Open in inactive pane (tree, catalog, active pane, tab)

Features wanted...
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acicovic
Posts: 42
Joined: 31 Oct 2017 19:52

Open in inactive pane (tree, catalog, active pane, tab)

Post by acicovic »

Dear comrades,

I would really really like to be able to open folders in the inactive pane from the tree, catalog, tabs and active pane in a fast and consistent way. Let me explain myself.

- From the tree, performing Alt + Left-Click changes the inactive pane's current tab. The same command does nothing if called within the catalog, a tab or the active pane.
- The tree and active pane offer an "Open in other pane" context menu (personally I find it slow and a bit cumbersome to use), feature which does not exist in the catalog (or the tabs). In addition, the Alt + Left-Click shortcut offered in the tree isn't valid in the current pane. So we have a full feature in the tree, a half feature in the current pane, and no feature in the catalog and tabs.

Alt + Middle-Click also behaves in an inconsistent way.

- If used in the active pane, it will open a new tab in the current pane
- If used in the catalog or tabs, it will do nothing
- If used in the tree, it will behave as an Alt + Left-Click

All this gives an inconsistent and not user-friendly experience because the same key/mouse shortcuts works in a different way in every area, offering a different result in each case. This is confusing and can get really tiring in a busy day. Opening something in the inactive pane is one and only function. As such, the same keyboard/mouse command should be used for it regardless from where it is called, and this command should have the exact same behavior. Bottom line, here is my proposition:

Alt + Left-Click: Open clicked folder in inactive pane in current tab (should work in tree, active pane, catalogs, tabs)
Alt + Middle-Click Open folder in inactive pane in new tab (should work in tree, active pane, catalogs, tabs) - personally I find this more important

If for any reason the above mouse/key combination cannot be used, then something else could be used as long it has the same behavior everywhere. Opening stuff in the inactive pane is very useful but currently at least for me it's painful and slow to use so I refrain from doing it. Implementing this in a consistent manner will really help those who want to open stuff in their inactive pane and may encourage others to start using this feature.

I hope this makes sense and that it sounds like a good idea.

Thank you!

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