The bottom window tabs

[reeferd]

I wish the bottom window tab-selector could be moved on top of the windows you jump between. I feel that would be more natural. I hate switching focus down to the bottom of the screen when switcing between search and hub-windows.

Also I wish the full window name could be shown when you hover your mouse over the tab.

Thanks for the greatest software.. ever!

[Shannon]

Personally, I'd prefer that DC++ use normal Windows tabs instead of those ugly things it uses now.

Mockup:


It looks nicer and cleans up all that congestion down the bottom.

[TheParanoidOne]

I feel that would be more natural. I hate switching focus down to the bottom of the screen when switcing between search and hub-windows.

I would just like to point out that Windows behaves in this way too, with the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

[Twink]

I feel that would be more natural. I hate switching focus down to the bottom of the screen when switcing between search and hub-windows.

I would just like to point out that Windows behaves in this way too, with the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

Windows itself is not an MDI interface though. However I believe there is no real standard when it comes down to it. Firefox and Visual Studio put them up the top, however other programs like Office make a new Taskbar entry for each document, mirc and most other common irc clients seem to have them down the bottom, others dont support tab functionality. DC++ is probably closest to mirc in functionality so personally i think it makes sense to have the tabs where they are now, actually i quite like them there.

[reeferd]

Even though windows has it's window tabs in the bottom, i just felt that it would be more natural to have the window tabs at the top. Because you are in fact jumping between the top window pane. The bottom upload/download status field is more or less static. Therefore it is unnatural to have these tabs all the way down there. It should be at the top. And the tab you currently have selected should "be part of" the rest of the window.

I would just like to point out that Windows behaves in this way too, with the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

Well. windows behaves in many ways. But DC++ Is not an OS.
If I should compare my idea to something, it would be the way you naviagte when you right click "my computer" and select properties. I think that is a very easy way to navigate between windows with tabs.

DC++ is probably closest to mirc in functionality so personally i think it makes sense to have the tabs where they are now, actually i quite like them there.

I have grown acustomed to having them at the bottom too, but it still is a bit 'daft' to separate those buttons from the window you are, in fact, changing. If you had any imagnination, you'd realize what I am trying to say here is a good idea. just kidding... hehe.

But I think it would be good useability to move those tabs. If not all the way to the top, then maybe over the upload/download field. Just connect the tab with the window.

(Always when I am evaluating the useability of a program, i start to think about how I reacted to the gui the first time I used it. I remember I was a little puzzled about the tabs, but I quickly realized that the upload/download panel was static.)

But this is no big deal. I think a bigger problems is the label the tab has. When you have 15 search windows, 5 hub windows and the downloadqueue and finished dl's open it becomes a bit messy. I like the suggestion shannon has about the look of the tabs. But I would also like to see a search icon for search windows, and maybe a hub icon for hubs etc. And since the tabs shrink a bit when you have many windows, the full label should be displayed when you hover over the tab. Now I refrain from opening too many windows. It becomes too messy. And it takes time to go through them all to close them.

[Twink]

Even though windows has it's window tabs in the bottom, i just felt that it would be more natural to have the window tabs at the top. Because you are in fact jumping between the top window pane. The bottom upload/download status field is more or less static. Therefore it is unnatural to have these tabs all the way down there. It should be at the top. And the tab you currently have selected should "be part of" the rest of the window.

Well. windows behaves in many ways. But DC++ Is not an OS.
If I should compare my idea to something, it would be the way you naviagte when you right click "my computer" and select properties. I think that is a very easy way to navigate between windows with tabs.

You have to remember that this argument doesn't really make sense when the windows are not maximized, I usually have say 4 windows showing at a time on my screen so tabs cannot really "be part of" the windows.

I'll post this picture yet again, its very old now and no the client isn't available for use but this is a mod i worked on for a while and thought it looked rather nice.
http://twink.orcon.net.nz//lotsoftabs.png

I have grown acustomed to having them at the bottom too, but it still is a bit 'daft' to separate those buttons from the window you are, in fact, changing. If you had any imagnination, you'd realize what I am trying to say here is a good idea. just kidding... hehe.

But I think it would be good useability to move those tabs. If not all the way to the top, then maybe over the upload/download field. Just connect the tab with the window.

I fully understand where you are coming from, i guess since i use alot of keyboard shortcuts when using dc++ my mouse doesn't really fly all over the place like yours.

But this is no big deal. I think a bigger problems is the label the tab has. When you have 15 search windows, 5 hub windows and the downloadqueue and finished dl's open it becomes a bit messy. I like the suggestion shannon has about the look of the tabs. But I would also like to see a search icon for search windows, and maybe a hub icon for hubs etc. And since the tabs shrink a bit when you have many windows, the full label should be displayed when you hover over the tab. Now I refrain from opening too many windows. It becomes too messy. And it takes time to go through them all to close them.

Icons in the tabs are actually quite nice, i've been using a client with them for quite a while now, however since the code is from oDC the only person who can submit it to arne is opera (unless someone else rewrites it). If icons are added then there will be a need to turn them off as they do take up a fair amount of room in the tabs which some people dislike.