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Bill_VA
Participating Frequently
August 24, 2018
Question

Tab ordering

  • August 24, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 1695 views

I'm using CC 18.2, and I've been using Dreamweaver since version 2.0 in 1998 when owned by MacroMedia, and before that used ColdFusion Studio when it was owned by Allaire, so I've been around the block a few times and have been loyal to the editor.  However, your "enhancements" are causing me to look elsewhere. 

I tried using Sublime Text for a while, but it didn't do all the nifty things DW would do for me, so I went back and am still using DW.  Visual Studio was another I took a look at.  I code in ColdFusion, PHP, html, javascript, and jQuery, and have found that DW is still the best game in town to do all that.

I've logged in several issues on the bug reporting site, but not one thing posted there has ever been resolved.  Does the DW team even participate there and listen to its users?

One of my chief complaints is the way DW started handling tabs for multiple open documents.  I used to be able to use the CTRL-Tab keystoke to toggle between open tabs in the order in which they appear.  And if I were to click and drag a tab into a different position, it would still move from tab to tab in the new order in which they appear.  Now, since version 2018 (maybe 2017), when I CTRL-Tab it goes from tab to tab in some seemingly random pattern, supposedly in the order in which they were opened, or last edited, either way it's totally confusing and frustrating to use this.  Here is one of the discussions about this topic: DW18.0(10136) "CTRL + TAB" switching tabs wrong order – Adobe Dreamweaver CC: Feature Ideas

And don't get me started about dragging the tabs to change the order, which is almost impossible to do.  If you click and drag the tab and move the selected tab just a bit too high or too low it sends the tab to the end of the order!  Really?  I've never seen a tabbed interface do that.  For instance, in the Windows taskbar, I can click any open application's button and drag it into a new position no matter where I move my cursor vertically.  The older version of DW used to do this too, why would you break this?  In what world is this a "feature"?  Here is one of the discussions about this topic: Moving tabs doesnt work if tab goes outside of tab line – Adobe Dreamweaver CC: Feature Ideas

Please Adobe, pay attention to your users.  Please respond.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

ALsp
ALsp
Legend
August 24, 2018

Edit > Preferences > General...

Deselect Enable Related Files

Restart Dreamweaver.

The phantom tabs will be gone. Now, simply open the files you need open and they will behave like normal OS-based tabs.

    B
    Bill_VAAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    August 24, 2018

    Apparently you didn't read my post.  I said nothing about "phantom tabs" or related files.  I've always had those turned off. 

    I'm talking about files from the Files panel that I intentionally opened and the tabs that they occupy.  Please take the time to actually read the post before commenting.

    BTW, I honestly appreciate that Adobe Community Professional responded, but please do so after reading the whole post.

    ALsp
    ALsp
    Legend
    August 24, 2018

    BillDane_VA  wrote

    Apparently you didn't read my post.  I said nothing about "phantom tabs" or related files.  I've always had those turned off. 

    I'm talking about files from the Files panel that I intentionally opened and the tabs that they occupy.  Please take the time to actually read the post before commenting.

    BTW, I honestly appreciate that Adobe Community Professional responded, but please do so after reading the whole post.

    That was a bit harsh. Allow me to tell you a couple of important things:

    1. ACP means nothing. I was, however, one of the 3 original Dreamweaver Evangelists back in 1997. That meant something. Actually, no one would be posting in this forum without us.

    2. Dreamweaver CC is a work in progress and most serious web designers should avoid it until Adobe gets it right. CS6 is the last really useful version and is available via your cloud subscription.

    3. I read your post. First reaction is a poor chap who is angry and frustrated, rightfully so, but a condition that usually results in less than precise reporting of a problem. So I took a guess.

    That said, With related files turned off, you actually can drag tabs around in DW 18. At least I can. The problem is that Adobe (and they are not alone in this) violate tried and true UX design principles. Their foibles in trying to a chic black UI (which I happen to despise) results in tabs that are too small in height to properly grab and drag properly. I can get them rearranged. But it is not as easy as performing that task in a UI that conforms more to standards and uses unaltered OS components.

    So, sorry I wasn't perfectly in tune with you.

    WolfShade
    WolfShade
    Legend
    August 24, 2018

    Even though I avoid DW CC like the plague, I feel your pain.  However, it is unfortunate that Adobe doesn't care what their users want.  Adobe thinks they can tell their users what they want and the users will like it.  So I seriously doubt that Adobe will make any changes, because in their mind you like it the way it is, now.

    V/r,

    ^ _ ^

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