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Author Topic: Feature request/Idea: Left column window, if toggled closed, responsive opening  (Read 757 times)

locust

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Hi,

I really like the fact we can toggle the column that contains the Action Window to close, gaining extra horizontal real estate. One thing is, if leaning back on the chair. With my eye sight especially, it's a mission to hover to and click on those tiny indicators to open back up the side panel.

What I propose is a semi responsive view scheme change. I mean semi as in, no other ui elements would be animated for change proportions.

Currently if we view the app as laying down fact up in the air. All ui elements are on the same layer or floor.

With the change I prop that when the left sidebar is toggled to closed, that when we bring the cursor over to the left side of the screen that the sidebar opens up and when the cursor is pulled right, the sidebar goes into hiding once again. But in a hierarchical sense, the sidebar being above other ui elements, so that it floats over the other ui elements and thus, there is no need to resize them to accommodate an animated ui element popping into the screen.

I think this would make lighter use of system resources this way.

I think it would be a nice touch to see. Thanks
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markf2748

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The behavior you request for the collapsed left sidebar in Standard View sounds very similar to how the playback controls now behave in the Display View (<CTRL>+3) when you move the mouse over the top edge of the screen.

+1, as long as the current mouse button functionality is also maintained.  I don't know if that is programmatically possible.  Perhaps it could fly out if mouse is dragged over the upper or lower 40% of the left edge, while buttons are active in the center 20%.  Those upper and lower sections are presently "wasted" in the sense that nothing happens there.

Still another enhancement: the open left panel auto-hides when you drag mouse over left edge (probably needs to be an option since some people might find this behavior annoying).
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locust

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Yeah, that could do. Would it be better for the sidebar to just fade in on top or to slide in from the left? Perhaps an option if implemented to be chosen by the user.

I agree that if it comes to be, that users should have the choice in turning it on or off. I think avoiding resizing other UI elements is the best way as I think some busy machines could stutter if such a feature resized the other elements on activation, and on deactivation. It's already being in the UI in a sense means, it isn't really a deviation from the current flow but rather an extension of UI possibilities that's already there. 
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markf2748

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Indeed the current "re-sizing" is an important difference from how the Display View's Playback Controls appear.
The advantage of the current "re-sizing" behavior (as opposed to overlaying) is that none of the thumbnails get hidden under the panel, which I prefer since it is common to leave the left panel visible for much of the time.  I don't see a performance hit for redrawing the visible thumbnails.
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HPBEME

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I believe the behavior your describing already exists with cover view - go to View/Cover View from the menu bar, or Control+5.  Both the left panel and player bar are hidden by default, and then magically "slide over" the existing elements when your mouse touches the left and top edges respectively. When you move your cursor off the "popped up" panels, they auto-hide.
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HPBEME

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I should also note that in standard view, you don't have to click the arrows. You can double click the splitter bar anywhere along its entire length. This applies to all splitter bars - vertical and horizontal.  That said, for some skins the splitter is very thin - 2 to 4 pixels ("default" splitter size is 8 pixels). So for those thin splitters, making sure you are on top of it before double clicking is akin to threading a needle. 

Anyway, just thought I would point out this additional functionality in the event that serves the OP's original desire.
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markf2748

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@HPBME:  Wow, thanks for all that.  Certainly makes my day :)
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marko

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You can also create your own keyboard shortcuts for this if that's more your thing...

I only use three...
Ctrl+T to toggle the tree pane
Ctrl+Alt+D to open the location of the selected file in Explorer

along with a global shortcut of Ctrl+Alt+R to kick off a Play Doctor playlist.
Code: [Select]
<MJRS version="1.0">
 
<ACCELERATORS>

    <!-- Global shortcut that begins a Play Doctor session -->
    <Entry Key="Ctrl;Alt;R" Command="10047" Global="1" />


    <!-- Go to folder containing selected file -->
    <Entry Key="Ctrl;Alt;D" Command="26004" Param="-2" />


<!-- Toggles the tree pane open and closed -->
<Entry Key="Ctrl;T" Command="22029" Param="-1" TranslateFlags="23" />
   
</ACCELERATORS>

</MJRS>
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