Can't split workspace using drag & drop with UE v22.20.0.43+ and UES v15.30.0.16+ (solved)

Mofi · Mar 02, 2016#162016-03-02T05:51+00:00

Please read here what IDM wrote why this function MUST be removed by IDM Computer Solutions, Inc. It is not a bug, it is not an unintentional broken code, it was an intentional removal because of a software patent another company has. Open source and freeware applications violating this software patent can still offer a split workspace feature simply because the company owning the software patent can't sue a company for damages. But IDM Computer Solutions, Inc. is a company which sells licenses for UltraEdit and can be sued therefore for damages. Yes, in US there are companies with the business model finding a US Patent Office which applies a patent for a GUI feature and then sue other companies for damages, damages this company never really had.

satmax · Mar 02, 2016#172016-03-02T09:06+00:00

Hi Mofi,

I read this and I can understand this. But I think, in three month, IDM has to find (program) a workaround for this. For many users this is a very important feature and most of the programmer use this. It must not work via drag&drop, it can use a hot key, a menu entry, a button, ...

This is not a luxury, which is mandatory.

I think: IDM itself makes it too easy to shift the blame on others.

A simple editor like Notepad++ can do this, also with sync scrolling.

Too bad, because otherwise UE is a very good product.

Mofi · Mar 02, 2016#182016-03-02T09:29+00:00

Markus, I don't know the software patent. But I suppose the software patent is applied not on a specific code. In US it is possible to get a software patent which just describes a specific technique or behavior. So if the software patent is applied for splitting a workspace window to display 2 or more files side by side horizontally or vertically, it does not matter with which code a software producing company implements such a feature. See for example US 5721852 A patent - Method and apparatus for displaying a split bar window. This software patent does not contain any code line.

Notepad++ is a free text editor licensed under GPL with no software producing company behind this application. The developers of Notepad++ can violate the patent as the company having assigned the patent can't sue any company for damages because Notepad++ is not developed by a software producing company nor is money earned by anybody with Notepad++ itself.

The only legal method I know to work around software patents by a software producing company which sells licenses for their written applications is offering an interface for their applications for plugins (DLLs) which other developers outside the software producing company can use to extend initial capability of sold application with free, non commercial extensions.

satmax · Mar 02, 2016#192016-03-02T15:27+00:00

Thanks for the clarification.

Dredd · Mar 02, 2016#202016-03-02T20:37+00:00

Mofi wrote:Please read here what IDM wrote why this function MUST be removed by IDM Computer Solutions, Inc. It is not a bug, it is not an unintentional broken code, it was an intentional removal because of a software patent another company has. Open source and freeware applications violating this software patent can still offer a split workspace feature simply because the company owning the software patent can't sue a company for damages. But IDM Computer Solutions, Inc. is a company which sells licenses for UltraEdit and can be sued therefore for damages. Yes, in US there are companies with the business model finding a US Patent Office which applies a patent for a GUI feature and then sue other companies for damages, damages this company never really had.

I had read your answer the first time. But how is that the end user problem? We are not saying we don't understand why it's been removed. We are saying we need the feature, which was present before (and was a major selling point). As my previous post states, end users shouldn't be concerned how the feature gets integrated. This "IDM problem" should be something they settle internally. End user shouldn't be the one paying for poor decision making. Maybe they should have read the fine print before deciding to integrate this particular feature the way they did.

Your proposed work around is far from the initial feature.

I don't think the patent is as generic as that. Apart from the open source software, there are a lot of paid application that uses the side by side file display - Visual Studio, IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, MikroC, just to name a few. DevExpress also provides a plugin for VS that lets you integrate that feature in your own application. So there is a way to have that feature on a paid application. If IDM doesn't want to pay for the "rights" that is another story.

Mofi · Mar 03, 2016#212016-03-03T06:08+00:00

Dredd, please don't try to discuss this with me. I have just written what I think is the issue. I don't have any information inside this software patent issue. All I really know is what IDM replied to Frank. I have not even contacted IDM support by email regarding this issue as I use myself never the workspace splitting feature. So absence of this feature does not bother me. Other applications released before this software patent became a problem can't be used as reference because that was true also for UltraEdit and UEStudio. Please contact IDM support by email, try to get information about the problem, and then bash the company which the software patent is assigned to causing all the troubles.

nixx · Mar 10, 2016#222016-03-10T19:42+00:00

Just used 40 minutes trying to get this to work. Thought it was something I was doing wrong. Now i know it's a "feature"

.

Let it be said that this does, without any doubt, reduce the usability of the product.

idm-bobh · Mar 16, 2016#232016-03-16T18:40+00:00

Now that v23 is out, has anyone looked to see if this much-needed feature has been restored?

(Most recent mention of "split window" in the latest changes doc is way back at v22.10)

RAH · Mar 18, 2016#242016-03-18T14:09+00:00

I have version 23 installed. The workaround given by Mofi above works, as far as I can see. At least it does with 2 files open. That is: pick the Window menu (shows the Window "ribbon"), check the Enable tiling box, then use the Cascade & tile pulldown to chose vertical or horizontal tiling. The 2 files will be shown in split view.

Note that you need to use TILE vertically or horizontally (via the Cascade pull-down), NOT split. If you use split, you get the same file in 2 views.

I did not check the synchronize function.

Dredd · Mar 21, 2016#252016-03-21T13:03+00:00

It's not really a workaround, try with more than 2 files. Tiling will open a new window for each file which is far from the original feature. I agree that for 2 file it may work. But more than that its getting really cumbersome.

Mofi · Mar 22, 2016#262016-03-22T06:37+00:00

With using dockable file tabs there are two methods to arrange document windows side by side:

Command Tile Vertical is used which arranges all not minimized document windows side by side. This command is not useful if more than 2 files are opened and not all except the 2 document windows to arrange side by side are minimized on executing this command.

But there is in menu Window the command Minimize All Windows. After executing this command, use the file tab to make the first file to show side by side active and click on the icon for restoring the window in its title bar. Then use the file tab to make the second file to show side by side active and click on the icon for restoring the window in its title bar. Now just the 2 files to display side by side are not minimized and command Tile Vertical changes their positions, width and height to get them displayed side by side.
The second method is to click on Restore icon of active document window if currently minimized or maximized. This icon shows partly overlapping windows at top right edge below the application window icons in main menu row with using Toolbar / Menu Mode if active document window is currently maximized. Now the position, width and height of active document window can be freely defined. Once done to get document window of first file displayed half of the document window area, click on tab of second file and set position, width and height of this file to take other half of the document window area.

There is no doubt about much more handy split workspace feature of not dockable document windows which is most likely the reason why the company causing the troubles got the software patent for this "technological invention".

Dredd · Mar 29, 2016#272016-03-29T18:51+00:00

FYI - I just downloaded version 16.00.0.11 of UES and the feature is back

Now I can start being productive again! Thanks IDM

fleggy · Mar 30, 2016#282016-03-30T16:48+00:00

Great news - it's back in UE 23.00.0.59 as well

I haven't checked previous builds.

UltraEdit · Mar 31, 2016#292016-03-31T14:04+00:00

Hello Everyone,

As has already been posted in this thread, due to a patent claim by a third party, we were obligated to disable this functionality while the matter was investigated and resolved. We are happy to report that the patent dispute has been settled, and the functionality you miss has been restored in the following updated builds:

UltraEdit (Windows) 23.00.0.59
UltraEdit (Mac) 16.0.0.9
UEStudio 16.00.0.11

For those of you who emailed us regarding this issue, you've already been notified by email of the updated build which fully reinstates the file tab split view functionality.

For those of you who have not yet updated to this build, you can do so now by going to Help » Check for Updates.

Thanks, everyone, for your concern on this matter, and we greatly appreciate your patience. We are just as happy as you (if not more so) that the issue is resolved.

- IDM

Can't split workspace using drag & drop with UE v22.20.0.43+ and UES v15.30.0.16+ (solved)

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