Bookmark Functionality Improvements

[Michael Bulgrien]

@Scooter

I realize that this is a long post...but I do ask that you give it careful consideration. I truly believe that this is an example of an enhancement that would be relatively easy to implement, and would add significant value to your already awesome product. Thanks in advance...

Current Bookmark functionality

Set bookmark 1 using Shift+Ctrl+1
Set bookmark 2 elsewhere in file using Shift+Ctrl+2
Pressing Shift+Ctrl+1 removes (toggles off) bookmark 1 even if user is not currently at bookmark 1

Desired functionality

Set bookmark 1 using Shift+Ctrl+1
Set bookmark 2 elsewhere in file with Shift+Ctrl+2
Pressing Shift+Ctrl+1 jumps to bookmark 1 and selects the line.
Pressing Shift+Ctrl+1 when at the bookmark toggles (removes) the bookmark.

and/or

Pressing Shift+Ctrl+Alt+1 removes the bookmark whether the user is at the bookmark or not.

Reasons behind request

Currently it is very difficult to set two bookmarks in two different parts of a file then select all of the text enclosed by the two bookmarks. Just as it is an industry standard to modify a mouse-click with Shift+Ctrl to extend a selection from the previously selected line to the newly clicked line, I would like to do the same thing with bookmarks.

Press Ctrl+1 to jump to and select Bookmark 1
Press Shift+Ctrl+2 to extend the selection to include Bookmark 2 and all the lines in between.

I believe that this enhancement would be intuitive and consistent with the industry standard methodologies for creating multi-line selections and would be a valuable asset to the Beyond Compare user base. For example: it is not easy, today, to send a section of a text compare enclosed by two bookmarks to a Text Compare report. This enhancement (one that should be very easy to implement) would make such an effort a piece of cake.

Implications to current functionality

Although I realize that this implementation would change the current toggle functionality to require the user to be at a bookmark before toggling it on or off with a Shift+Ctrl+number keypress, I believe that the benefits would far outweigh any inconveniece to users who currently use this keypress to toggle off a bookmark that they are not actually sitting at. I, for one, have lost bookmarks on numerous occasions because I have accidentally included the Shift key when trying to jump back to a bookmark already created... Those that really have a need to remotely clear a specific bookmark could use the Shift+Ctrl+Alt modifier instead (if it were implemented).

Related Request

Many editors have a drop-down menu item to return to the last position they were at in the editor. For example:

Search -> Back

or

Search -> Goto last position

This is helpful if a user does a function, such as a Select All (Ctrl+A), that takes them away from the position in the file where their current work is focussed. After performing the Copy-All (or whatever function it was that took them away from where they were) they can jump back to the last cursor position they were at before navigating away. You "kind of" support this with the Goto command. If a user performs a Ctrl+A, the Goto command will contain the column and row where they were in the file when they issued the Ctrl+A. However, there are many more examples where Goto currently doesn't cut it. For example, I should be able to jump to a bookmark, then jump right back to where I was before jumping to the bookmark. Currently Goto loads the coordiantes of the bookmark when you jump to it instead of capturing and remembering the coordinates of where the user came from. So my request is that one or two things be done:

1. Either always load the prior position into the Goto dialog when the user moves to another location in the file... or
2. Leave the Goto logic alone and add a dedicated command to go back to the last position the user was in.

I am sure that you can see how beneficial this would be in many different circumstances. In the context of the above enhancement request, it would also allow a user to jump back to the position they were if a user is used the current way that Shift+Ctrl+number toggles off a bookmark remotely but, upon trying it, finds themselves jumped to the bookmark instead.

[Aaron]

Hello Michael,

The current functionality of the toggle actually places the bookmark at the new location at the same time it toggles it off in the old location, so this would change that behavior.

The basic desire behind this request is to be able to easily select a large block of text between a couple of defined points, correct? This is certainly reasonable. I sat down and talked with Craig for a little bit and I'll write up a Wishlist entry each for these two requests. Thanks for taking the time to write up a detailed request, providing some examples and a thought-out workflow.

[Michael Bulgrien]

Yes, the primary objective is to be able Select text between two bookmarks. However, I also personally dislike the fact that it is so easy to accidentally remove and/or move a bookmark I've taken the time to set. The changes I've recommended would take care of that problem too.

[Michael Bulgrien]

The current functionality of the toggle actually places the bookmark at the new location at the same time it toggles it off in the old location, so this would change that behavior.

I know that Team Scooter tries to keep things tidy by limiting the number of configurations and Tweaks in the product. However, if keeping this particular functionality the same for existing users is important, perhaps this is a good place to consider adding a new tweak:

[_] Setting a bookmark automatically moves the bookmark if it already exists.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the suggestion, Michael. If you have any additional ideas, just let us know and I'll update the wishlist entry. If any other forum users would like to add their thoughts/suggestions for bookmark behavior, I can update with that as well.