Ability to Open the Same File Multiple Times

[hstagner]

I would like the ability to open the same file multiple times. This is useful when writing long form notes/documents to view other sections of the document while working on a different section.

[taylorhadden]

Definitely understandable. Unfortunately not 100% straightforward to add.

The primary challenge here is the "Thread" model that the sliding panels & map is based on. Tangent is making the firm assertion that there aren't duplicate files within that thread right now. So, the question turns to how best to modify or extend this system to support having the same file side-by-side.

I'm going to spit-ball some options here for full visibility and discussion.

1. In-Panel Split

In this implementation, the note editor itself would be the thing that implements showing two at once. This would have a few effects.

• Introduce lenses / alternate views to notes 👍
• The two editors would always remain synced 👍
• It would require the introduction of dynamic minimum panel sizing (work, but ultimately 👍 )
• Things like the details/backlinks panel and the settings panel would be shared
• It adds some complexity & duplication to the note editor & note view state (i.e. the duplicate stuff for supporting two otherwise identical views) 👎

2. Change the Thread model to allow for duplicate entries

"Duplicate" is not allowed here; we'd need to differentiate somehow behind the scenes. Likely something like appending a #2 or whatever to the view state path ID.

• I do want to support multiple different lenses to the same file in the thread. This would require some kind of ID differentiation anyways, so it would play nicely there. 👍
• Each view is completely independent and requires no messy duplication. 👍
• Since each view is independent, a naive implementation would allow them to drift (e.g. if you follow a link from the left-most editor, does it come in between the two, or to the right of the other editor?) Solving this is non-obvious.
  • Could consider a string of views to the same file as a "block" or "cluster" for the purposes of link navigation. Navigating from anywhere in the block would place the new file to the left/right of the entire block.
  • Could allow for dynamically "pinning" or "stitching" panels together to create these blocks. This could be useful in other situations as well, but rapidly becomes complex and potentially fiddly.
  • Would need to solve the UX for spawning these new alternative views.
• Being able to manually drag-to-reposition files would be critical, but it's also something that should exist anyways. 👍
• I have no idea how exactly to represent this kind of a thing on the Map.

3. Add support for tabbed & side-by-side separate threads

The idea is that each "tab" has its own thread. If there is just a single file in the tab's thread, it looks like a normal tab. Add files to the thread, and you could have multiple independent threads running side-by-side.

• Gee-wiz factor is pretty high 👍
• Doesn't allow a pair of views to remain attached together 👎
• Complexity & mixed-metaphor factor is through the roof 👎 👎

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Ultimately, I think I lean towards option 2, but I'm pretty concerned about the level of complexity it adds. However, one of my primary imagined use cases for having multiple different lenses to the same file would be something like having a note that is a table-of-contents of links to other notes on the left with the notes in that ToC presented as a feed on the right. That's a pretty complex concept, it's something I want to add, and I think it requires most of the items within option 2.

Anybody else have thoughts?

[hamidb80]

I like the solution 3 more, but Taylor says it's too complex to implement, and I'm ultimately agree with him

as alternative solution (4), I use anchors to jump into other sections quickly in my code with help of extensions like https://github.com/alefragnani/vscode-numbered-bookmarks.git , and to be honest I'm happier compared to when I opened same file twice

[taylorhadden]

One of my other concerns with 3 is that it pulls away from the weirdness that makes Tangent unique. Tabs and split views are in pretty much editor environment. I'm pretty uninterested in treading such common ground. I'd rather rather lean into what's unique about Tangent and experiment with alternative metaphors.

[Wolf-SO]

When I read this suggestion (to solve an admittedly understandable problem), I immediately thought of receiving emails in Tangent. ;-)

Is it already possible to copy (and paste) a note as plain Markdown text? In that case, we could change easily tools when such rearrangement jobs have to be done.

[taylorhadden]

Is it already possible to copy (and paste) a note as plain Markdown text?

Copy & paste should work fine, it just won't remove Tangent-specific markup. Export & publish functionality will be the target of the v0.13.x cycle!

Receiving emails in Tangent

No joke, I think the next major step for the thoughts behind Tangent would be to create a window manager / linux distro. I think web browsing, email, notes, coding, all of it would benefit from a unified thread-based windowing system.

When is that happening? Not right now, that's for sure.

[hamidb80]

No joke, I think the next major step for the thoughts behind Tangent would be to create a window manager / linux distro. I think web browsing, email, notes, coding, all of it would benefit from a unified thread-based windowing system.

what you've described is "Tangent OS"
but you've named it "Tangent Not OS (notes)" (well, I thought it would be funny :/)

[taylorhadden]

That was pretty good, not gonna lie xD