Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Here you can propose new features, make suggestions etc.

Moderators: white, Hacker, petermad, Stefan2

User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

When customizing columns, there is a checkbox "Adjust tabs to window width". The help says it is the same as for "configuration - tabstops". There, the help says:

"If checked, Total Commander will resize the width of the name column if you resize the main window. The name column is resized so the extension, size, date and attribute columns stay right aligned."

This seems not to work as expected (TC 10.50rc2 x32 dark) -- or at least it raises some questions:
  1. What does "right aligned" mean? Right aligned to what? To the TC main window? To the panel? This should be clarified in the help.
    BTW: Using the word "Tabs" in this context is ambiguous, as "Tabs" is also used for the file panel tabs. A simple solution would be to use "name column".
  2. If checked: What is the meaning of the name column width? Is it ignored?
    With my setup (and also with a fresh ini), the name column width is simply used as specified and the checkbox has almost no effect (horizontal scrollbar is off).
    Almost means:
    • If I maximize/restore the windows size with the system buttons in the upper right corner of the main window, the name column is resized.
      But it looks somewhat "random". In any case, the other columns are not right aligned to anything obvious (not to the main window and also not to the panel).
    • If I resize the window by grabbing it at a corner, the name column stays as it is -- bringing the other columns out of view for small window sizes.
    • If I change the panel width, this has also no effect.
Is this bugs or is it intended? In any case, the help should be improved.

And: How does one need to configure a custom column view so that it always uses the full panel width (with an auto-adjusted name column and the other columns rightaligned to the panel)?
User avatar
ghisler(Author)
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 48021
Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *ghisler(Author) »

When using a 50%:%50% split or vertical arrangement, the columns other than name+ext are right aligned to the panel. When using a different ratio than 50%:50% between the windows, the columns of the two stay the same on both sides as if the split were 50%:50%.
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

Not here (for a very simple custom column view): https://ibb.co/5v5rWFN
Panels are split 50:50, still the name column is not resized.
Is there a special value I need to set for the name column width?

And: I commonly use 40:60 splitting. It would be great if TC would adjust the name column independently for both panels...
And: In any case, the help should be improved.
User avatar
ghisler(Author)
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 48021
Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *ghisler(Author) »

You need to drag the separator between name and extension to the right until it is all well aligned, then use Configuration - Save position.
And: I commonly use 40:60 splitting. It would be great if TC would adjust the name column independently for both panels...
I tried it and it is unfortunately unfeasible.

All you can do is create two separate custom column views and use one in the left and one in the right panel.
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-22, 10:13 UTC You need to drag the separator between name and extension to the right until it is all well aligned, then use Configuration - Save position.
Well, ok. This sounds a bit unintuitive. As said: At least the help should explain this option properly.
ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-22, 10:13 UTC
And: I commonly use 40:60 splitting. It would be great if TC would adjust the name column independently for both panels...
I tried it and it is unfortunately unfeasible.

All you can do is create two separate custom column views and use one in the left and one in the right panel.
This is bad news. It would be really great if the name column would simply fill up the space in each panel (and move the other columns to the right)...
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-22, 10:13 UTC
And: I commonly use 40:60 splitting. It would be great if TC would adjust the name column independently for both panels...
I tried it and it is unfortunately unfeasible.
Since variable widths for the name column would be extremely helpful for me (using different screen/window sizes on different systems and different dpi settings) I just thought:
ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-22, 10:13 UTC
All you can do is create two separate custom column views and use one in the left and one in the right panel.
Wouldn't it be possible to have two "instances" of the same custom column view created **internally** by TC for the left and right panel?
This way, the user still sees just one custom column but internally TC uses two (duplicates)...


[Quite often I have to readjust panel widths and column widths manually just to move the contents of some columns into view. An auto-adjusting name column would be so helpful.]
User avatar
ghisler(Author)
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 48021
Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *ghisler(Author) »

I tried quite a lot but it caused many problems, especially when the name column got too narrow.
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

Since this topic is important to me, I would like to bring it up again with two suggestions (underlined).

I thought again about the Custom Column Views, the option "Adjust Tabs to window width", the information from the help, and about what @ghisler wrote about this topic:

--- First ---
ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-22, 14:52 UTC I tried quite a lot but it caused many problems, especially when the name column got too narrow.
If a too narrow name column width causes problems, then one could use the specified width of the name column as minimum as soon as this option is activated (a fixed width doesn't seem to make sense in combination with this option anyway):
  • Option off --> Column width defines the fixed name column width
  • Option on --> Column width defines the minimum width of the name column.
    The name column then changes with the window, but never decreases below the minimum width (use the horizontal scrollbar then).
In any case the option should be renamed:
"Adjust Tabs to window width" --> "Adjust name column to window width".
(First, the option does not refer to all "tabs" and second, the word "tabs" is already/mainly used for the panel tabs).

--- Second ---
ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-22, 10:13 UTC
And: I commonly use 40:60 splitting. It would be great if TC would adjust the name column independently for both panels...
I tried it and it is unfortunately unfeasible.

All you can do is create two separate custom column views and use one in the left and one in the right panel.
I am very surprised about this. However, I also just noticed once again that changing column widths with the mouse affects all tabs where the same Custom Column View is active (not just left/right but also in all tabs in each panel with the same Column View). I have found this to be rather inconvenient on several occasions as well.

I suspect that objects are created from the Custom Column Definitions. Couldn't you create a separate Custom Column Definition object for each tab, so it can be adjusted temporarily at runtime without changing its "basic configuration"? Without knowing the code I don't want to make too many assumptions here. But: If a user creates several such definitions with virtually the same configuration (just to be able to have slight differences in, e.g., the column widths), this is probably exactly what happens anyway. Right?

In any case, this would (presumably) have the advantage of being able to set different column widths for each Custom Column Definition, depending on what the user needs.

This would also solve the "50:50 problem" and the same Custom Column View could have different column widths in both panels (including the auto-adjusted name column)...
User avatar
jinsight
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 299
Joined: 2003-02-25, 19:47 UTC
Location: Wooster, Ohio, USA

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *jinsight »

per funkymonk
option #1 - support++
option #2 - support+
License #1945
Windows 10 Pro x64
Version 22H2 (OS Build 19045.3930)
TC 11.00 x64 and x86, Everything 1.5.0.1366a x64, QAP 11.6.3.1 x64
User avatar
ghisler(Author)
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 48021
Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *ghisler(Author) »

Another reason why I don't want to adjust the width separately per panel is quick view (Ctrl+Q): You can make the file window smaller to give quick view more space. Adjusting the columns separately would make the name column so narrow that you could no longer read the names. In such a case, it's better not to see the date/time than to not see the name.
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

ghisler(Author) wrote: 2022-06-26, 07:29 UTC Another reason why I don't want to adjust the width separately per panel is quick view (Ctrl+Q): You can make the file window smaller to give quick view more space. Adjusting the columns separately would make the name column so narrow that you could no longer read the names. In such a case, it's better not to see the date/time than to not see the name.
That's clear. And that is another reason why a minimal width for the name column width could be very helpful (see "--- First ---" suggestion in my last post):

Imagine one panel (P1) being quite wide, e.g., because it shows a QuickView. In this case, the other panel (P2) might become quite small.
With "Adjust Tabs to window width" active, P2 would reduce the name column width to the remaining space -- but *never* below the minimal width.
This way, the names will still be visible and other columns (that would no longer be visible in P2) can still be reached via the horizontal scroll bar.

And: Once you close QuickView and P1/P2 return to another width, the name column would readjust again automatically.
Overall, this would result in a far better exploitation of the available space in both columns -- especially if panel widths change at runtime (QuickView, ViewModes, ...).

Wouldn't that be very convenient?
User avatar
ghisler(Author)
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 48021
Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *ghisler(Author) »

Moderator message

Moved to suggestions forum
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

Thank you for considering.
User avatar
funkymonk
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 410
Joined: 2013-12-04, 09:56 UTC

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *funkymonk »

Hi there. Is there any news/plans on this?
Thank you.
User avatar
petermad
Power Member
Power Member
Posts: 14739
Joined: 2003-02-05, 20:24 UTC
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: Adjust tabs to window width -- bugs?

Post by *petermad »

BUMP*
License #524 (1994)
Danish Total Commander Translator
TC 11.03 32+64bit on Win XP 32bit & Win 7, 8.1 & 10 (22H2) 64bit, 'Everything' 1.5.0.1371a
TC 3.50b4 on Android 6 & 13
Try: TC Extended Menus | TC Languagebar | TC Dark Help | PHSM-Calendar
Post Reply