I read some interesting posts on assigning a tab colour based on folder formats or Drive letter. E.g.
Is there any news on implementing anything to allow this?
I have some folders that I would like to assign a colour (folder format) and also assign a colour to the tab.
I agree (from the discussion in the post above) that extending the label feature to include Tab makes sense.
I have a work folder for example which I replicate to my work laptop each day. This has many sub-folders. When I'm doing work at home it would be nice to see the tabs in DO coloured to match the folder format I choose for the work folder [and sub-folders using wildcards].
I'm sure many people have their own scenario's for where setting the tab colour is a helpful indicator.
I don't use linked folders, so (personally) do not run into the mis-match issue of those colours.
The suggestion was to add an option on the (Files and Folders) labels Preference screen.
So I suggest the following addition to this (labels Preference) screen.
Place a new row under the Icon Image row: "Tab text:" with two pull-down colour selections. the same as for Unselected/Selected text.
The first box would be for the colour of the Tab text, the second box would be for the Tab background colour (which people are asking for).
The current Bold/Italic/Underline options would also then apply to the Tab text, as well as the Selected/Unselected text.
When assigning the new label, there needs to be a selection for 'Assign label to a Tab' so that this can apply to the Tab only. Also when creating a wildcard there needs to be a selection for Tab Only. The complication is that there are now 3 items (files, folders and tabs) to select, so the pull-down should logically display all combinations. It might be more user-friendly to switch the selection to check-boxes, rather than a pull-down showing all combinations.
Later, we can see if people like the idea of keeping the single label feature for Files, Folders 'and Tabs', or if they see the Tab as separate from Files and Folders. For me, the label idea is already powerful, and extending it for Tabs seems logical.
Probably the name for 'File and Folder Labels' needs to change, this is logically 'File, Folder and Tab Labels'.
I would prefer defining colors for tabs on a more global basis, not necessarily within a folder format, but currently there is no way to do any of that.
The only way to make a tab label standout, is by using the TabLabelizer-Addin currently.
This is what it could look like for you, if you set it up to alter your "work" folderpath for instance. I added a yingyang unicode character just for fun. o)
The TabLabelizer allows for regular expression operations on the path/label, so you can find, replace or add any text to a tab-label for a given path.
I need to update the add-in in case you wanna try it, the functionality you see here is not uploaded yet to the add-in section.
Hi guys, Thanks for these good suggestions as work arounds.
The idea of my post was to propose a way to add to existing functionality so that we could at least implement something for tab label colour (rather than wait for Opus 12 or later). The file and folder label feature already has wildcards and filters which is a powerful way to select a set of folder/files.
Leo had suggested in the post I reference (with you tbone) that Labels could be an easier way to do this. So my post was my thought on how this could work.
It would be nice to have at least one way to add colour to the tabs, by using the Label feature.
My work around for now (on my 'work' folders) is to use the file/folder label feature to set a faint colour background for the folders/files. Any time I select a folder in my 'work' set, it auto colours the background.
Maybe if Leo or Jon read this they could comment on if using the Label feature is feasible as a way to set the Tab text and/or background colour?
Eeek! you've done it now tbone. I was carefully avoiding Folder Formats
I have not yet got to grips with Folder Formats. So thanks for dragging me there.
When I create a Path Format, as you suggest, I see that Labels (the same File & Folder Labels) are used as the means to colour the background?
Also, using Folder Formats allows me to set several other Folder options.
I guess what you mean is, not that Folder Formats is 'easier' (because it's more complicated). But that this is the logical place to define any folder formatting.
Yes. I see that.
But defining a Label is actually easier as it seems to be a subset of the Folder Format/Path Format feature. When in the Path Format dialogue box, the Label tab has a direct link to the File/Folder Label screen.
So now I am wondering if it is best to define a Path Format in the Folder Format feature or use a Label in the File and Folder Labels feature?
I'd still like to set the font and background colour of my Tabs though
[quote]I guess what you mean is, not that Folder Formats is 'easier' (because it's more complicated). But that this is the logical place to define any folder formatting.
Yes. I see that.[/quote]
Well, it should be easier too, as there is a place to set a color for the file display background as well, this should also be faster. For labels, each item is evaluated individually before a color or font-style is set, so for large number of items, you might see some flickering or progress while coloring all the items one by one.
