Bear on Mac has two types of windows: The main window (with sidebars) and secondary windows.
I like to have several bear notes open on my large Mac display. When in a secondary window, links to notes are opened in the main window.
It would be far more simple if the note would open in the current active window.
Thanks.
This isn’t exactly what you’re looking for but if you command click on a note link it will open in another secondary window. This works from both the main window or secondary windows.
I was just checking to determine if this issue has already been addressed, but the behavior of Bear windows is rather peculiar. I frequently lose the page I was working on when I’m searching for something else in the notes list. Unless I consistently open anything I’m working on in a separate window, this issue will persist. To circumvent this problem without necessitating the user to open the main note or notes in a separate window, one effective solution could be to introduce a backward navigation icon. This navigation pattern has gained widespread adoption and proven its effectiveness.
Unless I’m misunderstanding you there already is ui buttons and keyboard shortcuts to navigate backwards and forwards through viewed notes. The ui button is off by default but can be enabled in the view menu “Toggle History Navigation.” The keyboard shortcut to back is command + [. Hope that helps
I believe only the “main window” has history. I would prefer if secondary windows had same functionality; and links to open in the same window unless a modifier key is pressed.
I believe what Bear needs, is tabs (alongside new windows). With tabs, you can stay in one tab (clicking on links/opening new notes) as long as you wish, incl. history. If you want, you switch to other tab etc. I consider not having tabs as main disadvantage of Bear (however I somehow doubt that developers consider them)
Totally agree. The current window behavior makes things harder than they need to be. Surprised there are no tabs.
Something liike the following would be ideal.
Click: opens in same window.
Shift+click: opens in new window.
Command+click: opens in tab.
Yes. Tabs. It would solve a thousand little issues and they are baked in macOS. We have discussed it at length here:
Unfortunately the devs told us at the time this was unlikely to happen. I hope they revisit that stance, because working on several documents at once and flying between them is sort of impossible with the current UX.
I am not sure what you mean: tabs overall, also in main ui, or just in standalone windows?
For what it’s worth, although I would prefer to have the ability to open links in the same window to keep my screen less cluttered, I have been experimenting with Stage Manager and like how it it keeps things clean. Also, for any Bear window you can check “Float on top” and that window will stay on screen when switching apps using stage manager. I have a main note that has links to my the most relevant notes and like to keep that on screen floating on top.
So while tabs is a great feature, which Bear should implement, I am pleased with the float on top window feature when used in connection with stage manager.