Closed Bug 549061 Opened 14 years ago Closed 14 years ago

[Windows] New Style for Tabs

Categories

(Firefox :: Theme, enhancement)

All
Windows 7
enhancement
Not set
normal

Tracking

()

RESOLVED FIXED
Firefox 3.7a5

People

(Reporter: shorlander, Assigned: dao)

References

Details

Attachments

(3 files, 1 obsolete file)

Attached image New Tab Style
Implement new visual style for tabs.
Blocks: 544820
Isn't the first comment supposed to contain a description?
(In reply to comment #1)
It is, in a way, a description.
The description should be in human readable form (many contributors are not coders). The bugzilla bug-entry-form requires information like: Details and Expected Results. This bug should at least provide these.
Are you sure you are commenting in the right bug? The first post contains an image. There's an expression, "an image says more than a thousand words". I don't think you need to be a coder to understand it ;)
Ah! You're right. Most screen shots say "screen shot" in the attachment's description.

I see:

- tabs seem a bit more spaced apart (good idea)

- there is no close button on the background tabs (bad IMO)

- added a "Home" tab (danger: forces users to open tabs -> confusing for n00bs?)

- progress bar for page-loading on tip of each tab (sweet)

- Tabs are above the UI (bad * n) :-( :-( :-(

Any other changes?
(In reply to comment #5)
For tabs over the navigation bar, see bug 544815.
For the close buttons, there is a pref that controls that in about:config, so you can opt-out of it.
I would really like to see the UI for tab overflow as I have yet to see it in any of the mockups or even described.
Is there a danger that, with the new home tab, users will go to the home tab, open a site from there, which opens a new tab, and then go back to the new home tab to open another site in jet another new tab? Repeat until there are *many* tabs open. Since many users don't understand (or care about) tabs, and especially (but not primarily) since there seems to be no close button on the tabs, this will likely result in many users inadvertently having a plethora (i.e., a boatload) of open tabs.
I should note that this bug is about the *visual* style of the tabs. It does not pertain to things like tab placement, home tab, apps tabs, progress line, etc. Those things have separate bugs.

Since this is a visual change the images are better suited to show what needs to change than a lengthy explanation. Some specifics:

- Background tabs are translucent on Windows with Aero Glass enabled

- Will probably need theme specific colors for non-Aero and Windows XP themes

- Tabs-Underneath active tab has a specific style (basically tab-top+toolbar texture shrunken)
Are planning to have a visible close button?
(In reply to comment #10)
> Are planning to have a visible close button?

Initially we talked about having it visible on hover but there is some concern about being able to target the close button if you don't know where it is before you start to move your cursor.
Attached image New Tab Style with close buttons (obsolete) —
I really like old Stephen's Mockup with close buttons. Close buttons missing are very uncomfortable.
Quick notes from UX team discussion: plan is to have visible close buttons all of the time, but make them light and etched into the tab.  We will remove the close buttons during overflow (like we currently do), but likely in two stages, first removing them when tabs hit the current overflow width, and then allowing tabs to shrink down a bit more (smaller than current overflow width) before we actually engage overflow.  Need to file a follow up bug on that later part.
Attached patch patchSplinter Review
needs more polish, but I think this can land in the meantime
Assignee: nobody → dao
Status: NEW → ASSIGNED
Attachment #437008 - Flags: review?(rflint)
Comment on attachment 437008 [details] [diff] [review]
patch

not sure if Ryan has time for this
Attachment #437008 - Flags: review?(gavin.sharp)
Will this style include bookmarks background image and nav bar image (tabs on top)?
Blocks: 457187
Tabs on Top look pretty out of whack now... is it possible to land this sooner?
Comment on attachment 437008 [details] [diff] [review]
patch

>diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs-aero.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs-aero.png
>diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs.png
>diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab-aero.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab-aero.png
>diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab.png

What are these changes?

All the scrollbutton styling removals makes the tab bar scroll buttons looks kind of strange (e.g. http://grab.by/3RWC ). Was that intentional? Are there plans to revise these further or something?

I didn't really review whether this introduces any redundant style rules or whether this is the most efficient implementation technique, because I'm really bad at that - ideally someone like Ryan can look this over at some point. I don't think we should block on that necessarily though, especially if we're going to be iterating quickly.
Attachment #437008 - Flags: review?(gavin.sharp) → review+
(In reply to comment #18)
> (From update of attachment 437008 [details] [diff] [review])
> >diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs-aero.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs-aero.png
> >diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/alltabs.png
> >diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab-aero.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab-aero.png
> >diff --git a/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab.png b/browser/themes/winstripe/browser/tabbrowser/newtab.png
> 
> What are these changes?

I reduced the icon size.

> All the scrollbutton styling removals makes the tab bar scroll buttons looks
> kind of strange (e.g. http://grab.by/3RWC ). Was that intentional? Are there
> plans to revise these further or something?

Yes to all questions -- it was intentional but may change at any time. The mockups didn't cover it.
Attachment #437008 - Flags: review?(rflint)
While it it is true that mockups did not cover it, there is no logical reason to have them different from other tabs, at least not in size. After using Strata40 for many months, I consider scrollers as a background tab very comfortable.

Other thing is that judging by the screenshot scroller is cutting the normal tabs of. This doesn't look very good, neither from point of appearance nor consistency.
http://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/58c9dd4f0c1f
Status: ASSIGNED → RESOLVED
Closed: 14 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
Target Milestone: --- → Firefox 3.7a5
title on selected tab is no longer bold.
this should be bold ?
Depends on: 560507
The tab borders seem 'louder' than before... is that intended as per the new theme? 

Otherwise the new shape of tabs is pretty decent.
Depends on: 560514
Depends on: 560562
Depends on: 560581
No longer depends on: 560562
Blocks: 439307
Does anybody else think that the tabs are a little bit thin? I find those tabs very difficult to use if they are that in on a tablet PC. I think those tabs are a little bit difficult if anyone is using touch based computers.
Also, the text seems too big for the tabs or that the tabs need to be bigger.
(In reply to comment #24)
> Does anybody else think that the tabs are a little bit thin? I find those tabs
> very difficult to use if they are that in on a tablet PC. I think those tabs
> are a little bit difficult if anyone is using touch based computers.
> Also, the text seems too big for the tabs or that the tabs need to be bigger.

ModestTab ( https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/111669/ ) is there for the people who need it.
Currently it is possible to adjust the height of the tab userChrome.CSS.

I have it set so the tabs are a bit larger. It doesn't seem to affect the appearance of the tabs. Since the next version of Firefox has a more complicated design I hope this setting does not make Firefox look weird.
I'll give you an advise: Instead of just thinking how it would look, make yourself a favor and try it.
I have tried the nightly build of Firefox. And the tabs are a little bit blurry. I think it's because the tabs are a bitmap.
No, try Strata40/StrataBuddy.
Strata40/StrataBuddy overrides the userChrome.css.
Do you know  which file (and line) in the Strata40/StrataBuddy extension increases the height?
This isn't a forum, please move this discussion somewhere else.
(In reply to comment #30)
> Strata40/StrataBuddy overrides the userChrome.css.
> Do you know  which file (and line) in the Strata40/StrataBuddy extension
> increases the height?

They are using images instead of CSS.
Which is letting me wonder: Why FX can't use same approach? What is the issue that prevents this method? I'm asking with pure curiosity.
(In reply to comment #32)
> (In reply to comment #30)
> > Strata40/StrataBuddy overrides the userChrome.css.
> > Do you know  which file (and line) in the Strata40/StrataBuddy extension
> > increases the height?
> 
> They are using images instead of CSS.
> Which is letting me wonder: Why FX can't use same approach? What is the issue
> that prevents this method? I'm asking with pure curiosity.

CSS gradients are simpler, and doesn't use up as much disk space.
(In reply to comment #32)

> They are using images instead of CSS.
> Which is letting me wonder: Why FX can't use same approach? What is the issue
> that prevents this method? I'm asking with pure curiosity.

which images? i will just edit those. and do you need to change some of the non image files so it displays correctly?
Now this is WAY OT. If you want to talk about S40, go here: http://spewboy.deviantart.com/art/Strata40-v0-6-2-132191373
Why was this bug closed? Looking at the latest trunk builds, the tabs don't look like the attachments.
look at the follow up bugs.
Attachment #430095 - Attachment is obsolete: true
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