Dual Pane - Formal Proposal Thread

[j_c_hallgren]

I have to second this request. I've used progs that use both single and dual trees, and I can't stand the shared tree method.

I've also used both types and there are times when dual trees are most convenient, but there are other times when a single tree is adequate and I can use the space used for a 2nd tree for other items that are more critical for what I'm doing...so IF there were a way to select which type dynamically, as one can turn on/off tree now, would seem to be (from a user POV) the ideal solution.

[admin]

I'm aware of the points in favor of dual tree. Nevertheless DP will be implemented with a shared tree for now. Reason: start simple, then grow. In a later stage it would be no problem to add dual tree if I see it fit.

[Mesh]

I'm aware of the points in favor of dual tree. Nevertheless DP will be implemented with a shared tree for now. Reason: start simple, then grow. In a later stage it would be no problem to add dual tree if I see it fit.

As long as it's still on the table, I can live with that.

[PeterH]

I'm aware of the points in favor of dual tree. Nevertheless DP will be implemented with a shared tree for now. Reason: start simple, then grow. In a later stage it would be no problem to add dual tree if I see it fit.

No question: for a "simple start" single tree is ok.
But for sure dual tree will be the first thing I will ask for, then...

[Mesh]

No question: for a "simple start" single tree is ok.
But for sure dual tree will be the first thing I will ask for, then...

I concur.

[admin]

Question to the DP-niks: Should it be also Dual History? From the technical point of view it seems natural to me (and easier to do) to have 2 completely separate Histories, one for each List/Tabbar pane.

[serendipity]

Question to the DP-niks: Should it be also Dual History? From the technical point of view it seems natural to me (and easier to do) to have 2 completely separate Histories, one for each List/Tabbar pane.

Yes, Dual history would be good.
But will the history still be there when i switch to SP mode? I guess you will merge it.
And the other way round, what happens if i switch back again to DP mode? Previous history is retained or new history is created? I guess as long as session is alive one should be able to reuse previous DP history. Or? Thinking loud.

[admin]

Question to the DP-niks: Should it be also Dual History? From the technical point of view it seems natural to me (and easier to do) to have 2 completely separate Histories, one for each List/Tabbar pane.

Yes, Dual history would be good.
But will the history still be there when i switch to SP mode? I guess you will merge it.
And the other way round, what happens if i switch back again to DP mode? Previous history is retained or new history is created? I guess as long as session is alive one should be able to reuse previous DP history. Or? Thinking loud.

Why merge? No, when you close the pane, you close the history. But it will be remembered and come back when ever you reopen the pane. I will treat it pretty much as 2 independent XYplorers in this and some other respects.

[Stefan]

separate history

For me separate history for each panel would be fine, thanks.

[serendipity]

Question to the DP-niks: Should it be also Dual History? From the technical point of view it seems natural to me (and easier to do) to have 2 completely separate Histories, one for each List/Tabbar pane.

Yes, Dual history would be good.
But will the history still be there when i switch to SP mode? I guess you will merge it.
And the other way round, what happens if i switch back again to DP mode? Previous history is retained or new history is created? I guess as long as session is alive one should be able to reuse previous DP history. Or? Thinking loud.

Why merge? No, when you close the pane, you close the history. But it will be remembered and come back when ever you reopen the pane. I will treat it pretty much as 2 independent XYplorers in this and some other respects.

Ok, after i posted this i realized as much too.

[josephrot]

Wednesday 06 May 2009

Although this thread started in 2008, saying : "Dual Pane will be introduced in 8.0...", it appears that the 7.90 trail has had "Dual Pane" in the Help system for a long while, so:

1. We can presume that Don will introduce Dual Pane IN XYplorer 7.90, sometime after Beta 250 Build (?)

2. My humble thoughts on just how to introduce Dual Pane, or perhaps what to base a starting default option on, where the user can take it from there to adjust to their liking...

a. Help all concerned save months of work and possible anguish, and look closely at how the established and well-liked dual-pane products do it, and learn both their good ideas and, well, not so good ones.

I can supply a few screen captures for each of these two noted below if needed, focusing on the dual-pane process, etc.

People that Beta and field test them, and actually use these products, as well as we use them in workshops and we also gather user feelings that way too...:

a1. PowerDesk 7 - The grand-daddy of most dual-pane products, they allow single, dual panes, spread horiz or vert, and they make implementation pretty easy. This product grew out of the OLD PCTools brand file manager, one that back in the Windows 95 days was one of the finest products out there, won many awards.

a2. SpeedCommander 12 - Its dual-pane is a little less features rich than PD7's, but it seems adjustable, fairly effective.

There may be others that instituted dual-pane, but the above two products are popular, AND they implement dual-pane EASILY, without any un-due hassles for the most part.

3. Having said the above, the next "possible problem" in dual-pane is how to institute their rendition of XYplorer's "Show Info Panel"

Not too badly done in XYplorer now, as of Build 250, as the Info Panel simply takes over one screen area, then shuts off when user is done, and it returns that panel area to how it was previously.

Same way the above products do it, really...as they allow the active panel listing to take over the opposing dual panel area for using for their particular "Show Info Panel" implementation, then reverting the taken over screen area back to what it was previously used for.

Joe Rotello
Knoxville, TN
USA

[phitsc]

Fundamental DP Design for XY
- A separate tab bar for each list pane.
Note that this has effect on the current layout (even if you opt for single pane!): The tab bar will only have the width of its list! It will not appear on top of the tree anymore. So the tree will be about one row higher than now, but the horizontal space for tabs will be smaller.

While I don't much care about dual pane I'm really looking forward for this. The tabs bar all to the left so much confuses me that I'm using the [Address Bar][Toolbar & Tabs] Layout with the divider between the Tree view and the List view set where the Toolbar ends so that it looks right to me.

[admin]

Fundamental DP Design for XY
- A separate tab bar for each list pane.
Note that this has effect on the current layout (even if you opt for single pane!): The tab bar will only have the width of its list! It will not appear on top of the tree anymore. So the tree will be about one row higher than now, but the horizontal space for tabs will be smaller.

While I don't much care about dual pane I'm really looking forward for this. The tabs bar all to the left so much confuses me that I'm using the [Address Bar][Toolbar & Tabs] Layout with the divider between the Tree view and the List view set where the Toolbar ends so the it looks right to me.

So DP is at least good for something!

[Mesh]

Don, I was wondering if the coding has gotten far enough that it's possible to estimate when the first beta with DP is likely to show up (just approximately - e.g. days, weeks, months).


In no way is it my intention to pressure you, I'm just hungry for news.

[admin]

Don, I was wondering if the coding has gotten far enough that it's possible to estimate when the first beta with DP is likely to show up (just approximately - e.g. days, weeks, months).


In no way is it my intention to pressure you, I'm just hungry for news.

My goal is to have it finished in May (2009! ), and at the moment I'm quite optimistic.