Jabref: Suggestions for improving the entry preview

[Siedlerchr]

To prevent further commenting on the pull request I have opened a new issue:

Hmm, ok. Regarding the points:

1. So far the issue with the entry editor does not seem to be (fully?) resolved. Furthermore, note the problems with the focus (searching terms and then suddenly making changes in the entry editor) makes this change currently dangerous. But I see, what is intended here.
2. Ok, that makes sense. But then, it would probably be necessary to have a single entry tab (not split among different tabs) - at least, that is how Mendeley is doing this. Personally, I liked it the way JabRef had implemented things before. I am not so sure, whether people are happy with the current solution, i. e. entry preview + open editor (but with multiple entry tabs).
3. Not so sure about the space. Currently using a 1920x1080 screen, with JabRef using up half of the screen. There, it is definitely too small. At work I have a 4k screen, where JabRef is using up a quarter of the screen (= +- JabRef in full screen on a 1920x1080 screen). I don't think JabRef is supposed to be used in full screen mode. I don't think many people have larger screens (especially when you include laptop users).

_Originally posted by @AEgit in https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/4976#issuecomment-524629484_

[Siedlerchr]

I would very much like a simple and one-click way to disable showing the citation preview. I spent quite some time looking for it when I got the update since I could not believe that this change was introduced without an option to switch off the preview that takes away space and cpu cycles for keeping it updated.

_Originally posted by @johann-petrak in https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/4976#issuecomment-524801601_

[AEgit]

To add to this issue, I copy over also the other message I had written there.

I know this is a big thing to ask but can you please revert this change and/or make it just optional. I have just had a look at JabRef 5.0-alpha--snapshot--2019-08-25--master--0c342bdc7 to test #4808 (comment) just to realise that the entry preview is no longer automatically shown at all.

I am heavily reliant on using the entry preview. I often tend to quickly go through different entries and the entry preview gives me a quick overview of the entry. Now I always have to open the entry editor just to see the preview. My feeling is, that this change was introduced by people who actually do not even use the entry preview at all (see also comment here: #4976 (comment)). This new behaviour is completely different from the old JabRef behaviour and from similar reference managers (e.g., Mendeley).
So, unless you can suggest a change in the way I should use JabRef now (maybe I just don't understand, how the entry preview is now supposed to be used) while keeping my user scenario - i. e. quickly cycle through entries and always get a quick summary of the respective entry - I would ask to drop this change or make it optional.

_Originally posted by @AEgit in https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/4976#issuecomment-524625559_

[AEgit]

JabRef 5.0-alpha--snapshot--2019-08-25--master--0c342bdc7
Windows 10 10.0 amd64
Java 1.8.0_221

Ok, so I have played around a little bit with the new entry preview, and I can now definitely say, that I would like to see the old behaviour re-instated or alternatively to make the new behaviour optional.

First of all, it is no longer possible to quickly cycle through different entries and get a quick idea what they are about. They always have to be opened to see the entry preview (I have already mentioned this in previous posts).

Second, there was the suggestion to keep the entry editor always open so that it would be possible again to cycle through all the entries while seeing the entry preview (see https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/4976#issuecomment-524625856). I am now confident that this is not a good solution for the problem, since there is not enough space for both the entry editor AND the entry preview, when the group panel is opened as well. I provide a picture to give you an idea of the problem.

Note, that JabRef here is using half (!) of the screen on a 24'' monitor with a resolution of 1920x1080. This definitely does not do a good job at the moment. I suggest to revert the changes of https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/pull/4976#issuecomment-524625559 or to come up with a better solution.

EDIT: My impression is that many of the current UI changes, especially those focused on the entry preview have been made without having the group panel open. If I close the group panel (which I would never do for my actual work, since the groups are essential), there seem to be fewer issues with the UI, i. e. often I now have enough space. But when the groups panel is open, most of the time, the UI looks wierd and horizontal space is missing (also because new elements use up more space, than they would need to). For further changes to the UI I would therefore recommend to always have the groups panel open as well.

[Siedlerchr]

Entry preview does not adapt to dark mode:

[AEgit]

I don't know whether this has been mentioned already, but the two screenshots posted in this thread emphasise another issue with the current entry editor. It DOES NOT do an automatic return, which leads to entry content disappearing in the UI, if the content is too long for the entry row (see for example the author field in the post above: https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/5244#issuecomment-528028140). This is especially a problem with the newly introduced entry preview that is now part of the entry editor.

[Siedlerchr]

Ah you mean wrapping text.

[AEgit]

Hmm, yes - I am just comparing what the current development version does VS. JabRef 3.8.2 (which I am still using for actual work).

[AEgit]

Might be related to the automatic return/line break/text wrapping issue:

https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/3823
https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/5021

[tobiasdiez]

In the latest development version, you have now the option to show the preview as a tab in the entry editor (Preferences > Entry preview). Could you please check the build from http://builds.jabref.org/master/. Thanks! Please remember to make a backup of your library before trying-out this version.

[AEgit]

JabRef 5.0.0-dev--2019-10-17----e81d58c51
Windows 10 10.0 amd64
Java 12.0.2

Very nice, this is a big step forward. I can confirm that the entry preview as a separate tab works as expected. There are some smaller issues with the current approach, which have been reported here but for which it probably better to open separate issues (I shall do that now).

[sebastian-boecker]

show the preview as a tab: You have to restart JabRef after enabling this option so it becomes effective. Is that a bug?

[AEgit]

@sebastian-boecker : See here https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/5464