The behavior of "Back/Forward commands navigate through all opened documents" feature when following links between docs

[rakunavi]

Hello all,

Introduction

• The “Back/Forward commands navigate through all opened documents” option in the Documents tab of the Preferences dialog is described in the online help as follows:
  

  Select the Back/Forward commands navigate through all opened documents dialog box to include all open documents when the back/forward navigation commands are used. If this box is not selected then PDF-XChange Editor will navigate through the views of only the active document when these commands are used.

  When navigating through pages within individual documents using keys like PageUp or PageDown, pressing Alt+Left to display the previous page causes the pages to navigate back through pages as if turning back time. For example, the following verification video opens two documents side-by-side: “sample A.pdf” and “sample B.pdf”, then performs the following steps:
  
  
  • (As always, this report assumes that all settings have been reset to their default values.)
  1. Navigate through the document “sample B.pdf” from page 1 to page 5 by pressing the PageDown key 4 times.
  2. Click the Page View of the document “sample A.pdf” to make it the active document.
  3. Navigate through the document “sample A.pdf” from page 1 to page 5 by pressing the PageDown key 4 times.
  4. Press Alt+Left key 9 times to navigate back through pages.
  Please note that in PDF-XChange Editor, sufficient time intervals must be maintained between each operation to ensure that individual actions are recognized as separate entries in the navigation history. Therefore, to achieve the same results as the verification below, ensure adequate time intervals between each shortcut key press.
  
  
  • sample A.pdf
  • sample B.pdf
  As indicated by the green arrows in the figure below, please verify that the combination of pages displayed for the two documents in the first half of the video perfectly matches the combination of pages displayed in the latter half of the video.
  
  
  • figure1.png
    
    
    Animation1.gif

Main topic

• However, I noticed that when navigating through the documents by following a GoToR action link, as in the verification steps below, using Alt+Left to navigate back through pages no longer maintains the page combinations across multiple documents.
  
  Specifically, the verification video below opens two documents, “sample A.pdf” and “sample B.pdf” , side-by-side and performs the following steps:
  
  
  1. Navigate through the document “sample B.pdf” from page 1 to page 5 by pressing the PageDown key 4 times.
  2. Click the Page View of the document "sample A.pdf" to make it the active document.
  3. Navigate through the document “sample A.pdf” from page 1 to page 10 by pressing the PageDown key 9 times.
  4. Click the link (GoToR action) on page 10 of “sample A.pdf” to display page 10 of “sample B.pdf”.
  5. Press Alt+Left key 15 times to navigate back through pages.
  In the figure below, please note that the sections indicated by the pink arrows show mismatched page combinations between the two documents in the first half and second half of the video.
  
  
  • figure2.png
    
    
    Animation2.gif
  Note that while the explanations so far have used shortcut keys like PageUp, PageDown, and Alt+Left to navigate through pages, the exact same thing applies when using the toolbar buttons.
  
  However, there are two types of tool buttons: those located at the top of the window and those that exist independently for each document. When using document-specific tool buttons (Case A), or when using the tool buttons at the top of the window while displaying windows independently for each document (Case B), you must always be aware of which tab or window is active. You must press the “Previous View” button for the active tab or window. Note that pressing the “Previous View” button for a tab or window that is not active will not function.
  
  
  • figure4.png
    
    
    Animation3.gif
    
    
    Animation4.gif

Final Thoughts

• I believe the significance of the “Back/Forward commands navigate through all opened documents” option lies in the ability to navigate backward through pages while maintaining page combinations across multiple documents. Therefore, when navigating backward through pages between documents, it feels strange that pages not originally displayed in the combination—as shown in the 17th to 26th screen captures by the pink arrow in the video within the main topic—appear unexpectedly.
  
  When pressing Alt+Left key to transition from the 16th to the 17th screen capture, the issue appears to be that only the tab or window focus changes, while the current page in “sample B.pdf” remains unchanged at B10. The current page in “sample B.pdf” finally switches to B5 at the 27th screen capture. However, in the 17th screen capture, wouldn't it be reasonable for it to be A10 - B5, the same combination as in the 15th screen capture? When you press Alt+Left key once from the 16th screen capture state, wouldn't it be natural to expect it to return to the previous 15th state?
  
  
  • figure3.png
  At the end of the main topic above, I mentioned that when using the “Previous View” button on the toolbar, you need to be aware of which tab or window is active. However, this is merely a matter of requiring caution during operation, and it can be avoided by using the Alt+Left shortcut key. However, there is no way to avoid the strange combinations of pages that appear when viewing previous pages across documents, which is why I am reporting it here.

Hoping that the above information will be of some help to you.
Thank you so much for your continued support.


P.S.
After posting, I realized a related topic already existed.

• Navigate Backward and Forward
  viewtopic.php?t=23719

I might have reported the same issue covered in RT#5361 and others.

• RT#5361: Unexpected previous view jump in combination with links

However, that topic has been ongoing for far too long and covers such a broad range of topics that I cannot be certain it includes the exact issue I reported this time. If you were already aware of it, please forgive me for inadvertently creating another topic on the same theme.

Best regards,
rakunavi

- PDF-XChange Editor PRO Version: 10.7.3 build 401
- OS Version: Windows 11 Pro / Home 25H2 Build 26200.6899
- PC Model: GMKtec Nucbox M7 Pro with HUION Kamvas Pro 19 / Lenovo IdeaPad C340-15IWL

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, rakunavi

This all appears to be working as intended and described in the manual, when "unchecked", the navigation tools operate only on the currently "focused" document:

• PDFXEdit_oTTcE8uSja.gif

When the option is "checked", it operates as a global "next/previous" function, on all opened documents as shown in your animations.

• The "final" change to page B10 by clicking the link is only recorded as "moving to" that page, it is not intended to, at that time, record a previous step that was "look at B5" followed by the "move to B10" action.
  As such, the "previous view" preceding B10, is indeed, A10 (which we switch to/focus), then A9, etc, until you get to the page where you switched from Document B to document A. Then, it sees that the view prior to A1, was B5, which it swaps to, then B4, etc etc.
  
  [Corrected in my next post]
  There is no special relation to links in this scenario, it is simply the order of operations you have used. You would see the same effect if your test was to move from B1, B2, B3, B4... Swap to A1, A2, A3, A4, A5... Swap to B by directly pushing next page, Showing B5. After this, "previous view", would cycle through the viewed pages in Document A since those were the last "views", before switching back to Document B, and finally changing from B5 to B4, B3, B2... etc.
  
  I should also clarify a slight misunderstanding regarding these tools. The buttons at the top and bottom (and in the toolbar) are no different from one another, nor are the they different from the hotkeys you have mentioned, so in all cases, these functions should, and as far as I can tell, do, work in the same way.
  
  • The "blue" next/last page buttons (and "page Up/Down") move to the next/previous page in the currently focused document. The reason this seems to change "per document", is that due to a simple focus change, the bottom bar does change the document focus at the time you interact with them, and in your "caseA/B" example, due to separate windows, the top bar also changes the focus. They are however, the exact same buttons, no matter from where they have been clicked.
  • [Minor edit in brackets below - Will be discussing with Dev team shortly]
    The "green" Next/Previous View buttons (and Alt+left/right) [SHOULD] always operate globally, regardless of the focused document, they are simply kept together in multiple places, because they are features that are often needed together.

So, at the moment, I am sorry to say that nothing in this post appears to be an error/bug, or working in an unintended way. In short, navigating through your directions in reverse order, is not always intended to give the exact same view, when operating with two or more opened documents side-by-side. This happens even when you have your files opened separately, but you simply cannot see that the page has not changed until the previous view brings you back to that file, and coincidentally, at that same moment, finally switches to the page you viewed there previously.

Kind regards,

[rakunavi]

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for taking the time to look into this in detail and for your thorough explanation despite your busy schedule.

In short, navigating through your directions in reverse order, is not always intended to give the exact same view, when operating with two or more opened documents side-by-side. This happens even when you have your files opened separately, but you simply cannot see that the page has not changed until the previous view brings you back to that file, and coincidentally, at that same moment, finally switches to the page you viewed there previously.

I understand that the behavior I was expecting is not currently possible because it was not originally intended as a feature. If that is the case, then my further comments are pointless, but please allow me to continue just a little longer.

I suspect it's likely because I haven't fully grasped your comments, but there were two parts I didn't understand, so I'm commenting just to be sure.

#1

• There is no special relation to links in this scenario, it is simply the order of operations you have used. You would see the same effect if your test was to move from B1, B2, B3, B4... Swap to A1, A2, A3, A4, A5... Swap to B by directly pushing next page, Showing B5. After this, "previous view", would cycle through the viewed pages in Document A since those were the last "views", before switching back to Document B, and finally changing from B5 to B4, B3, B2... etc.

  I understood the operation you described as shown in the following video.
  
  
  • Animation1.gif
  The behavior in this video when not following links is entirely as intended for me. However, considering the context of your comment, what you likely meant to convey is that the same behavior I demonstrated using a link could occur without using a link.
  
  Based on your explanation, pressing the “Previous View” button seems to transition the page as follows:
  
  
  • A4 - B5
  • A3 - B5
  • A2 - B5
  • A1 - B5
  • A1 - B4
  • A1 - B3
  • A1 - B2
  • A1 - B1
  However, as shown in the video, the page actually transitions as follows. Note that the asterisk (*) indicates the document tab currently in focus.
  
  
  • A5 - B4*
  • A5* - B4
  • A4* - B4
  • A3* - B4
  • A2* - B4
  • A1* - B4
  • A1 - B4*
  • A1 - B3*
  • A1 - B2*
  • A1 - B1*
  The video I showed likely differs from what you intended to convey, but where exactly is the discrepancy?

#2

• The "green" Next/Previous View buttons (and Alt+left/right) always operate globally, regardless of the focused document, they are simply kept together in multiple places, because they are features that are often needed together.

  In the video shown in the very first post, all actions involved either having focus or pressing the Previous View button on an active tab or window. There was not a single instance of unnecessary button presses in the video. In the video below, for both Case A and Case B, at the point shown in the 20th screen capture (“A7 - B10”), I deliberately pressed the “Previous View” button on the tab or window for sample B.pdf when it was not focused or active. As shown in the video, pressing it repeatedly did not work, which seems to contradict your comment. What do you think?
  
  
  • Animation2.gif
    
    
    Animation3.gif
  The diagram on the left below indicates which tab or window's “Previous View” button should be clicked to transition to the next screen capture at each point. To transition from the 20th to the 21st screen capture, you should normally click the “Previous View” button on the “sample A.pdf” tab or window. However, as demonstrated in the video, pressing the “Previous View” button on the opposite “sample B.pdf” tab or window repeatedly does not work. If, as you claim, the “Previous View” buttons “always operate globally,” then the results should appear identical in both the left and right diagrams.
  
  
  • figure.png
  Regarding this point as well, my understanding must be mistaken somewhere. What exactly is it?

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

Best regards,
rakunavi

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, rakunavi

Regarding #1 - Interestingly, while I tested this once yesterday while writing my post to confirm the handling, I also struggled to reproduce the handling I described now today... I ran a few further test, and it seems like the issue is related to changing focus very quickly after another change.. EG; in very quick succession -

1. Looking at A4
2. pgDwn to A5
3. click B4
4. pgDwn to B5

I must have been going too fast at the time, and prevented the "switch to B4" view being captured before I could switch to B5. Since this seems unlikely to happen in normal use, I should apologize for the rushed work there...
Meanwhile, when following a link, you are consistently jumping straight to the target page, without ever "focusing" on the previous page. My apologies for the all too quick assessment of that comparison, but this would still be classified as expected - though indeed not exactly how I described above.

As for #2 - I will admit I ran out to time to test this one yesterday, I was operating on the knowledge that all instances of these buttons, are the same "command/button" and that they should work the same in all contexts. As such, there does appear to be a bug here. Interacting with the navigation buttons in a split view scenario where the preview view is the other document pane, appears to cause a new "view" to be created on click, which you are then reverting to, getting stuck in an infinite loop, instead of navigating back another step in the other document...

[update - that was quick! A ticket has been made]:
RT#7653: Bug: Previous view - Infinite loop scenario
Also, I made two edits to my previous post, to reduce confusion for future readers, though I left all the segments you quoted present. The first was obscured and refers to this post, while the second just added a clarifying "should".
Again, I apologize for the blunder there, and thank you for asking further questions so I did not drop this one entirely.

Kind regards,

[rakunavi]

Helllo Daniel,

Thank you for creating ticket RT#7653. This topic has helped me gain a deeper understanding of PDF-XChange Editor's features.

As @David.P outlined in his latest post, it is valuable for me to learn that many related themes had already been discussed extensively.

2017: Please make the view history window-specific
2018: View history is shared between different windows of the same document
2021: Editor jumps between tabs when using backward/forward
2021: Unexpected jumping between different windows extremely irritating
2023: Navigate backward/forward only in current document and/or current frame

Please give my best regards to the developers.

Best regards,
rakunavi

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]