Open Bug 1178218 Opened 9 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Re-enable the toolbox minimize feature

Categories

(DevTools :: Framework, enhancement, P3)

enhancement

Tracking

(Not tracked)

REOPENED

People

(Reporter: pbro, Unassigned)

References

(Blocks 1 open bug)

Details

The toolbox-minimize feature was disabled in bug 1177463 because we didn't have a good idea about how the UI for this feature should look like and didn't want to ship the temporary UI to aurora. This bug should be used to re-enable this feature. Here's what it looked like: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1212936/lice/toolbox-min-demo.gif
Depends on: 1177463
Blocks: 1178216
For the discussion about the minimize feature UI, see from bug 867838 comment 26 to bug 867838 comment 33. Also another screenshot of the feature: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/714210/toolbox-minimize.gif
We are close to a year now. Is this something we are going to do? I'm asking because I end up hiting this dead piece of code and wonder if we should really maintain it. Is it really worth rewriting disabled code from xul to html or dechromify it?!
Firebug has a minimize button. The idea behind the button is to let it run in the background, so e.g. network requests are tracked. Here are some ideas how the UI could look like: To toggle minimization: - Button within the DevTools toolbar (like before) - Double-clicking the DevTools toolbar (or their edge) - Browser toolbar button (like Firebug has it) - Keyboard shortcut (like F12 in Firebug) Minimized state: - Display only the DevTools toolbar (like before) - Display only an icon in the corner of the browser window - Display the browser toolbar button differently (like Firebug, where colored = minimized, grayscale = disabled) Sebastian
Blocks: firebug-gaps
Severity: normal → enhancement
Priority: -- → P3
Depends on: 1450624
Heads up: In bug 1450624 I intend to remove the minimize feature.
Bug 1450624 has landed. Given the decision not to re-enable this feature, I'm resolving this as invalid.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 7 years ago
Resolution: --- → INVALID
> Given the decision not to re-enable this feature, I'm resolving this as invalid. Can you give some of the rationale behind this decision to close? As far as I could see from bug 1450624, the code was removed because it was considered less maintenance to remove the out-of-date code and to re-implement it once the UI questions were resolved, than to keep the disabled code 'live'. There is nothing in that bug that indicates that this feature is not wanted. There is a strong use-case for being able to hide the debugger UI whilst still capturing events in the background, and if there is not currently any way of doing that there should be an open bug to cover re-adding that lost functionality.
(In reply to Mark Clements from comment #6) > > Given the decision not to re-enable this feature, I'm resolving this as invalid. > > Can you give some of the rationale behind this decision to close? I don't know of any plans to revisit the minimize feature but Patrick should make the call on this. Re-opening for now.
Status: RESOLVED → REOPENED
Resolution: INVALID → ---
Product: Firefox → DevTools

I would like to see this feature in DevTools, because currently you have to aim for the edge of the panel and resize-minimize it yourself to use a page while network requests are being collected. In chrome you can resize tools by dragging not only the edge but also free space in devtools tab panel, but it still isn't as convenient as a single click. Maybe implement it not as a double-click on an edge, but as a devtools tab clicking behaviour (minimize devtools on click on a devtool tab that is already opened), maybe as a separate button. Either way the feature would be useful

Tried to visualize how the minimize button could look like and act (sorry for Russian on the screenshots, but the idea should be clear on its own): https://imgur.com/a/iZ42nbo

Details are described under the pictures, but in short - the minimize button would just make resizing to minimum faster. For side docking it would require some changes to make DevTools react to resizing below minimum.

For me this is very important feature. Mostly I am working using many windows opened. Using Developers Tools as a separate window for each site which I need to debug is very uncomfortable.

Maybe is possible to add this feature as a Firefox Add-on? For people which need this feature it will be easy to add, and the old code can be removed from official sources. It will be compromise solution for both sides.

Severity: normal → S3
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