Powertoys: Add tabs to each Fancy zone to allow multiple applications within each zone

[VaderConsulting]

Add tabs to each Fancy zone to allow multiple applications within each zone

Adding tabs to each Zone will allow users to position multiple unrelated windows on limited screen real-estate. This is a must-have feature for PowerToys users with single screens, including laptops on the move.

Add the capability that when a User drags a window onto a zone that is already occupied, provide an onfocus tab, thus allowing the user to place the window into the new tab. Once there are multiple windows in a zone, show tabs for each window.

[enricogior]

Hi @VaderConsulting
if the zone's top border is too close to the screen top border, how do you suggest to handle the tabs? Lateral tabs?

[VaderConsulting]

The tabs would work the same way as Visual Studio and Edge. I would suggest tab widths be fixed (ala Edge) vs different sizes (ala VS). Right now, the dragged window is resized and placed into the zone, the new behaviour shouldn't be drastically different. When a window is placed into a zone that's empty, there should be no reason to show tabs. Second and subsequent windows to a zone should create a new tab to the right (/left, depending upon regional settings) automatically, and the window resized and placed into this "tabzone". I guess some people will ask for vertical tabs, so that should be considered. MVP should be horizontal tabs along the top of the zone. Hopefully that answers your question.

[VaderConsulting]

Tabs should fill down into the zone, not add to the height of the zone.

[enricogior]

Tabs should fill down into the zone, not add to the height of the zone.

In that case the windows inside the zone would be reduced in height, correct?

[VaderConsulting]

Correct

[niels9001]

Interesting idea. You should also have a keyboard shortcut o quickly toggle between the "tabs" in a zone.

[VaderConsulting]

Yes. Something like Ctrl Tab or similar. But it should be standard, rather than a Shortcut just for Fancy Zones

[enricogior]

@VaderConsulting
cntrl+tab can't be used since it's reserved for the applications, it has to be something specific for FZ.

[cicerohellmann]

ctrl+alt+tab while hoovering the zone. Honestly I would give up my regular alt tab. I would be fine with atl+tab while hoovering the zone. Since I wanna scroll trough specific items, I don't need the global alt+tab anymore

[VaderConsulting]

Any key combination, so long as it works. It probably should even be able to be user configured (eventually)

[cicerohellmann]

Yea, I just need this. Real bad.

[VaderConsulting]

For inspiration, check out "Groupy" from StarDock.
https://www.stardock.com/products/groupy/

[enricogior]

Duplicate of https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/175