arrange mode. Quite frankly, for the code that would be chaotic at best. At this point, I'd like to simplify rather than add to it.
(By itself, it could be simpler than the current bump-away system, but I wouldn't just replace it because that also has its merits and I'm sure at least some would still prefer it. At most it would be an option, so both would have to coexist somehow; that's the chaotic part.)
- Increase the auto-align feature to a higher pixel threshold. That way, when you try to align a group to others, you have a better chance getting sides level to others.
I'm a bit against this. Personally I think they're already too large, if they are even larger it will be harder to fine-tune your groups as well if that's what you want. This is a bit of a double-edge blade... Although this is the only point which I'd still consider and because of which I'll keep the issue open to remind me.
- Allow for resizing of a group from all sides and corners. This will increase the speed and precision for a perfect grid alignment, if that’s your goal.
Not possible. See #84.
- Reduce the rounded corners; the new Grid display looks more modern in comparison.
This is OS-dependent, the rounded corners are only in Vista, 7 and MacOSX, to match the native windows shape. In other systems the groups are already square.
- Reduce or remove the drop shadow. They just create more visual clutter and look a little dated.
They look quite similar to the shadows in my own native windows. I suppose there's room for improvement, but that could also end up being OS-dependent (maybe), and I can't properly test all systems at the moment, so they'll have to stay for now.
From your words, I really wonder if you're seeing the same thing I am, could you please post a screenshot of how it looks for you?
- Allow for groups to be positioned off screen. That would give a larger work area that’s not limited by the window size. A keyboard shortcut / modifier can be added that toggles from regular window scroll to tab group scroll. Maybe even a “pan” view, so you can pan the screen of all your groups, like in Photoshop, after zooming into a large photo.
How would you drag a group somewhere the cursor can't reach? That would require a somewhat "automated grid-ish" system, which honestly is out of the question for the foreseeable future, it goes against the concept of "free arrange" anyway and a whole new layout system is definitely overkill at this point. Otherwise it would only be possible by pushing groups out with other groups, and that would be very hard to control.
Not to mention it would be triple the work to figure out proper dimensions and positions while considering a dynamic work area like that.
I think you’ve addressed all the points I made, to my satisfaction. I agree, Free Arrange is probably worth moving away from at this point. The new grid layout, though could use some options to help fill in what’s missing between the two. The more I think about it, resizable borders would be the biggest improvement to the new grid layout. Then of course, the ability to add rows and columns; which makes it even more similar to the Free Arrange, but without the bouncing etc. I see that as the biggest challenge; how to draw or add columns / rows without reintroducing the issues we currently have with Free Arrange.
I ended up following your suggestion about reducing the shadows after all. You were right of course, they were far too heavy and a little dated.
Beta version 2.1b2 includes the changes I mentioned to the shadows. Please try it out and let me know how it looks for you.