How do you build the tabs like in the script editor

[Richard Gaskin]

Good to see you here, Mark:

> It's a while since I've been on the list but anyway, how would I go about
> building the same tab interface (multiple document interface) as the LC
> script editor?
>
> As the user wants to open a document, they would have the choice of
> overwriting the existing open document, or opening the document on a new
> tab. The tab would have a close button on it just like LC's. Each opened
> document would belong to one tab.
>
> They user could potentially open as many documents as they want. As the
> number of opened tabs exceeds the stack width, two new navigation tabs would
> have to display at the far right. This would allow the user to bring into
> view those tabs further out to the right, and the other of the 2 navigation
> buttons would allow the user to view those tabs to the left.
>
> Anyone done such a thing?

I believe at least one of Jerry's script editors uses horizontal tabs, 
but they're a lot of work to implement.

For myself, all the work required to support variable widths, 
drag-reordering, scrolling the set, etc. provides negative ROI since the 
result takes up precious vertical real estate in a world where most 
monitors are widescreen - vertical space comes at a premium, while 
horizontal space is often underutilized.

With all the horizontal space available on modern displays I'm beginning 
to see a migration to vertical tabs among newer apps, esp. those focused 
on text editing since that task really benefits from maximizing 
available vertical space for the user's content.  The next version of my 
own script editor will be using vertical tabs for that reason.

Extra bonus points that vertical tabs are much easier to implement in LC 
than horizontal ones, so not only do you save significant space for your 
user's content but you save a lot of time that can be spent on features 
as well.

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
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