plugdata-team
allow new windows to be detached in standalone mode
I just realized one can click on a tab and drag out to detach it
great!
anyway, why not have a configurable option to create new detached windows when clicking a subpatch, opening a help file or creating a new patch?
It's not really a "detached window" as it creates a full plugdata editor.
This would get even more confusing as in pd-vanilla with loads of plugdata editors everywhere.
I think it's useful to look at the precedent that other multi-document editor apps set, like IDEs, code editors, professional vector/image editors, webbrowsers, etc. Most of them that I've used (especially modern ones) will open a new tab. Some examples: VSCode, Zed, Xcode, Visual Studio, CLion, Affinity apps, Adobe apps, basically every webbrowser. Multi-document apps that always open a new window are a dying breed. Since it tends to lead to a big stack of windows, I can see why that is. If you need to compare side-by-side, you can always choose to create a window or split anyway. Generally speaking, I like to use my OS window management to manage the different apps I have open. Not to manage all the different windows that a single app spawns. It negatively affects my ability to organise the apps I have open.
On top of that, there is what @alcomposer mentioned: our GUI has a statusbar and toolbar which are needed to access all the different options and tools. Without that, you couldn't easily change your overlay/grid settings, toggle DSP, change volume, or access the objects menu, for example. So if we were to create a new window for each patch, we'd either have to hide all that stuff and worsen the patching experience, or you'd be wasting a considerable amount of screen space.
Maybe this could be an option. I just can't imagine sticking with that option for a long time, because it doesn't gel with how plugdata is designed. Also, it won't work well in the DAW, so we'd have to distinguish the behaviour between the two versions.
not sure how these other multi-document editor apps compare to Pd, cause in Pd you can have a bunch of patches working and running on the same time, and not only that, but a single patch can have many subwindows and for me at least is pretty easy to scatter the main window and a few subpatches while managing and composing/working on the patch.... and in one way or another, some subwindows or patches are quite minimal, and others are much bigger, and the difference goes in both dimensions so and having them as different tabs of the same size or even at a split view can easily be a bad way to manage space...
And for all that it is worth, I know now I can have windows detached, and I personally don't mind the bars, so this kind of workflow is already possible. It's not something that I even did "notice" actually...
I guess we can think of ways to better manage this like a different shortcut maybe (ctrl+shift+double click) and a new menu entry (open in new window), anyway, I think this makes better sense in the 'standalone' mode for sure.
Maybe there could be in the right-click menu next to open an open in new window?
(which would not be there for plugin versions)
Maybe there could be in the right-click menu next to open an open in new window?
I quite like this idea. Feels like it solves the issue. But are we sure the real issue isn't to have a stripped back 'window only mode'? I would like to fully make sure having multiple editors (editor = whole canvas & panels) open is enough.
There could also be "regular click" opens in new tab and "ctrl+click" opens in new window, or similar if bindings are not available). (and again: not available for plugin versions)
Main advantage of these is that it doesn't require additional program settings and diverging behavior, but simply "additional behavior" which is likely easier to maintain. Although I don't know how easily we can disable certain features like this for the plugins.
Although I don't know how easily we can disable certain features like this for the plugins.
It's quite trivial to know when plugdata is in plugin-mode. So shouldn't be too hard. I like the ctrl-click idea. At least we don't need another menu item.