PLEASE TEST: Improved Panel Config Memory

[IgnorantGuru]

As of commit 65dafcca in the next branch, SpaceFM includes a new 4-state panel config memory. This is designed to make it easier to add and hide panels on the fly without having to adjust columns, side panes, etc. Simply put, SpaceFM should now remember the selected columns (visibility), column widths, side panes, and toolbar visibility for each combination of panels.

To test, please follow the BUILD NEXT instructions in README.

Thanks for testings.

Here are more details on how it works (you don't really need to know this - if you set it how you want it for each combination of panels, it should remember):

Each panel config now includes a 4-state memory. The four states are:

• panel is by itself in the window
• panel has a horizonal neighboring panel
• panel has a vertical neighboring panel
• panel has both horiz and vertical neighboring panels

The selected columns (visibility), column widths, side panes (and width and slide positions), and toolbar visibility will be different for each mode of each panel.

Note when upgrading - an effort is made to extend your old config into the new memory. This may not be perfect - feel free to note any issues with upgrading. The panel config for 0.9.0 is stored separately in the session file, so if you downgrade this should not affect your 0.9.1 panel config.

[arclance]

This seems to fix #6 for real this time. The old fix never worked for me and I think this is what was needed to fix it.

It also seems to have made the interface a little more responsive which is always good. I have not seen any issues with the change yet.

[mati75]

If someone needs Debian's binary packages, here are will be available for i386 and amd64.

[IgnorantGuru]

seems to fix #6 for real this time.

I knew there was an old issue on this - went through the list twice and couldn't find it. :)

Thanks for the packaging, Mateusz - that will help get more people to test.

[VastOne]

I agree with arclance and the interface seems more responsive. I have several users asking for this and they should be happily testing by now also.

Welcome back IgnorantGuru...

[IgnorantGuru]

Thanks VastOne, and thanks for testing. It should be a bit quicker as I eliminated some redundancy in this area. And some gtk themes are faster than others. Also, in case you didn't know, SpaceFM generally builds well with -O3 for a noticeable speed improvement too. eg

CFLAGS='-O3' ./configure ...
CFLAGS='-O3' make

Note that's a capital oh (O) not a zero (0) - optimization.

[arclance]

I just found a bug in this change.

Close all tabs you have open in a Pane then a new $HOME tab will be created and the sidebar bugs out like this. http://i.imgbox.com/adgvUMQD.png

Changing panes after this happens can cause settings from one pane or pane combination to bleed into another. Examples of this are default column width being changed and tabs being migrated or copied to another pane.

[IgnorantGuru]

I just found a bug in this change... Close all tabs

Thanks. This should be corrected in 34c5aaf. I didn't notice any bleeding of settings after the fix, but you might want to verify that doesn't occur now with last tab close.

[arclance]

The settings bleed was not reliably reproducible but I will see if I can still get it to happen tonight.

[IgnorantGuru]

Any final testing on this (GTK2 & 3) is appreciated - due for release in 0.9.1 shortly.

The side pane behavior is now more manual than ever. Since slider positions are remembered for different panel combos, it doesn't need to adjust on the fly.

Column widths are no longer saved when in maximized or fullscreen mode.

[Vladimir-csp]

I have two suggestions:

1. Store task manager size in absolute value from the bottom, but not larger than 50% of window height.
2. Make sidepanel memory optional. It is sometimes counterintuitive to see sidepanels change/appear/disappear when switching panels on/off. You switch on panel 2, expect it to appear, but instead a whole lot of window content is changed. An option like "Separate side panel placement between multipanel configurations" would be handy.

[IgnorantGuru]

1. Store task manager size in absolute value from the bottom, but not larger than 50% of window height.

This is actually tricky because it involves maximized and fullscreen modes, and the height of the window and its contents are not allocated when the task manager is first shown, which complicates this. It's a bit of work at least. I'm curious why you're requesting this. SpaceFM normally stores the window size and the task manager slider position, so when it restarts they are the same. Are you changing the window size frequently while the task manager is hidden? Or is there some other case where it's changing size?

I may look at this further - have added it to my notes. If you'd like tracking on it you're welcome to open a separate request. Also note that you can use a socket command to change the slider position (and also to get the window size, so you can adjust it dynamically in an event handler).

1. Make sidepanel memory optional. It is sometimes counterintuitive to see sidepanels change/appear/disappear when switching panels on/off. You switch on panel 2, expect it to appear, but instead a whole lot of window content is changed. An option like "Separate side panel placement between multipanel configurations" would be handy.

I agree it can be unusual in its behavior at first, but I think once you get things the way you want for each combo of panels it settles down. I suggest using it for a month or so, and if it's still a problem, open a new request.

In general I wish to avoid memory settings, or the need to save and load profiles, etc. The objective here is to make the memory 'just work' based on your normal use. SpaceFM already has more settings than most FMs, so bloat and complexity is an issue.

Thanks for your feedback and testing.

[Vladimir-csp]

1. I use a laptop and switch between small internal screen and several big external screens. I always have to adjust task manager to comfortable size of couple of lines. Task manager appears too big after switch to bigger screen and often invisible when going back to small screen
2. I've figured it out pretty fast. I'm just noting that getting a lot of action sprayed on screen when expecting just one thing to happen can be disorienting for a newbie. But the idea itself is great.