Feature: Auto-Set Window Title To File Name

by Alex Johnson 44 views

Have you ever found yourself juggling multiple files of the same type, only to be met with a sea of identical window titles? It's a common frustration, especially when working with applications like PDF viewers or spreadsheet programs. This article discusses the proposal to add a feature that automatically sets the window title to the name of the opened file, enhancing user experience and productivity. This improvement makes multitasking more efficient and window management much smoother.

Motivation Behind Automatically Setting Window Titles

When you open several files of the same type in an application, the application often displays the same generic name in the window title for all instances. Imagine having multiple PDF documents or spreadsheets open simultaneously – all with the same title! This makes it incredibly difficult to distinguish between them, forcing you to click through each window to find the one you need. This not only slows down your workflow but also leads to a frustrating user experience. Application developers should have the ability to opt-in to automatically setting their app's window title to the opened file's name. This would significantly help users quickly identify which file is open in which window. Improving multitasking and window management is the core motivation behind this feature.

This proposed feature addresses this problem directly. By allowing applications to automatically display the opened file's name in the window title, users can instantly identify and switch between different documents. This simple change can have a profound impact on productivity and ease of use. Furthermore, this feature should be configurable through the app settings in the developer center, giving developers control over their app's window behavior. This ensures that developers can tailor the window title behavior to best suit their application and users' needs.

Understanding the Current Behavior

Currently, the behavior when opening multiple files in the same application is less than ideal. All windows display the same title, typically the application's name. This provides no context about the specific file open in each window. There is no built-in way for developers to configure their applications to automatically use the opened file's name as the window title. This limitation can lead to considerable user frustration, especially when dealing with numerous files simultaneously.

To illustrate this, consider the following scenario:

  1. You are working on the Puter desktop.
  2. You need to compare two different PDF files, such as “document1.pdf” and “document2.pdf”.
  3. You open both PDF files using the default PDF viewer application.
  4. The observation: Both windows display the same title (the application name), making it impossible to distinguish which window contains which document without manually clicking through each one.
  5. You then navigate to the developer center to explore application settings.
  6. The observation: There is no setting available to control window title behavior for opened files.

This example clearly demonstrates the need for a solution. Users are forced to rely on trial and error to find the correct window, which is time-consuming and inefficient. The lack of a configuration option for developers further exacerbates the problem, leaving them unable to improve the user experience in this regard.

Expected Behavior and the Solution

The expected behavior is that developers should have the option to enable a setting in the app edit section that automatically sets the window title to the opened file's name when users open files in their application. When this setting is enabled, the window title should display the file's basename (the file name without the full path) instead of just the application name.

This enhancement would provide a clear and immediate indication of the file open in each window, greatly simplifying window management and multitasking. Users would be able to quickly identify and switch between files, leading to a more efficient and less frustrating experience. The solution involves adding a configurable option within the application settings, giving developers the flexibility to implement this behavior according to their needs.

Acceptance Criteria

To ensure the successful implementation of this feature, the following acceptance criteria should be met:

  • A new checkbox option: A new checkbox option should be available in the app edit section labeled “Automatically set window title to opened file’s name”. This provides a clear and intuitive way for developers to enable the feature.
  • Proper saving of checkbox state: The checkbox state (whether it is checked or unchecked) must be properly saved when updating an app’s settings. This ensures that the setting persists across sessions.
  • Correct loading and display: The checkbox state should be correctly loaded and displayed when editing an existing app. This allows developers to easily review and modify their settings.
  • Dynamic window title: When the setting is enabled for an app, opening a file in that app should set the window title to the file’s name. This is the core functionality of the feature.
  • Form change tracking: The form change tracking system should properly detect changes to this new checkbox. This ensures that users are prompted to save their changes before navigating away from the settings page.
  • Reset functionality: The reset functionality should properly restore the original checkbox state when discarding changes. This provides a way for developers to revert to the previously saved settings.

Verification Process

To ensure the quality and functionality of this new feature, a comprehensive verification process is essential. This process includes both manual and automated testing to cover all aspects of the implementation.

Manual Testing

Manual testing involves step-by-step verification of the feature's behavior by a human tester. This approach is crucial for identifying usability issues and ensuring that the feature meets the expected requirements. The following steps outline the manual testing process:

  1. Accessing the Developer Center: Open the developer center and navigate to edit an existing application. This is the starting point for configuring the new feature.
  2. Verifying Checkbox Appearance: Verify that the new checkbox appears in the app settings with an appropriate label and description. This ensures that the user interface is clear and intuitive.
  3. Enabling the Checkbox: Enable the checkbox and save the application settings. This tests the basic functionality of the setting.
  4. Reloading the App Edit Page: Reload the app edit page and verify that the checkbox remains checked. This confirms that the setting is being saved and loaded correctly.
  5. Opening a File: Open a file with a specific name (e.g., “test-document.pdf”) using the configured application. This is the core test for the feature's functionality.
  6. Verifying Window Title: Verify that the window title displays “test-document.pdf” instead of just the application name. This confirms that the window title is being set correctly.
  7. Testing Multiple Files: Open multiple different files in the same application and verify that each window shows its respective file name. This ensures that the feature works correctly with multiple instances.
  8. Testing Form Change Detection: Test the form change detection by toggling the checkbox and verifying that the save/cancel buttons respond appropriately. This confirms that the user is prompted to save changes.
  9. Testing Reset Functionality: Test the reset functionality by making changes and clicking cancel to verify that the checkbox returns to its original state. This ensures that users can revert to previous settings.

Automated Testing

Automated testing involves using software to run tests and verify the functionality of the feature. This approach is efficient for regression testing and ensuring that no new issues are introduced. The following steps outline the automated testing process:

  1. Running the Existing Test Suite: Run the existing test suite to ensure that no regressions were introduced in the app settings functionality. This is a critical step to maintain the stability of the application.

By combining manual and automated testing, a thorough verification process can be achieved, ensuring that the new feature functions correctly and enhances the user experience.

Conclusion

The proposal to automatically set the window title to the opened file's name is a significant step towards improving user experience and productivity. By addressing the common frustration of managing multiple files with identical window titles, this feature promises to streamline workflows and simplify window management. The detailed acceptance criteria and verification process outlined ensure that the implementation is robust and meets the needs of both developers and users. This enhancement ultimately contributes to a more intuitive and efficient application environment.

For more information on application development best practices, visit Application Development Guide.