Browser Preview / Keep state

Ideas
1

I like the browser preview feature and that it always shows the actual project. Great stuff! There are two thing I think it can be improved:

  1. Save the preview switch. It's annoying to turn it on every time.
  2. I want to keep the local address constant. Every time I restart BSS I need to copy the link etc.

Points 1 & 2 would make preview a single click action. Not a multi click, copy, paste, reload etc.

1 Like
2
  • 1 for a way to make the browser preview setting stay put. I also find it annoying to have to constantly turn it on, then my Mac makes me click again to allow it, then I have to click the button to turn on whichever address of the 2 I want to use and then I have to close the window for the dialog. Just a tedious thing that could be avoided if all the settings were saved for our choices. I personally haven't seen any difference between the 2 addresses so I'm not sure why there are 2 ( think I asked about this once before, but I don't recall the answer lol ). Anyways, would be nice to just click a button and the preview opened on our chosen server address. Even if I have to click the allow for Mac, which will probably still be the case, that's still a lot less steps. :)
3

I like the way it is. Other people (if my firewall allows) on the lan can check my work, binding only to 127.0.0.1 would not allow that. enter image description here

4

Ok understandable, but it could at least give those of us that don't need dozens of connections the ability to not have to do all that. I don't know how many are like you, but I've never added any settings to my list, I have the same 2 default servers that it started with and only need to connect to one. Preview should be able to remain turned "on" at all times, and it should actually default to "on" in my opinion. Turning it "off" should be the option not the default as most everyone so far as I am aware in here "is" using the preview window.

I don't think most people are like you Marrco, I think most of us don't have to have so many connections and are sharing them with others. It should be a choice I think, so that those of us that don't need all that clicking can just have it on and go without having to click so many times just to open it.

This is also an issue when the app glitches, gets stuck, something goes funky etc. ( and it does ) and you have to restart the app. This means you have to go through all of that again. Tedious, as it should remember your settings.

5

Marrco, would work as well. Just set which preview addresses you like to use, press "open in browser" (single button only) and X windows are opened at once.

The best measure of usability is "clicks to result". Nothing else is necessary. Minimizing this KPI is all you need to think about.

6

I think the current solution is fine as is too it's 2-3 mouse clicks to activate so not much effort really.

I am seeing so many threads lately where people are picking the app apart for the smallest of issue and most aren't really must haves issues but are nice to haves.

7

Usability with minimal clicks is not a nice to have. It's a mandatory thing and immediately shows if this is a toy tool or not. Don't get me wrong, I like BSS a lot, that's why I'm posting here. Otherwise, I wouldn't spend a minute.

8

I would have to agree with Robert here. After all, this is the only app that I use that doesn't save my settings for preview preferences. If all the rest do it, then why is it not a good thing for this one to do it? Not only do all my other apps do this, they also give me options for preferred browsers as well. Just sayin', if it wasn't something people wanted, then all the other apps wouldn't bother doing it too... and they do :)

9

Thanks for starting this thread! You are right - the preview feature is due for an update. Here is what we can do:

  • Add a new tab to the Settings dialog, called Preview. It will contain a Port and a Preferred IP address.
  • Change how the Preview button works. We can add a down arrow next to the Preview button, like we do for Export and Publish. Clicking the Preview button will directly launch/switch to the browser if the preview is enabled, or show you a "Start Preview" dialog otherwise. Clicking the down arrow will give you "Stop Preview" (if it is running) and "Preview Settings", which will open the Settings dialog.

This will make the Preview feature consistent with how Export and Publish work. It is worth mentioning that if the chosen Port in settings is taken, the app will still have to choose one at random.

I will love to hear your thoughts on this!

10

I like this idea and support it. It will save clicks for those of us who do frequent previews. I also save to a BSS website and like it. Its good for links from the forum.

11

Martin sounds good and sure if the ports collide then bad luck. But 99.9% they won't.

Please consider marking one entry of IP & Port as default, which is used when I just press the "Preview" button and opens the browser. So it become a one-click action. With the automatic refresh (which I like a lot!!) it will be a no-brainer.

12

Thanks Martin, so glad to hear that this will be addressed. This app just keeps getting better and better!

13

Note that this thread is a year old, but as a new user and having searched the other forum posts, I can't see this facility as having been added yet.

Any developments on this ?

14

@glasgowsoftware no need to resuscitate an old thread. The developer gave an updated answer last week, just a few posts before yours. Here