Author Topic: Locking tool windows in place - option to not allow them to float  (Read 38986 times)

rowbearto

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Hi:

This has been a request for me in past versions, and I wanted to just make it again, if you have time.

When I accidentally double click on the tab of a tool window, such as "Preview" or "Search Results", it becomes un-docked when I don't want it to be.  Then, I waste much time trying to get it back in place.

When I try to introduce SE to my colleagues, after they are using it for a short time, I see that their tool windows are all over the place, because they accidentally double-clicked.  This often discourages them from keep using it.

I always end up teaching 'tbResetAll' rather quickly, but by then, many have lost patience.

Can there be an option to lock everything in place so that one can't accidentally move their tool window tabs around? 

I know I like them a certain way, and it is annoying when I accidentally float them and have to put them back.

I notice the tool windows have a "dockable" option when right clicking the tab.  Maybe there should be a "floatable" option, to prevent undocking them and having them float?

Thanks!
Rob

hs2

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Re: Locking tool windows in place - option to not allow them to float
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2013, 01:34:25 AM »
Double clicking the title bar again usually re-docks the tool windows at their previous location. Did you try that already ?
HS2

rowbearto

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Re: Locking tool windows in place - option to not allow them to float
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2013, 02:32:20 AM »
Thanks hs2!  I did not know that.  It indeed works in 17.0.3 and beta3!

I've been using SE maybe about 10 years, and I finally learned this.

I think it may take a long time for a new user to learn it - or to even understand what was happening.  Look I've been using SE for many years and I just now learned this trick.

So I still think it would be a useful feature and should be the default to lock the windows.  Then, as a user becomes more expert or has a need, they can find out how to move the tool windows around.

I've seen people give up on SE because their windows got all crazy on the screen - I've actually viewed some bizarre arrangements, and they had no idea why it was happening (didn't realize that it happened because of accidental 'double-click' - a window seems to start floating for no reason).

tyoder

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Re: Locking tool windows in place - option to not allow them to float
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2014, 09:27:04 PM »
rowbearto has it right.  Slickedit should heed his advice and fix this problem.  I too have used slickedit for 10+ years and every once in a while fat finger a window such that it becomes a floater.  I always end up spending 1/2 hour figuring out how to restore it.   I'm sure the development teams was told that many users demand floating windows, so that is why they created the feature.  I guess there is not enough users "demanding" easy docking. Is that why this bug (oh - excuse me - feature) persists?

rowbearto

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Re: Locking tool windows in place - option to not allow them to float
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2014, 09:38:09 PM »
Yep, and double clicking does not work in Linux SE, so having the locking would benefit Linux.

Sometimes double-clicking on the title bar doesn't solve the issue in windows either.