B1: A3 preview tab was easier to use.

[Olivier_G]

Some might want extra tab to disappear though...

I said "all tabs appear at all time" to emphasize the fact than you could always access all tabs/features immediately in this layout...
...but the trick is that one could also disable tabs completely by unchecking "Use tabs" in the Preview submenu...

I'll try to come with some simulated screen to show the various layouts, as my explanations are not satisfactory.

[nightflyer]

Can someone clarify to me what are advantages of old preview panel? And what can be done with old panel what cannot be done with similar effort with new panel?
Please do not write about personal esthetic preferences, because they cannot be discussed.

[Olivier_G]

Can someone clarify to me what are advantages of old preview panel? And what can be done with old panel what cannot be done with similar effort with new panel?

It's in Alpha 3 vs Beta 1: you could have easy access through tabs to all features (Preview/Properties/Exif/IPTC) with full display in panel in Alpha 3.
Beta 1 version doesn't show tabs when image preview takes full panel. In some situations described before (not long horizontal layout for Preview panel), it is a worsening.
(is there a better word that "worsening" in this situation... ?)

[nightflyer]

I see.
When discussing the subject, I suggested possiblity to swap between horizontal and vertical position of separator. Would that solve the problem?
Maybe when data tabs panel is fully expanded, a tab with preview should be added? This would preserve identical functionality to previous version while retaining new feature? Such feature would look a bit strange, but maybe possible to program with minimal effort?

[Olivier_G]

So here is the illustration of what I explained:

On the left: separator is not used (docked to the left). Tabs gives full access.
On the right: separator is used (Preview tab inactive). Other tabs to select data on the right.

- -
(if Preview is selected when switching ON separator, 'Properties' automatically appears on right. Otherwise = currently selected)


OPTIONS
On the left: Tabs can be hidden in all layouts. Feature is selected through Menu.
On the right: Horizontal separator can be chosen instead of vertical, through Menu.

- -

Preview pane's submenu:

Code: Select all

[ ] Show
[ ] Use Tabs
[ ] Horizontal separation
-----------------------
    Preview
    Properties
    Histogram
 *  EXIF
    IPTC

I hope it could satisify most (all?) users...

[Troken]

I miss A3...

I like the idea of enable the A3-layout with some options. This new B1-layout is ok, and I can see many uses for it, but old A3 was great. Worst consequence with the new B1 is that the histogram don't really fit in some layouts.

[robc]

I must admit I've changed the layout I was used to, but the features in B1 are much more useful for me.

[xnview]

In B2, i've added the 2 possibilities...

[GeorgD]

@Olivier_G: sounds great to me as long as all the selections (active tab, scrolling position, maybe column widths (if implemented)) are not forgotton from one pic to the next.

[ckit]

The preview tabs have completely disappeared for me in Beta 2!

[marsh]

The preview tabs have completely disappeared for me in Beta 2!

Me too.

[Clo]

Hello !

• I got them, I guess the handling is not very intuitive prior, but as soon as they are displayed, they remain for all the thumb nails you click on… even through the sessions !
- I like these three tabs, so I'm glad with the ß-2 … Thank you !
Layout #4 still here.

KR
Claude
Clo

[GeorgD]

I got them,...

Hm, for me the layout did not change compared to beta1?!? *wondering*

EDIT: I needed to exit and restart XnView once normally (without a crash), then I got the new interface. Very nice /Georg

[Olivier_G]

I was able to get it and wow!!!! It's really great! Even better than my previous suggestion! Love it! ...Bravo Pierre!

Short description:
- Separation docked to the left: like in Alpha3, you can access each feature in full with tabs.
- Separation in use (takes full height): image preview part has no tab (good), while data part just show the needed tabs on the right (ie: Properties/histogram/Exif...).
- Separation docked to the right: image preview in full (without tabs).

It's so good that Menu item 'Use tabs' could be removed (I think the 'no tabs' setting made sense only with Image Preview... and it has no tab anymore when separation is docked to the right or in use ).
The only thing missing, in my opinion, is the 'Horizontal separation'.

This being said, it's not all that good: I confirm the tabs+separation bug... I couldn't get them back after unselecting 'use tabs'...

[ckit]

The preview tabs have completely disappeared for me in Beta 2!

Ok, a new INI config fixed the issue for me.
The INI file needs to be broken into more logical sections so it's easier to fix by text editor, rather than having to rebuild the whole f**ken thing!