Aligning tabbed layouts across files? Maximize?

[kennedy]

Okay, within a file I have numerous layouts that use a tabbed metaphor (you can see it if you like in the Template I posted to the Sample Files forum). As you move between layouts, everything is aligned such that the tabs don't move.

But how do you handle when tabs take you to different files? The desired appearance is that you're in the same window, just a different tab. For that, the window shouldn't move! But you can't reposition windows, can you? And you can't lock the position of a window, can you? You can't say open this window in the same spot as the current window, can you?

So, it seems the only solution is to Maximize the window. But that's icky, too... most users don't want you to take over their entire screen... especially when its with a lot of blank space.

Advice?

[Vaughan]

I do two things: firstly, each tab layout has the margins set to zero so it doesn't move when printers change.

Secondly, I maximise all windows -- I never hide or restore/zoom them -- and use the "Refresh Window [bring to front]" script step to shuffle which files are visible to the user.

If you can get buttons etc aligned perfectly on each layout it minimises the "jitter" as windows are switched.

[kennedy]

All maximized is okay... but feels wrong on modern large displays.

Ray pointed out that you can maximize and then zoom, which will leave it sized properly in the upper left corner. That seems to be working good, with one exception...

I can't prevent the flash of the surrounding window. I do:

Freeze Window

Go to Layout

Set Zoom [Locked, 100%]

Toggle Status Area [Locked, Hide]

Toggle Window [Maximize]

Toggle Window [Zoom]

Go to Layout [original layout]

Refresh Window

The freeze doesn't seem to prevent the flash. My guess is that the freeze prevents it from redrawing the window contents, but does not stop the window from being drawn large and then small. My guess is that's unavoidable as they necessarily must make calls out to the OS window system.

Any other way to make this happen, sans flash???

Oh well, worst case the screen flash helps hide the fact that the menubar inside the window flashes due to the transparent merge fields.

[CobaltSky]

To move up to the next level with this, you really need to check out some of the plug-ins that offer windowing functionality. The best I've encountered to date is Atomic WindowUtility:

http://www.practicemaker.com/WindowUtility.htm

...but there are a few other contenders.