[Ext] Unified Back-/Forward Button 0.6 [Aug 25]

Announce and Discuss the Latest Theme and Extension Releases.
Locked
User avatar
XerBlade
Posts: 865
Joined: October 4th, 2005, 10:45 pm
Location: Nashville, TN, US

Post by XerBlade »

All right, I was building up some little bugs/extension conflicts caused by this extension, and I've forgotten all but 2....
Anyway, here are those 2:
1) With Reveal, thumbnail previews on Back/Forward buttons do not work with Unified BF.
2) With EZNav, middle-click on Back/Forward to navigate up/down sequentially in numbered URLs does not work with Unified BF if Back/Forward is disabled at the time (which, naturally, ends up defeating basically the entire purpose with the Forward one, since the most you can ever do in a row would be one).
User Agent
Extensions
AMD64/2.41GHz RAM/1.0GB ATI/256MB-GDDR3/128-bit/8xAGP Cable6.0M/384kbps
Kris Silver
Posts: 454
Joined: July 21st, 2004, 12:30 pm

Post by Kris Silver »

First of all, great extension, I really hope this becomes default in Firefox because with some improvements, it really is much easier. Some feedback:

1. The back, forward, and dropdown button should not be bolted together as one drag and drop item, they should all be seperate. Users as per present should be able to not have a forward button for instance, or just have a dropdown, its enabling choice not forcing only 1 way.

2. The back and forward buttons should remain the same size as per standard with Firefox's back, forwards, and all other icons for that matter. Making the back button for instance smaller than the reload button, is not consistent UI, and over emphasises stop, reload and other icons all one size, whilst de-emphasising and making harder to click, the back and small buttons. In any case the back button is used by vastly more users than the reload button so should definitely not be small, all buttons regardless should remain consistently the same size in the UI.

3. The overall back/forward dropdown list is in the same place as the standard forwards dropdown as per present. This is very confusing, and many users will look at that, and rightly think, well the back button dropdown list has alltogether gone, whilst the forwars one, has for some reason remained, wierd cos I dont even use forwards (because of course most dont). The dropdown list should be in between the back and forwards button by default, but with it also as a seperate item, moveable.
old zeniko
Posts: 0
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by old zeniko »

@Kris:
1. Users are able to do that through userChrome.css (see the first post). Allowing to do this through the Customize window is too much of a hassle to implement (for me anyway).

2. The new button should be of the same size as the original Back and Forward buttons. If it isn't, that's due to your theme. If you want to have a bigger Back button part, try applying the "Fitts' Back Button" style from the first post.

3. The reason for having the dropmarker at the right and not in the middle is that this makes it easier to hit. It's quite small a target which increases the chance of accidentally missing it to the right or to the left. Having it in the middle will cause an action no matter to which side you miss it, having it at the right allows to miss it to the right side without any unintended consequence. -- And with some themes, when you hover over the dropmarker, the whole button is activated (other theme's being IMHO broken when they don't give the appropriate feedback).
Kris Silver
Posts: 454
Joined: July 21st, 2004, 12:30 pm

Post by Kris Silver »

1. Users should not have to have buttons bundled together, and have to do extra fairly advanced things above and beyond installing and extension, to unbundle them to be consistent with the interface, which is a fundamental thing to not break and keep consistently correct. Its concerning you dont have time then to put it right, I'm sure its much easier than you think, if not I'm sure someone else within the community would be willing to help, to avoid users installing the extension having to put it right manually many more times seperately.

2. I have the default theme, and the back forward buttons on there own, are now at least 20% smaller than previously, and compared with the standard Firefox button size (i.e reload). I see no reason why this should be the case and it needs investigating. I'm one of the few users out there realistically speaking that is comfortable with editing the user chrome and have done so, which seems to make both buttons (the arrow signs themselves in particular and the button) default size again. But of course the word back has been gained which isnt desired.

3. The con you outline is noway near as bad as the con of misplacing and placing un logically, and inconsistent with the interface thats used to and should continue. In anycase with it un logically where it is (worst con) users are just as likely to accidentally hit stop, or forwards. The fact is it is place in an unlogical place, contradicting the interface and therefore confusing users. The dropdown there is associated with the forward dropdown, it still being there most users following the general layout and logic of the interface that there are used to (and is correct) will still think it is only a forward list, and not both as its not even near the back button. This is also connected with the buttons being seperate which they should be.
old zeniko
Posts: 0
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by old zeniko »

@Kris:
1. If they don't want that, they are kindly requested not to use the buttons provided by this extension. If somebody else wants to step up to work on this or a similar extension, consider the extension released under the usual GPL/LGPL/MPL tri-license.

2. WFM. Would you mind posting a screenshot?

3. User are not just as likely to hit stop, because there's a tiny gap between the two buttons. And having the drop-down in between Back and Forward will according to your logic just associate it with the Back instead of the Forward part.
User avatar
dougeeebear
Posts: 548
Joined: September 15th, 2005, 4:17 pm

Post by dougeeebear »

Kris,
This is my custom button for this extension.
Since you use the default theme (as I do), you might like this setup.
Just add <a href="data:application/x-javascript;charset=utf-8;base64,I3VuaWJhZm8gPiB0b29sYmFyYnV0dG9uIHsNCiAgIGRpc3BsYXk6IG5vbmUgIWltcG9ydGFudDsgfQ0KDQojdW5pYmFmbyA%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">THIS</a> to your userChrome.css (or Stylish).
Note that you need to have the extension button in place on the toolbar, since my button replaces it.
Kris Silver
Posts: 454
Joined: July 21st, 2004, 12:30 pm

Post by Kris Silver »

1. Surely as you've managed to build the extension in the first place, and you have the time to post here, you can spend a little time as a developer, developing the extension in these simple ways? There's no sign of even a I shall try the odd hour here and there (which I'm sure you have to be able to post on the forums) over the coming weeks. I've worked with, liased and helped on usability for many addons with devs, and devs by theyre very nature should always look to take responsiblity for there work, look to improve it where they can, and dont just leave users with problems, or corrections/improvements out on a wing. If its really not possible then please at least try to find someone to help, because its a laudable feature for Firefox I commend you for, but if you plan to make little to no corrections of improvements, you should at least try to continue its development in the open community so it doesnt become stagnant. Even Doug here has managed to knock something up allbeit not really the improvements needed, so clearly theres lots of people with the skills, willing to help if you really dont have the time.

2. After adding dougs userchrome then removing everything that was in there, the buttons seem to be an ok size, wierd, so dont worry.

3. AFAIK there is no gap between any buttons in the Firefox default theme interface. The buttons run fluidly one to the next. I would look into this because I've even just installed Firefox on a new machine and can confirm there is no such gap, either one button or the other is selected. Please confirm.
old zeniko
Posts: 0
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by old zeniko »

@Kris:
1. I'm convinced that my design is sound and don't feel like reworking the extension. Take it or leave it -- or at least offer a reasonable payment for my efforts. ;)

3. Indeed, the 2px gap is only present when you use small icons (where hitting the drop-marker gets more difficult).
Kris Silver
Posts: 454
Joined: July 21st, 2004, 12:30 pm

Post by Kris Silver »

1. There is no way you are correct because your button bundles seperate buttons together, disabling the user from re-arranging, removing some as per consistent with the Firefox interface. Your extension simply put, breaks this. So your in the wrong, its users that matter not your view, and your implementation contradicts the Firefox interface and what users experience and expect, and thats not buttons and functions stuck together disabling moving one or the other, or highlighting just one.

The fact you only seem to really take into account your own view and even ask for money shows your not really following the selfless, for user ethos for a free open source product, in an open source, open community. That shows a lot of your developing quality and ethos in an open community centred around open debate and development for the benefit of the user. This is a great shame and one would only hope that your truly consider this, thankyou.
old zeniko
Posts: 0
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by old zeniko »

@Kris:
1. You still don't get it, do you? The extension's name is "Unified Back-/Forward Button". If you don't want both buttons melded together into one button, then by all means don't use this extension.

As for your "community" rambling: Would you have preferred me never to release this extension in the first place? And to put this straight: I've never asked for money.
User avatar
XerBlade
Posts: 865
Joined: October 4th, 2005, 10:45 pm
Location: Nashville, TN, US

Post by XerBlade »

< Finds this entire debate strangely funny.
User Agent
Extensions
AMD64/2.41GHz RAM/1.0GB ATI/256MB-GDDR3/128-bit/8xAGP Cable6.0M/384kbps
Pasqui
Posts: 51
Joined: December 2nd, 2003, 11:59 am

Post by Pasqui »

@zeniko
Thanks for this extension. I'm definitely happy with it as it is ! :)
mc2
Posts: 3
Joined: March 25th, 2006, 10:49 pm

Post by mc2 »

A very small bug:
double right click the back-/forward button, then the toolbar context menu will still appear
add context="" to <toolbarbutton>, the toolbar context will die out, then you can delete the aEvent.preventDefault(); :wink:

another bug with IETab:
when change the tab to IE tab and browse, the back-/forward button doesn't show the history but the original does
(I know IETab doesn't compatible well with the browser history...)
old zeniko
Posts: 0
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 5:00 pm

Post by old zeniko »

mc2 wrote:double right click the back-/forward button, then the toolbar context menu will still appear

This is the intended behavior (a compromise between needing single-right-click for the button's own popup and not completely disabling the toolbar's context menu which I'd expect in all places equally).

mc2 wrote:another bug with IETab:

AFAICT IETab hacks into the original Back and Forward buttons to make them compatible. You'll have to see with IETab's authors if you want this fixed (although I doubt they'll invest much time into this incompatibility).
Change
Posts: 43
Joined: December 1st, 2003, 1:16 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Post by Change »

Thanks for this wonderful extension! I absolutely love it.

Just wondering one thing:
zeniko wrote:
dougeeebear wrote:Would it be possible to add a single item to the web page context menu which would display the back/forward dropdown history list only?

Add <a href="data:text/javascript,%2F*%20Add%20a%20%22Tab%20History%22%20submenu%20to%20the%20context%20menu%20(requires%20Unified%20Back-%2FForward%20Button)%20*%2F%0A(function()%20%7B%0A%09var%20contextMenu%20%3D%20document.getElementById(%22contentAreaContextMenu%22)%3B%0A%09%0A%09var%20menuitem%20%3D%20document.createElement(%22menu%22)%3B%0A%09menuitem.setAttribute(%22label%22%2C%20%22Tab%20History%22)%3B%0A%09menuitem.setAttribute(%22accesskey%22%2C%20%22H%22)%3B%0A%09menuitem.id%20%3D%20%22context-unibafo%22%3B%0A%09%0A%09var%20popup%20%3D%20document.createElement(%22menupopup%22)%3B%0A%09popup.setAttribute(%22onclick%22%2C%20%22checkForMiddleClick(this%2C%20even)%3B%22)%3B%0A%09popup.setAttribute(%22oncommand%22%2C%20%22gotoHistoryIndex(event)%3B%22)%3B%0A%09popup.setAttribute(%22onpopupshowing%22%2C%20%22UniBaFo.onPopupShowing(this)%3B%22)%3B%0A%09menuitem.appendChild(popup)%3B%0A%09%0A%09contextMenu.insertBefore(menuitem%2C%20document.getElementById(%22context-stop%22).nextSibling)%3B%0A%09contextMenu.addEventListener(%22popupshowing%22%2C%20function()%20%7B%0A%09%09goSetCommandEnabled(menuitem.id%2C%20document.getElementById(%22Browser%3ABack%22).getAttribute(%22disabled%22)%20!%3D%20%22true%22%20%7C%7C%20document.getElementById(%22Browser%3AForward%22).getAttribute(%22disabled%22)%20!%3D%20%22true%22)%3B%0A%09%7D%2C%20false)%3B%0A%7D)()%3B%0A">these lines</a> to your userChrome.js (you'll have to install that extension first) and <a href="data:text/css,%23context-unibafo%20menuitem%5Bcurrent%3D%22true%22%5D%20%7B%0A%09font-weight%3A%20bold%20!important%3B%0A%09list-style-image%3A%20url(chrome%3A%2F%2Fglobal%2Fskin%2Fmenu%2Fmenu-radio.gif)%20!important%3B%0A%7D%0A%23context-unibafo%20menuitem%5Bquicknav%3D%22true%22%5D%20%7B%0A%09font-style%3A%20italic%20!important%3B%0A%09list-style-image%3A%20url(chrome%3A%2F%2Fglobal%2Fskin%2Ftoolbar%2Fchevron.gif)%20!important%3B%0A%7D%0A">these lines</a> to your userChrome.css and you should get what you asked for.


Why did you choose to default to the current sorting order, instead of copying Internet Explorer 7's sorting order? The latter would work less confusing for those who switch no?
Locked