1397260 - Console messages <-> line numbers are hard to follow on wide screens (too much space in between)

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1519904

(DevTools :: Console, defect, P3)

Description

[Jens]

Attachment: console_space_between_text_and_line_number00.png

When reading DevTools' console messages I find it pretty hard to read the

  <message-text>   __lots_of_space__   <line-number>

Reading the messages and looking at line numbers feels a bit watching tennis: Eyes left (message), then turn right (line number) etc. 

It's even harder to associate a certain line number to the correct message because there are not lines or similar guidance on the message items.

Comment 1

[Jens]

Attachment: another example with expanded message

Comment 2

[Nicolas Chevobbe [:nchevobbe]]

Attachment: blue-background on hover

For messages we have a blue border on hover that might help connect a location to its message.
I'll check with people on the team to see if we can do better

Comment 3

[Jens]

Yeah, i know, but even in your screenshot I have kind of this tennis eyes-left_eyes-right_eyes-left effect. FWIW, in the netmonitor there's alternating lines.

It's strange, usually, there's not enough space in the DevTools components, here it's the other way around ;) I'm not an UX expert. Maybe you have some nice features planned which could go in a left/right panel then the problem would be solved already ;) 

OTOH, the filter panel could be add to the left. There's enough horizontal space, but by far not enough vertical space. Would maybe not work so nice if the Console is toggled within other tools though. But maybe make this an option. Just an idea.

A feature I can think of to be added to the right (also expandable/collapsable like "Rule View" in Inspector or "Files view" in Debugger) could be if the not just the file+line-number would be shown but also a preview of this line. That is, the actual code for this very line. Which when hovering, would show more context. Like the (ev) bubble in Inspector does. Atm I always have to click, which loads the Debugger ("disrupting" context and tool switch).

Comment 4

[Jefry Lagrange]

Attachment: Bug1508584.patch

Comment 5

[Nicolas Chevobbe [:nchevobbe]]

Setting this as a dupe of Bug 1519904, where the implementation will be done.