Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

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Env
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Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Env »

ALT + 'arrow left' is one great thing of pdfXChange-Software. But there shouldn´t be jumps between different pdf-files at all.

For example: reading a scientific paper, jumping to a footnote -> opening the pdf mentioned in the footnote -> returning to the first pdf by ctrl + TAB
Now ALT + arrow left should return you to the text from where you jumped to the footnote but you will be jumped wrongly to the second pdf. This makes this wonderful tool worthless.

Can you change this behaviour to make it perfect as it should be?

Thanks a lot in advance!
Env
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Env »

Additional information: If switching to another pdf and closing this pdf the combination ALT + 'left arrow' re-opens the just closed document what is surely not very meaningful.

Thanks again in advance!
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Tracker Supp-Stefan
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hello Env,

Indeed the history we keep is of all operations and Alt+Arrow keys goes through all of it, and not through the history for a given file. I've asked my colleagues for comments on this behaviour and whether we plan on changing it, and will bring this up on our next meeting too, but even if approved - the change you request might take some time to implement.

Regards,
Stefan
Env
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Env »

OK, thanks a lot. That would be an important feature because you don´t need one history for all open files together.
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Thanks for the follow up Env, :)

There would be use cases where both variants of the history will be needed, but let me check with my colleagues and see what their thoughts on this one are.

Regards,
Stefan
Env
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Env »

Hi Stefan,

the feature isn´t sitll implemented although this is a very important feature.

What do you plan to do regarding this issue?

I am really not sure if it is true that both use cases are needed and equally important.

If yes it would be very important to let users decide themselves which kind of history they wish e. g. by adding their choice in the settings.
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

I believe it has been pushed back because cycling previous views includes viewing previous documents and that was the intended use of it.
I am sorry Env, but without some more support this likely will not be implemented in the near future. The devs may shed some light on it eventually, but I cannot push for it anymore than we have in the past.
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

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David.P
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by David.P »

Hi all,
Env wrote:For example: reading a scientific paper, jumping to a footnote -> opening the pdf mentioned in the footnote -> returning to the first pdf by ctrl + TAB
Now ALT + arrow left should return you to the text from where you jumped to the footnote but you will be jumped wrongly to the second pdf. This makes this wonderful tool worthless.
The good news is that there is a remedy for the above problem in the Options settings:

Image
(uncheck the option as shown)


However…!

The jump back/forward feature still has one hitch, which (judging by my personal workflow) is severe, and also has been described before.

The problem with this feature is that, once you use a view with more than one window of the same document, the view history is shared between the different windows, which is extremely confusing.

Steps to reproduce:
  • open the attached sample PDF document "Sample e-Book Emma"
  • open a second window of this document (click on "New Document Window" in the "Window" menu, or on the "View" ribbon under "Document Tabs", respectively)
  • place the two document windows of the Emma e-book side-by-side on your monitor (or on different monitors)
  • now, in the left document window, randomly click on some of the bookmarks, as if you wanted to look up something in the respective pages or chapters
  • then, turning to the right document window, just scroll down a few pages, stopping in between a couple of times, as if you were reading
  • again, return to the left document window, and now suppose you just want to jump back to where you were previously in that window
  • consequently, while the left window has focus, press Alt+Left (or click on the green arrow "Back" button below the bottom of the page) a couple of times.
Note that what happens is, instead of taking you back where you were before in the left window, the right window jumps back to whatever was your previous reading position!

If you try and jump back even further (by pressing Alt+Left or the green arrow "Back" button a couple of times), the focus 'randomly' switches between the two windows, and after a few clicks you are sure to be completely lost.

This is a very severe problem that makes the view history virtually unusable -- as soon you start using a second document window of the same PDF document.

Also note that, if you use Split View instead of New Document Window, the view history is kept completely separate for the two window splits! The latter is absolutely perfect, which is another reason why the view history should also be kept separate when using multiple document windows.

I would be very thankful, and it would literally save me half an hour every day, if this problem could be fixed!

Thanks very much to the Dev. Team for consideration.

Best regards
David.P
Attachments
Sample e-Book 'Emma'.pdf
as mentioned above
(999.49 KiB) Downloaded 80 times
David.P
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Env
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by Env »

Hi David.P

That is exactly I was looking for.

Thank you so much!
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

I'm glad that David was able to find the answer for you, sorry we could not solve that earlier.

And David as for your above comment, Ill bring it to the attention of the devs and see what their thought are on it.
Have a good weekend!
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Our Web site domain and email address has changed as of 26/10/2023.
https://www.pdf-xchange.com
Support@pdf-xchange.com
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David.P
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by David.P »

Thanks very much Daniel for bringing this to the attention of the Devs.

I look forward to what the Devs might be able to come up with, when it comes to keeping the view history separate for different windows of the same document.

Best regards
David
:)
David.P
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Error in ALT + 'arrow left'

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

Hi david, thank for the bump, I was really busy on Friday and totally forgot to make the request for this thread!
Ive just put it in now,
If you are ever looking for an update on the progress, just ask away!
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Our Web site domain and email address has changed as of 26/10/2023.
https://www.pdf-xchange.com
Support@pdf-xchange.com
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