67617 - [meta] Option+double-click on Mac OS vs. Alt+double-click on Windows

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Core :: DOM: UI Events & Focus Handling, enhancement)

Description

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

Mac OS Finder behavior is for Option+double-click on a tree item to open the item 
in a new window, and close the existing window.

Windows Explorer behavior is for Alt+double-click on a tree item to open a 
`Properties' window for that item.

Currently, Mozilla is following the Windows behavior. I suggest that both 
platforms should have both behaviors available as follows:
* On Mac OS, Option+double-click should open the item in a new window and close
  the current window. Command+double-click should open the `Properties' window
  for the item.
* On other platforms, Alt+double-click should open the `Properties' window for
  the item. Ctrl+double-click should open the item in a new window and close the
  current window.

Bugs need to be filed to implement this in at least the following places:
* bookmarks
* history
* the mail folder pane
* the mail thread pane
* the address book
* (possibly) Composer.

Comment 1

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

[Reassigning to self]

Comment 2

[Jesse Ruderman]

On Windows, ctrl+double-click often means "open in new window" (as opposed 
to "open in current window" for double-click).  It sounds like you want 
ctrl+double-click to mean "open in new window and close current window" in any 
context where plain double-click means "open in new window".  That would make 
ctrl have opposite effects in different contexts...

Btw, what modifier is used for "open link in new window" on Mac?

Comment 3

[Jesse Ruderman]

I could see Ctrl+Alt+ or Shift+Alt+ double-click being used for this on 
Windows, though, if everyone agrees that this bug and bug 56690 are the best 
use of keyboard modifiers.

Comment 4

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

> what modifier is used for "open link in new window" on Mac?

Command+click. Note that `link' != `tree item'.

Comment 5

[timeless]

don't file the other bugs until you're sure you want us to do this work.

currently, our loading of these parent windows is cost prohibitive. I don't 
know if we support backspace to travel to parents. I know we don't have message 
center, and certainly not orphanned+grandchildless message centers. macos's 
behavior only makes sense for file systems.

would it be enough if the window was hidden?

Comment 6

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

This is not a spec bug (a bug in which spec, exactly?), it is an RFE. If you 
think it should be reassigned to `User Interface: Design Feedback' for approval 
or wontfixing first, then do that.

> I don't know if we support backspace to travel to parents.

That's not relevant.

> I know we don't have message center

Nor that. (Open a three-pane window, Option+double-click on a message: message 
opens in a standalone window, three-pane window closes.)

> And certainly not orphanned+grandchildless message centers.

Pardon?

>                                                             macos's behavior
> only makes sense for file systems.

Nope. To want to open a bookmark, and close the Bookmarks window which I found 
the bookmark in, in a single action (through the use of a modifier key) makes 
perfect sense.

> would it be enough if the window was hidden?

What does `hidden' mean?

Comment 7

[Jesse Ruderman]

I think it would be very confusing on Windows for ctrl to sometimes cause 
Mozilla to not replace the information you're looking at (link, sidebar tree), 
and sometimes cause Mozilla to replace the the information you're looking at 
(non-sidebar tree).  It sounds like you're also setting up similar, but less 
serious, problems on Mac by making command mean both "properties" and "new 
window".

Comment 8

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

-> Keyboard navigation for sentencing

Comment 9

[David Bolter [:davidb] (NeedInfo me for attention)]

Mass un-assigning bugs assigned to Aaron.

Comment 10

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The meta keyword is there, the bug doesn't depend on other bugs and there is no activity for 12 months.
:hsinyi, maybe it's time to close this bug?

Comment 11

[Hsin-Yi Tsai (she/her) [:hsinyi]]

This bug was reported for "open new window" behaviour change on IE 18 years ago. Close it as wontfix as it makes little sense that we change this super old behaviour while the world has been moving to "tabs", also assuming the originally reported IE behaviour changed, too. Feel free to open a new bug if you still see the issue cross platforms.