Request: Additional hotkey for history navigation

[Dgc2002]

Currently in order to go forwards/backwards in the navigation history we need to use the arrows in the top bar of the GUI:

In previous versions it was possible to use backspace to navigate backwards, but this is no longer the case. Using the forward/backward buttons found on many mice would be desirable as well.

[bastimeyer]

Sorry for the late response, I haven't had time yesterday to answer.

To go back and forth in the browsing history, you can use the Alt+Left / Alt+Right hotkeys.

The forward and backward mouse buttons can't be used, because they are officially not part of the DOM mouse events specification and Chromium (and NW.js) doesn't use them, which means that they can't be used here. See #382 or the other linked threads...
Btw, the Spotify desktop client also has the same problem, because it is based on Chromium as well.

The backspace button has been changed in one of the recent Chromium versions and it doesn't have its go-back action anymore:
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-chrome-stop-backspace-being-as-back-button-saving-people-from-accidentally-deleting-a7038281.html
This could be re-added here, but I don't think that it would be a wise decision. Going one step back by pressing backspace is an unexpected behavior IMO.

[Dgc2002]

Whoops, sorry I searched the issues for all the wrong keywords apparently.

I remember backspace being removed in Chromium but I'd forgotten that I added an extension to re-add the functionality. The alt combinations are useful but I think the real strength of the backspace behavior was just the one handed, one key interface. Alt + arrow keys either requires two hands(left alt) or one hand in a really awkward position(right alt).

This also requires moving your hand off the mouse which is used for most other interactions in the GUI at the moment. While it's obviously a small inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, it's a general interface annoyance IMO.

Regarding the mouse events you linked. It notes that additional buttons are represented as a bit mask. 4 represents what most people call mouse 3(middle button.) Wouldn't 8 and 16 be mouse 4 and 5, which are the standard forward/backward navigation buttons? Otherwise it seems kind of strange to even mention that there. Though, I'm unfamiliar with working in the CEF.

[bastimeyer]

Chromium simply doesn't use mouse buttons 4+5. You can check it yourself: open Chromium's dev tools, set event breakpoints for all mouse button related DOM events (in the "Sources" tab) and try to use mouse button 4 or 5. It's unsupported, unfortunately.
The Chromium Extension API included in NW.js also doesn't allow listening to these buttons:
https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/input_ime#type-MouseButton
So neither DOM events, nor CE input events can be used. NW.js also doesn't provide any additional mouse API.

Regarding the Alt+arrow hotkeys, AFAIK, these are the only default hotkeys for navigating the browsing history, which is the reason why they were added here. I understand that it's an annoyance that you need both hands, but re-adding the backspace function that was deliberately removed by the Chromium devs (for good reasons) doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

[moznr]

This is something that annoyed me too, but as a workaround I just use an autohotkey script.

#IfWinActive Streamlink Twitch GUI

XButton1::Send, !{Left}
XButton2::Send, !{Right}

Makes your mouse side buttons act as Alt+left / Alt+right only when Streamlink Twitch GUI is the active window.

[bastimeyer]

Closing this, since there's nothing which can be done here to add mouse 4+5 button actions...

[bastimeyer]

Reopening the thread since this seems to be finally available in Chromium 67:
https://www.chromestatus.com/features/5088301178421248

Chromium 67 is still in the "dev" channel, which means that it is not included in any NW.js release yet. The next Chromium release channel shift is in one or two weeks.
https://www.chromestatus.com/features/schedule

The NW.js releases usually happen on the same day as the Chromium releases...
https://nwjs.io/blog/

[Dgc2002]

Oh baby. Chrome has a habit of teasing me with 'next version' features but this is something else!

Thanks for keeping this request in mind!

[bastimeyer]

It's been requested many times before (#382, #242, #180, #85)...
I was just browsing the new features of Chromium because I'm intending to upgrade to a more recent NW.js version in the next release, so yeah, ofc I'll reopen one of these threads.

This Chromium feature will finally benefit all NW.js-, Electron- or regular Chromium embedded framework applications like Spotify, etc. Just took them a few years 😄

[bastimeyer]

NW.js 0.31.0-beta.1 has been released today with Chromium 67.

You can build the app from the nwjs-0.31 branch and test the changes.
https://github.com/streamlink/streamlink-twitch-gui/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#developing-and-building
The branch will be merged into master once NW.js 0.31 has been fully released.