TabBar workbench selector does not add tabs for workbenches not already loaded

[furgo16]

TabBar workbench selector does not add tabs for workbenches not already loaded

[maxwxyz]

So you mean: Just display the current WB on a fresh start and add new tabs if you want to change a WB?

[furgo16]

Not exactly (unless I haven't understood it correctly)

Currently:

• The tabs list contains only the auto-loaded workbenches
• The + sign opens a list of the rest of installed workbenches
• Choosing a workbench from the list loads it, it displays it, but it does not create a tab for it

This proposal:

• The tabs list contains only the auto-loaded workbenches
• The + sign opens a list of the rest of installed workbenches
• Choosing a workbench from the list loads it, displays it, and creates a tab for it. If the list of tabs exceeds the list's fixed width, the scrolling arrows are shown.

At the end of the day, this issue is about not having orphaned workbenches without tabs.

I hope this clarifies things.

[maxwxyz]

Why not use it like a tab in the file browser / terminal / web browser?

• Just load the defined WB which is set as default/start WB.
• If you create a sketch or double click a sketch or spreadsheet it automatically opens/adds the Sketcher WB as new tab (like you can open a link in a new tab in a web browser).
• You can manually open tabs with the + and choose from all active but not opened WB and these stay open as tabs.

You won't have many tabs open, only the one you need for your project. Toolbar stays clean and you can easily switch between the relevant WBs and add new ones only if you need them.

[furgo16]

That covers the essence of the proposal, which is not having tab-less workbenches, so I'd be fine with that too. A quick note:

• I still think it's useful to have a set of auto-loaded workbenches that are opened as tabs at startup. It's useful for quick access: you cannot always double click on an element and open the desired workbench. E.g. if I'm on the BIM workbench and I need to convert wires to a face to build a wall, I'll quickly switch to the Part workbench and then choose Part > Make face from wires. If I had to load the Part workbench explicitly first with the + button, it would add more overload.

[furgo16]

Trying to mention @FreeCAD/design-working-group for input does not seem to work, although it's the convention described at https://github.blog/2012-05-09-introducing-team-mentions. Does that team already exist? Is it mentionable only by members of the FreeCad organization on GitHub?