[REQUEST] Fancy Zones -- Option For An Instant Feedback Experience

[nesherman]

Description of the new feature / enhancement

• STATEMENT

Visual feedback is important to show users when their interactions are detected, interpreted, and handled.

• PROBLEM

Fancy Zones in its current state provides a delayed-feedback experience. The user drags the window to the intended zone, but the cannot preview where the window will snap until it is finished dragging.

• EXAMPLE

Current Fancy Zones Snapping:

• PROPOSED SOLUTION

An option to enable previewed snapped position would facilitate a more efficient visual feedback experience with Fancy Zones.

• BENEFIT IN ACTION

Instant Zone Snapping:

Scenario when this would be used?

An added option to instantly snap windows to zones within Fancy Zones would be useful in nearly every use-case scenario.

Supporting information

The screen recording in the second GIF is from a similar program called WinDock but is no longer being updated.

[Jay-o-Way]

The user drags the window to the intended zone, but the cannot preview where the window will snap until it is finished dragging.

I don't think I can agree with that. The zones are your previews. You can also set a noticable color for the specific zones that will be selected upon the drop.

[nesherman]

I don't think I can agree with that. The zones are your previews. You can also set a noticable color for the specific zones that will be selected upon the drop.

I did not mean to misrepresent Fancy Zones, but the second example is clearly different from the first and I think it's easy to see what I am trying to illustrate.

Perhaps it would be better to say that the user is unable to see the placement in action until the input is released. Instant feedback is far superior.

[crutkas]

@nesherman I think with complex layouts, this will get really hard to use. I get what you're trying to do but at that point, why even use a mouse? just use the keyboard shortcuts?

/needinfo

[nesherman]

@nesherman I think with complex layouts, this will get really hard to use.

Thanks for your response Clint! I feel like this statement is best addressed in two points

1. I use no less than twenty-two zones and that has never been my experience. WinDock doesn't even have zone previews and I still find the instant visual feedback to be very intuitive--even helpful--for finding my intended zone.

2. I would like to stress again that my proposal is for an optional feature, not one that is enabled by default.

I get what you're trying to do but at that point, why even use a mouse?

I'm rather confused by this question. Window management is neither here nor there when it comes to key vs mouse inputs. They both have their place but neither can fully replace the other.

I'm advocating for instant visual feedback--not the ability to instantly move my window.

/needinfo

What other information can I help provide? I feel quite strongly about this suggestion so I am here to help. The team has done a really great job with Fancy Zones and I only hope to contribute to its benefit.

If anyone is still on the fence about this proposal then I would humbly suggest that you give WinDock a try for a day or two of light web-browsing and then come back and feel the difference.

@crutkas

[Jay-o-Way]

Maybe @SeraphimaZykova has an opinion about this

[SeraphimaZykova]

Hi @nesherman, thank you for your suggestion.
First, I want to ask, do you use Windows Snap feature? It helps instantly move a window to a zone using a shortcut. You'll see the same behavior as you've shown.

I use no less than twenty-two zones and that has never been my experience.

Are they overlapping? In the case of overlapping zones, it can be confusing, IMO.

[nesherman]

Hi @nesherman, thank you for your suggestion. First, I want to ask, do you use Windows Snap feature? It helps instantly move a window to a zone using a shortcut. You'll see the same behavior as you've shown.

Hi @SeraphimaZykova! Thanks for your response. I have used, and do use the Windows Snap feature, but as I said before—window management is neither here nor there when it comes to key vs mouse inputs. They both have their place but neither can fully replace the other.

Are they overlapping? In the case of overlapping zones, it can be confusing, IMO.

They are overlapping, yes, twelve of them in fact. I personally don’t find it one bit confusing even without zone previews enabled.

Again, I would like to stress that this plea is for an optional feature—not one enabled by default. For those of us who are very comfortable with their layouts, an instant-feedback option would be very helpful. It really is just that much faster. The experience with WinDock has shown me this.

Thanks so much for your time. If there’s any information I may provide then please reach out to me here.