Opening PDFs - in new tab vs. new instance of PDF-XCEP

[XChangeGirl]

I have PDF-XCEP set as my default PDF application. When the program is running and there is a pdf in a tab, if in a separate Windows Explorer window I double click another pdf to open, sometimes the new one opens in a new tab in the same instance of pdfxce, but sometimes it opens as the only tab in a new instance of pdfxce. If I then click a third pdf to open, it opens in the 2nd instance.

It's not clear what controls this.

Thank you!

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, XChangeGirl

It should not be possible for this to be happening unexpectedly, when opening a new document our software will respect the options specified under "preferences > general > tabs and windows setup...."

image.png

If this option is enabled, new documents should open new windows, and if it is disabled, they should open as new tabs in the same window (or the most recently used widow, if multiple have been opened manually).
Outside of cases where a document may have special instructions within it to always open in a new window (though I'm not actually certain if this is possible), you would need to manually open a second window by dragging an existing document out of the first window.

Kind regards,

[XChangeGirl]

Thanks for this reply. I find that with that option disabled, additional pdfs will open in a new tab (and not in a new window) as described - but that only works when the new doc is opened via pdfxce's file open dialog.

When I am in Explorer and double click a pdf, or if I download a pdf in Chrome and select "Open with system viewer," these actions open a new instance of pdfxce. I often open files in this way, and would like them to open as new tabs in the same window.

I would think that that setting would apply to all new openings, but it doesn't seem to.

Is there any way to get pdfs that are opened from outside pdfxce itself to open in a new tab? Pdfxce is the default for pdfs.

Also, when two windows are open, is it possible to drag a tab from one window and have it dock in the other window - basically, the opposite of what happens when you drag a tab out of its parent window?

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, XChangeGirl

To have each new document open in the same window, you would need to disable the option shown in my previous post, there Isnt any way to say "in case A do this, in Case B do this, because unfortunately, there are quite a few different ways that documents can be opened in our software, configuring each manually would be a nightmare.

As for how to snap a document dragged out of one window into the other, this is quite easy, much like with web browsers and other apps that have tabs like this, all you need to do is drag the tab into the tab toolbar where you would like it to appear, like so:

PDFXEdit_JSDjLHZ8qn.gif

Kind regards,

[XChangeGirl]

I understand that and I am not trying to have "in case A do this, in Case B do this." I want pdfs to open in a new tab every time, no matter how they are opened, from the recents list, from the open dialog, and also from explorer. The latter is not happening. Am I correct that opening a doc that way is just as valid as and the equivalent of going through the File Open dialog? If so, then....

With that option disabled, which should prevent new docs in new windows, I am finding situations where double clicking in Explorer opens it in a new window. It is an inconsistent behavior.

It is not happening at the moment. But it was happening when I started the thread a while back, and it was happening when I returned to the thread about an hour ago.

But there is another possible inconsistency, possibly related? The reason I asked about docking tabs from window to window is because I was expecting it to work exactly as you describe, which is standard, but when I tried it, the receiving window never responded, and gave no blue overlay. Right now, it's working exactly as expected.

It seems some condition develops over the course of a long session. I'm guessing it will happen again.... I'll be back.....

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, XChangeGirl

Regarding opening in a new window, it is possible that the documents you are opening have special scripts within them that request we open in a new window, instead of within the existing one. Beyond that there should not be any case where a new window is opened when double clicking something from the file explorer and other methods. It is most definitely just as valid a way to open files as any other.

As for the issue with snapping into a new window, I am unsure what could cause that, unless the other window is in the middle of processing something and cannot respond, it should always work. If you can record a video of this not working, next time it happens, that would be appreciated.

Kind regards,

[XChangeGirl]

Thanks for the confirmation that opening in Explorer is fully valid, etc.

When second windows are opening, it happens only when either doubleclicking in Explorer, or asking Chrome to open it in the system viewer.

It's as though in those two cases, which are outside of pdfxce, neither Explorer nor Chrome can see that pdfxce is already running, and so they launch a new window. Once this starts happening, I think it's pretty consistent, until I fully shut down pdfxce and start a new session. Then it's good, till next time.

I will try to make a video if it happens again.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, XChangeGirl

There is only one other situation where I could feasibly see this happening, and that would be if you have a portable version available locally, and happen to be using that version, instead of the installed version. In that case, the double click, or open with default app function would try to launch the "installed" version, being completely unaware of the portable version that may already be running.

My recommendation, if you happen to have a copy of the portable version present on your PC, is to remove it. This way, any applications which have a direct pointer to the portable executable will give you an error. I suggest this because it is quite possible that some of your apps are set to directly open the portable executable, instead of running the "default app". removing the portable entirely would prevent them from doing so, and help you identify which apps you had misconfigured.

Following that, you will want to change each of those apps to properly use the "default application" and possibly update the "default apps" within windows itself. (search for "default apps" from the start menu)

Kind regards,

[XChangeGirl]

Thank you! That was it! A shortcut was pointing to the portable install. Thanks for thinking of it.

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]