Overview
Update Fall 2009!
Windows 7 introduces this functionality in the operating system, with accel-arrow affecting window state. The latest update to big screen enables:- Accel-Left to split to the left
- Accel-Right to split to the right
- Accel-Shift-Left to pull the current tab out and split it to the left
- Accel-Shift-Right to pull the current tab out and split it to the right
- Accel-Shift-Up to split to maximize
The Solution: Split your screen into multiple panes.
Fringe Benefits: Drag and Drop links among windows. Sometimes, it's better than tabbed browsing!
Installation
Install from addons.mozilla /... bigscreen.Once it's installed, you can use the shortcuts. If you want a toolbar item, you'll have to right click on the menu bar that includes the url bar, select customize, scroll down and find the "split" entry and drag it to your toolbar. You can choose where to place it on the toolbar.
The image shows the v0.1 button in place on the firefox toolbar with two windows split into equal size portions spanning the entire screen.
Known Issues
Multi-Monitors
Don't even try it, as of v0.1.2, on your secondary screen. Alas, Javascript doesn't have great access to multiple window information and it looks like some heuristics will be required. Vote for bug 435008 which proposes that Mozilla add an API to discover the screens and extents for extension development.Packaging
There's no customize panel icon, etc. Lot's of work left here.Change Log
- v0.1.5: Keyboard shortcuts, maximize added for emulation of Windows 7 scheme.
- v0.1.3: Context menu wth support for opening right click a link to split it to a new window. Fixed menu dropdown hit target.
- v0.1.2: FFox 3 support. 1 pixel off bug fix. Improved new window logic.
- v0.1: First release
Related Tools
See also my notes page, in progress, on prior art.Firefox Extensions
- Split Browser: Aribtrarily split the content pane into subsections. Many of the advantages of BigScreen but a much heftier mod of firefox.
- Optimoz Gestures: The "double stack" gesture is triggered by dragging horizontally over a link, up, down, and right. It opens the link in a new window, positioning the source window as the left pane and the new link on the right. The double stack was largely the inspiration for big screen and was conceived by AndyEd in 2001.
Operating System Level
- AllSnap :Windows mod to make windows snap to screen borders.
- AeroSnap: Extension for XP that adds left-right up/down controls for window size.
Footnotes: Don't harm your big screen users!
Tips for supporting big screens in your design:- Use max-width & max-height: These CSS rules are now available in IE, with version 7 (and an xhtml doctype). Keep your text from going too far.
- Percent widths, constrained by max-width, rock the widescreen world.