Multiple tab behaviour

[Cu3PO42]

Since the app currently treats its local state as a single source of truth, multiple open tabs will lead to unexpected behaviour. For example if you add a new formatting option in one tab, close it, then close another already open tab that option would be overwritten.

To deal with this, one could

1. Not allow multiple open tabs: If you already have an open tab, opening a new tab would tell you to go there instead
2. Implement some kind of configuration reconciliation: Try to merge the changes made by multiple tabs. The expected behaviour here needs further specification. What should happen if two tabs change the same formatting options?
3. Lock the setting on all but the first open tab, so no conflicts can arise.

Please reply with the option you would prefer and why. Feel free to offer different solutions as well.

[robdy]

If it's really needed I'd suggest "refresh" button for cases when you changed formating on one tab and want to use it on another one. Not sure about others but I never used more than one instance so it can just pull the data once app is loaded and never check again (for me).

[Cu3PO42]

I’m not sure this really solves the problem of potentially unexpected behavior, i.e. loosing options if you close the tabs in the wrong order. I’m trying to account for the unaware user here.

[robdy]

Hmm, for such cases maybe go with 'keep both but rename the newest' approach? Or let open multiple tabs but don't let open 'fragile' settings on more than one. So I can view results on all tabs but will receive error message if I try to change settings on more than one tab.

[Cu3PO42]

Locking the settings on all but the first open tab might be a viable option. Alternatively I could always sync all changes between tabs but I'm not sure that's an engineering effort I want to undertake for a relatively small feature.

Although some issues still remain. Right now the state of filters and such is stored and overwriting might still apply to those, but that is probably not as bad.

[Cu3PO42]

Actually I've found what should be a relatively simple way to sync the settings between tabs in real time, so that is probably what I'm going to do.