How to Highlight Active Panel

[rizla]

I use the keyboard exclusively (no mouse) to move between the folder panel, tree panel and address bar. I use the TAB key to do so (I think this is the default key). However, I frequently don't know where I am because there is very little visual indication which is the active panel. This is compounded because I alt-tab between programs a lot, and I don't know which panel is active when I alt-tab back into xyplorer. Is there anyway to make the currently active panel highlighted? Or is there any other approach to avoid this confusion?

[bdeshi]

Tools->Configuration->Colors.
There , you can, say, change the "inactive pane" color to a darker shade.
If you have the breadcrumb bars visible, they can also have different inactive colors.

[rizla]

I think you misunderstood my question. I'm looking for a method to highlight a change of focus between the address bar, tree list and folder tab view, not just to show the active tab header.

[Filehero]

Hi rizla,

I'm looking for a method to highlight a change of focus between the address bar, tree list and folder tab view, not just to show the active tab header.

I do have different colors (F9>Colores and Styles>Colors) configured for Focused Items and Selection Box and (almost*) always have a clear indication of which major pane the focus currently is on.

Tab cycle gets started - tab as long as AB path is selected

focus-tab_1.png

Edit: I've just noticed that this AB-on-Tab-focusing gets somewhat unpredictable/wonky when in dual pane mode.
@Don: is this a bug?



And another tab

focus-tab_2.png

Tabbed once again

focus-tab_3.png

*: of course, to be a perfect solution it requires a selection in each pane. But since the AB always (see edit above) gets visually clearly focused that way it's sufficient for me.


Cheers,
Filehero

[Stef123]

What would help, imo, were customizable colors for the active vs inactive pane, as opposed to (or in addition to) left and right pane. Don't know how many people actually use different colors for left and right, personally I'd favor active vs inactive.

[bdeshi]

Stef, you can't view two active and inactive tabs at the same time, unless they're on different panes, and in that case the pane background colors can be distinguishable.
And active/inactive tab headers in the same pane can also have different colors.
(Or are we talking about different things?)

[admin]

Edit: I've just noticed that this AB-on-Tab-focusing gets somewhat unpredictable/wonky when in dual pane mode.
@Don: is this a bug?

Hm, cannot really see any wonkiness. Might depend on configuration.

[Stef123]

Stef, you can't view two active and inactive tabs at the same time, unless they're on different panes, and in that case the pane background colors can be distinguishable.

Thanks, I am glad you made me think again. Guess my confusion comes from using other managers simultaneously, this leads to mixing up terms, not to mention expectations of how to tell the active pane (not tab). I was focused on the breadcrumb bar, which has different gradients for active vs inactive in other programs.

You're perfectly right, IT IS already possible to have a different BG of list view within XY, and it's quite sufficient once you overlook the breadcrumb - which has the same color for left and right in my setup.
The reason I didn't notice - it does not work when "Shade inactive pane" is turned OFF.

@Don
Is this a bug? Colors > Other > Inactive Pane only working when "Shade inactive pane" is turned OFF?

[bdeshi]

Is this a bug? Colors > Other > Inactive Pane only working when "Shade inactive pane" is turned OFF?

huh? That's rather weird.
Config->Colors->Other->Inactive Pane color should only apply when Config->Dual Pane->Shade inactive pane is enabled. (It's all right over here.)



You should enable that option, then test with a really distinct inactive pane color, say, color it red.
Then click on any pane. The other pane ought to be drenched in red immediately.

[Filehero]

Hm, cannot really see any wonkiness. Might depend on configuration.

Indeed, on my second system the AB gets focused for either pane when tabbing.

Will check again at home.

[klownboy]

Remember you have choices in Configuration | Dual Pane on what locations tabbing applies:
Tab through everything
Tab through everything except Inactive Pane
Tab between both panes only

Possibly your settings are different on the other computer...maybe...I don't know if that could have anything to do with the differences.

Shade inactive pane is working fine here too.

[Stef123]

Is this a bug? Colors > Other > Inactive Pane only working when "Shade inactive pane" is turned OFF?

huh? That's rather weird.
Config->Colors->Other->Inactive Pane color should only apply when Config->Dual Pane->Shade inactive pane is enabled. (It's all right over here.)

Oops, sorry, I really shouldn't write postings while I am at work
It should read "... only working when Shade inactive pane is ON". So it's a feature after all, not a bug. Guess I took "Shade" too literally, in terms of faded, shadowy, tinted hue of the active BG color, which incidentally, is exactly what it looks like on my PC. Must have set it up like that, ages ago, and now when I tested a totally different color I expected it to override the shading, not realizing that "shade" is actually the On-switch for the inactive color.

Thanks for clearing it up.

[Filehero]

Hi Ken,

Possibly your settings are different on the other computer...maybe...I don't know if that could have anything to do with the differences.

Hit one

Tab through everything except Inactive Pane.

.. and number 2.

I didn't even remember that there is such a setting - but haven't expected it to be in section "Dual Pane" since it is a setting with a more general effect.

Thanks for the pointer.

@Don: good news, the only wonky thing around is the guy typing this very message ...


Cheers, FH

[klownboy]

Hi Filehero,
Funny, I didn't remember those tab settings either until I went looking a bit yesterday.
Take care,
Ken

[rizla]

Thanks Filehero.