[OS X TeX] TeXShop Feature Request

[cfrees at imapmail.org]

On Sat 7th Mar, 2009 at 18:34, David Watson seems to have written:

> On Mar 7, 2009, at 5:29 PM, cfrees at imapmail.org wrote:
>
>> Re.: tabs vs. windows
>> <snip>
>> However, I'm not so sure now. I find it hard to think through whether
>> I'd prefer tabs or not. I've got so used to tabs in other contexts
>> (Firefox and screen, mostly) and I can imagine finding them useful. I
>
> There is a big difference between the expectations of a web-browser and an 
> editor for a marked-up language.
> Web-browsing requires the user to click on links and fill in forms.

Yes and no. Editing a wiki is not that dissimilar to working on TeX
documents. Neither is coding in html (although I don't do the latter in
a browser myself).

screen is used for all kinds of things but I often use it for, among
other things, editing documents. The difference between that usage and
editing both wiki and TeX source is that there is no equivalent of the
preview/output within the Terminal context so I couldn't ever have my
preview in another screen of the same Terminal window but only other
documents. (There are some exceptions - creating man pages etc. but
that is rather different anyway.)

I *do* find it useful to have the source of a wiki page in one tab and
the page itself in another. I would never open a new Firefox window to
display the latter.

> While editing a document doesn't require another window in the context of 
> WYSIWYG, it does in the context of TeX.

This isn't really true, although I know what you mean, of course.  I
frequently edit in Terminal (though TeXShop is my primary TeX editor) -
more specifically, in one screen of my single Terminal window - and I
do not then have any other windows when actually editing. (Note: screen
here is the unix program - Tiger doesn't have tabbed Terminal but
screen is fantastic.)

<snip>

> In the process, the workflow has also shifted from paying attention first and 
> foremost to content, to trying to emulate a WYSIWYG workflow. (Not that there 
> is anything wrong with that)

Although *not* doing this is meant to be one of *TeX*'s selling
points...

> One application which comes close to satisfying the disparate requirements of 
> novices and wizards is the VueScan application, which allows users to choose 
> their level of expertise, and modify the application interface based on that 
> choice.
>
> I am reminded of the "simplified Finder" choice Apple used offered in Mac OS 
> 9. (maybe even before?)

Certainly in OS X, too.

<snip>

> I think TeXShop meets the requirements of the novice category very nicely as 
> it stands.
> While having multiple source files in one window with tabs sounds great, I 
> wonder how many messages are going to be generated on this list about how to 
> 'turn off tabbing when using different master files' or 'how can I get it NOT 
> to turn off tabbing when I have two different master files'...

I don't really disagree but I suspect few novices use master files at
all. I can't remember when I last used one myself though presumably
this depends to a large extent on the nature (especially the length) of
one's projects.

> And I ABSOLUTELY abhor the "file tree" in the left hand pane as an 
> alternative.

I rather like this in Taco (for html editing) but I tend to agree it
would not be good in this context. Much too distracting.

> Right now that is not an issue, but I assure you it will be if the 'tabbing' 
> craze is followed to its logical conclusion.

I'm not sure I see *why* though I'm not doubting the link.

<snip>