Multiple columns: set fixed column height (screen height)

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Instead of organizing the columns according to a fixed number of columns or 
a fixed column width, do it according to a given column height - by 
default, the window's height.

That way, the following improvements are obtained:

- For long articles, the user will not have to scroll each column down and 
then scroll back up to read the next column. Instead, each 'screen' can be 
read at once without scrolling, and once the user finishes reading the last 
column, they can scroll to the next 'screen' to read the next set of 
columns.

- For short articles (up to about five lines), the current situation is 
that there is an unpleasant artificial division of the article into columns 
, so each column is about one or two lines long and the article is not 
easier to read. If the columns are set by height, then the whole article 
will be in one single columns, and it will result in much easier reading.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by daniel.h...@gmail.com on 4 Feb 2010 at 10:18

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I agree with you but very difficult to do, since page-break of new CSS3 
property is not 
really well done ! a page-break-after for a meida paged presentation exists but 
we are 
in overflow in reader, so what is the definition of page ?
cf http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-multicol/#break-after
CSS doesn't allow this, so i need to cut myself text...

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 4 Feb 2010 at 10:54

• Added labels: Feature-Columns, Priority-Low, Type-Enhancement, Usability

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Unfortunately I don't have any knowledge in CSS yet, but I will explain my 
proposed 
layout:
Make the multi-column mode a 'scroll-less' mode, similar to what happens in 
Readefine 
( http://readefine.anirudhsasikumar.net/desktop.html ): each page will stand on 
its 
own, with columns matching the screen height. After the last columns will come 
the 
next page, and the user will flip between them by jumping (possibly using the 
arrow 
keys, the h/l keys or the mouse wheel), and not by continuous scrolling.
The navigation between articles can be done by 'flipping pages' past the last 
page of 
the current article, or (like the current behaviour) using the j/k keys.

Original comment by daniel.h...@gmail.com on 4 Feb 2010 at 11:41

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Replacing the infinite scroll navigation by an old-fashioned next-previous page.
-> Reading like a magazine
Why not ? i find the idea interesting !!
it stay really complex to fit inside reader !!
but i will look inside this ...

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 4 Feb 2010 at 11:48

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I noticed that when combined with the "Fix layout" feature, large pictures span 
neatly across the whole width of the article.

I'd like to suggest that:

- The same feature is used with embedded videos, instead of replacing them with 
a 
"Popout" link.

- Perhaps "pages" in the columns view can be separated in a similar fashion, 
with a 
border line instead of an image. The implementation of actual jumps between 
"pages" 
can be postponed, but the aforementioned arrangement solves the problem of 
excessive 
scrolling while reading an article split into columns.

Original comment by daniel.h...@gmail.com on 10 Feb 2010 at 6:29

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Yes, you're right;
There is a conflict between 'fix layout' and 'columns' on image max-width
i will change importance order...

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 11 Feb 2010 at 9:22

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What do you think about the page break option for column feature available 
since the 
last 2.8.8 ?
Did it fill your requirements ?

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 13 Feb 2010 at 6:41

• Added labels: Milestone-v2.8.7

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 13 Feb 2010 at 6:52

• Added labels: Milestone-v2.8.8
• Removed labels: Milestone-v2.8.7

[GoogleCodeExporter]

It looks nice! Thanks for implementing it so fast :)
A couple of issues, though:
1. I think the 'Columns number' is now 0 by default. This is a little weird.
2. If I view an item in columns mode and then disable the mode while viewing 
(by unticking 
the box, for example), the original layout shows, but the columned version 
still appears 
beneath it. Make sure to remove the old content when disable the columns mode.

And a suggestion for improvement: add (for now) an option that determines the 
height of a 
single 'page' (in lines, or pixels...). The ultimate feature would make the 
height equal to 
the page height, of course, but I think my suggestion is much easier to 
implement.

Thanks again! I think this has a lot of potential :)

Original comment by daniel.h...@gmail.com on 13 Feb 2010 at 7:26

[GoogleCodeExporter]

0 was the default value for the previous version!!
i changed it but since you saved your vqlues with 0 as column number, it 
becomes no 
more the default :)
if 0 is configured, 3 is used in the programm !
simply save it as 3!!

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 14 Feb 2010 at 11:34

[GoogleCodeExporter]

i open an other issue for both views visible, even i cannot reproduce this 
behavior 
#121

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 14 Feb 2010 at 11:36

[GoogleCodeExporter]

for your suggestion, i don't understand why to set the height equal to 
the page height, since based on the used theme your layout is changed, and 
never can 
read news on fullscreen because there will be always a top/bottom bar 
somewhere...
btw, the columns height is currently computed not the most perfect algo, but it 
is 
not fixed !

but i have another idea in my min about navigation bar between pages...

i close this issue since the feature is done
for more enhancements or ideas, open other issues, i'm open and enjoy to 
discuss 
about evolution !!

Original comment by ludovic.valente on 14 Feb 2010 at 11:43

• Changed state: Fixed

[GoogleCodeExporter]

You're right, it shouldn't be the screen height; it should be the height of the 
frame 
where the text shows. That's what I meant.
I'm looking forward for the improvements :)

Original comment by daniel.h...@gmail.com on 14 Feb 2010 at 11:50