Feature request: multiple tabs

mjbaldwin

I discovered the "multiple windows" trick/hack/bug to open 2 Zotero windows at the same time on a Mac, by minimizing the first window and then using Cmd+0 to "open" the main window which actually opens a second instance.

And it's been an absolute GODSEND -- I have a deep, tall folder library and often need to keep my space in multiple places at once -- so I can work in two far-apart folders at the same time, or keep one folder open while I search my library for a different document.

Now windows are great, but my laptop screen is only 13", so honestly what would be even more useful would be tabs. I can say I would normally use Zotero with 3-4 tabs open *always* -- one tab for my "main" folder I'm working in, a second and third tab for "related" folders, and a fourth tab kept open for looking up items in my library overall. And then be able to drag-and-drop between tabs by dragging to an open tab which would then, after a delay of a second or two, switch to that new tab -- just like Finder.

I don't know if the underlying Firefox engine makes it easy to expose native Firefox tabs? If not, it feels like it could be implemented by building a custom, relatively simple tab interface in HTML, and then embedded existing Zotero windows as iframes. That way you wouldn't have to worry about collisions of ID's etc. -- each iframe still operates entirely independently.

BrunoGebarski

I think it would be a marvelous feature to be able to create tabs windows inside of Zotero [See extraordinary Opus for Windows File Manager] in order to research inside of personal libraries exceeding 10 Gyg of data : Thank you!

gpatten

I support this request: tabs would be very helpful.

isabelleheadrick

I support this as well: I see that Z now does this with pdfs opened within the application, but I would like to just be able to open tabs of the main window to be able to keep multiple places open at once.

archaeo_arizona

Wow @mjbaldwin you have changed my life. Yes please re: feature request multiple tabs!

till.grallert

This is amazing! Thank you @mjbaldwin for sharing this hack. Now we need official support for opening collections, searches etc. in tabs.

sungwook.woo

Wow, I just stumbled upon this thread, through googling after realizing there's a now tab interface on my Zotero window but not being able to find a way to add a new tab.

For me, personally, I prefer multiple *windows*, rather than just tabs (even though I do agree multiple tabs themselves will be super-helpful as well), so I'd like to feature-request for *both* multiple windows and multiple tabs, just as in Evernote or most browsers.
(For now, super-thanks to @mjbaldwin for publicizing this very useful hack!)

ifree

Here is a script^[1] I have been using for a while to save and restore tab groups in zotero. Check it out if you are interested.

[1]: https://gist.github.com/ifree/a91b68dbe1a6927bd9fd8ba4b67aad6a

mileallen

For those still looking, here's a workaround until they bring this feature. A way to toggle between two items on which you want to work simultaneously. Assign a shortcut to this script. It bookmarks the item you are currently on, and you can move to another. Pressing that same shortcut again now toggles between these two items. For some uses cases, it satisfactorily reproduces a tab-switching effect.

A simple 12-line script for windingwind's 'Actions and Tags' plugin.

Script: https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/discussions/478

Plugin: https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-actions-tags/

bigben446

@mileallen
太厉害了，圆满解决问题，非常感谢！
Awesome! The problem is perfectly solved. Thank you so much!