create new window when opening/switching database

[sjk]

As mentioned in other threads, I’ve been having trouble opening database windows with preferred sizes/locations in DTPO 2.0. The purpose of this new topic is to collect some of my earlier comments about the issues (sorry for the redundancy), add some additional thoughts, and make a few suggestions.

So far I’m not fond of how selecting a database under OPEN DATABASES always uses the current window, without an easy way (AFAIK) to select+open it in a new window (with its previous size), e.g. using Option-Click. Possible bug: when invoking New Window from the context menu of any db in the sidebar the active db is opened, not the selected one as I’d expect. Actually, what I’m missing is an “Open Database in New Window” function, whether it’s from the sidebar, menu, or somewhere else. The File > Open Recent submenu uses the current window and File > New Window submenu only lists dbs that are currently open.

I suggest that invoking New Window in the sidebar open a new window for a selected database (under both OPEN DATABASES and RECENT DATABASES) instead of unconditionally opening one at the same size/location as the current one with the current database. It’s counter-intuitive when the context menu command doesn’t apply to the selected db. It ought to be more context-sensitive, like in Finder’s sidebar.

There’s also a bug:

• Make global Inbox window be the only one open, and have another database open without any open windows
• Right-Click the db name under OPEN DATABASES in the sidebar and choose New Window
• A new window for global Inbox opens with the same size/location as the previous one, with Inbox selected in the sidebar
• Close the new window (Command-W)
• The original window reappears with the earlier db name under OPEN DATABASES selected, but the main window pane incorrectly displays content for the global Inbox

Problem is Right-Click on the db name only displays the context menu without actually switching to the db in the current window. [Edit: There are other ways to reproduce that]

Those are examples of why I’d said:

The sidebar hasn’t made it possible or easier to open multiple databases in separate windows. For me it’s made multi-db management more confusing.

Notice how the context menu for Finder’s sidebar is only active when a specific item is chosen.

Next:

I’ve been struggling with window size/location issues when opening multiple databases while DTP is running. It’s still not obvious to me when opening a db will use the current window or open a new window (with its previously opened size/location). In general, managing windows for multiple databases has made hard to predict when sizes/locations will be changed or retained. Here’s a basic scenario of this issue:

• DTP launches with the global Inbox database open in a window
• File > Open Recent > db opens db in the current window previously used by global Inbox
• File > Close Database closes db and global Inbox reopens in the current window
• Command-W to close the window
• File > Open Recent > db now opens db with a window with a previously saved (and desirable) size/location

However, I’ll eventually manage to have done something where opening db when no other windows are open will use a different size/location than the desirable one mentioned above, e.g. inherited from the global Inbox window’s size/location. Scale this to several databases with multiple windows open and it drives me batty trying to predict what’ll open where, both within a single session and across sessions.

If nothing more I’d like an explicit “Open database in New Window” command, if it’ll help ensure the previous (desired) window size/location will be used.

And:

Seriously, adding an “Open Database in New Window” command (originally suggested in the post I linked to earlier) would help me a lot without disrupting anyone else’s workflows. I’m convincing that reusing the current window when opening/switching databases is one source of my struggles with windows not consistently retaining desired sizes/locations.

In Finder, I have the choice of browsing folders in the current window or opening them in new windows with previously retained sizes/locations (sans bugs). Similar functionality was possible in DTP v1 when only a single database was supported. But I haven’t found a reliable way to achieve it with multiple databases in v2, partly because of the current window reuse behavior when opening/switching databases at times I want a new window.

I’m trying to say is DTP seems to be missing “Open in New Window” functionality that allows groups from either the current (like in v1) or other (new in v2) database to be opened in new windows with previously retained sizes/locations (if known).

If nothing more, that boils down to one simple request:

• Add a method for opening/switching a database that’ll unconditionally create a new window in a previous, predictable size/location instead of reusing the current window.

I think my first suggestion for New Window in the sidebar context menu operating on the selected db would be one way of doing that.

In general, any other ways you can come up with to have better control over when a window is reused or not would be appreciated. Thanks!

[sjk]

Brief update on this topic, probably only for my own sake/sanity.

I’ve opened a ticket reporting the bug, plus the suggestion before it, from the original post.

The new vs. reused window inconsistencies mentioned here and elsewhere can hopefully be resolved by fixing the bug in the ticket I opened earlier.