Ability to "assign" project menu items to specific split panes

[orrenm]

This feature request is an outgrowth of a usage question. I couldn't figure out how to open a specific project menu item in a specific split pane, and the reason was that I was attempting a different workflow than Storyist requires.

 

Right now, if you are currently writing your manuscript in the middle pane, and wish to open a character in the right pane in order to have some information in front of you, but continue working in the middle pane, to do this is a three step process:

1) Click the mouse from the middle pane to the right pane

2) Click on the desired character in the project menu

3) Click back into the middle pane

 

What I would like to see is a simplified workflow, so that I don't need to click away then click back.

 

I can think of a couple ways to make this happen:

 

1) Set a preference for each project menu element (Manuscript, Characters, Setting, and so on) for which of the displayed panes that specific element will default open into. So for example, I could set my Manuscripts to always open in the middle pane, and my Characters and Settings to default open in the right pane. I could then manually override this via key command (say option + click) or drag an element into a particular pane instead of single click on it.

 

2) Set a key command to open an element in the inactive pane. Let's say option + click. This way, if I'm writing the manuscript in the middle pane, I could then option + click on a character to have that a character open in the right pane, without my cursor leaving the middle pane.

 

3) Set a key command to "lock" an element into a pane. So for example lets say I open my manuscript in the middle pane. I could then use the key command to lock the manuscript into the middle pane. Whenever I click on anything except a manuscript element, it will then open in the right pane, until I use the key command to unlock the locked pane.

 

Obviously, these require a 3 (or more) pane workspace. With only one pane besides the project menu, none of these would key commands or options would be active. And with more than two panes available, really option 3 becomes the best, because you can lock as many panes as you'd like, so if you have 4 panes, you could lock three of them, etc.

 

Anyway, I've no idea how difficult any of this is to code, but for me at least, it would be a great workflow enhancement!

 

Thanks,

Orren

[Steve]

This feature request is an outgrowth of a usage question. I couldn't figure out how to open a specific project menu item in a specific split pane, and the reason was that I was attempting a different workflow than Storyist requires.

 

Right now, if you are currently writing your manuscript in the middle pane, and wish to open a character in the right pane in order to have some information in front of you, but continue working in the middle pane, to do this is a three step process:

1) Click the mouse from the middle pane to the right pane

2) Click on the desired character in the project menu

3) Click back into the middle pane

 

What I would like to see is a simplified workflow, so that I don't need to click away then click back.

 

I can think of a couple ways to make this happen:

 

1) Set a preference for each project menu element (Manuscript, Characters, Setting, and so on) for which of the displayed panes that specific element will default open into. So for example, I could set my Manuscripts to always open in the middle pane, and my Characters and Settings to default open in the right pane. I could then manually override this via key command (say option + click) or drag an element into a particular pane instead of single click on it.

 

2) Set a key command to open an element in the inactive pane. Let's say option + click. This way, if I'm writing the manuscript in the middle pane, I could then option + click on a character to have that a character open in the right pane, without my cursor leaving the middle pane.

 

3) Set a key command to "lock" an element into a pane. So for example lets say I open my manuscript in the middle pane. I could then use the key command to lock the manuscript into the middle pane. Whenever I click on anything except a manuscript element, it will then open in the right pane, until I use the key command to unlock the locked pane.

 

Obviously, these require a 3 (or more) pane workspace. With only one pane besides the project menu, none of these would key commands or options would be active. And with more than two panes available, really option 3 becomes the best, because you can lock as many panes as you'd like, so if you have 4 panes, you could lock three of them, etc.

 

Anyway, I've no idea how difficult any of this is to code, but for me at least, it would be a great workflow enhancement!

 

Thanks,

Orren

 

Thanks Orren. All would work, though option+click currently has another function.

 

Currently, option+click opens the item you clicked in the "other open views". If you option+click in a section of text, that section opens in the other views. A common use is to have the other pane open in Storyboard mode, so clicking section text opens the "collage" for that section. Option-clicking on the items in the collage opens the items in the other (inactive) view.

 

I realize this isn't quite what you are asking for, but it does make navigation a little bit easier.

 

I'll give this some thought.

 

-Steve