BC4 not opening subsequent comparisons in a new tab

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  • calandoa
    Visitor
    • Dec 2014
    • 6

    BC4 not opening subsequent comparisons in a new tab

    In "Options... / Tabs", my BC4 is configured to open sessions and child sessions in new tabs.

    However, when I start several comparisons from the command line, they all open in new windows.

    E.g. :
    Code:
    bcompare4 file1 file2 &
    => first new window pops up, as expected;

    Code:
    bcompare4 file3 file4 &
    => other window pops up... where I expect a new tab to open in the first window, and without changing the tab focus.

    How can I get back this BC3 behavior?
    (or, as a workaround, how can I stop having BC3 waiting a very long time when loading files?)
  • Aaron
    Team Scooter
    • Oct 2007
    • 15942

    #2
    Hello,

    Which OS/version combination and which version of BC4 are you running? The above commands would normally launch into two tabs in the same window.
    Aaron P Scooter Software

    Comment

    • calandoa
      Visitor
      • Dec 2014
      • 6

      #3
      Hi Aaron,

      This is version 4.2.3 (build 22587) 64 bits
      Standard Edition for Windows/Linux/OS X

      running on Ubuntu 16.04 with XFCE 4.

      I have just re installed BC to try again, and I get the same behavior: a new window is opened each time instead of a tab.

      EDIT: I also moved away my .config/bcompare preference folder to retry again, but still the same bug
      Last edited by Aaron; 24-Oct-2017, 11:41 AM. Reason: Removed serial, not needed

      Comment

      • Aaron
        Team Scooter
        • Oct 2007
        • 15942

        #4
        Thanks, resetting your .config was another good test. If you retest with:
        bcompare4 file1 file2 &
        bcompare4 file3 file4 &
        ps -a

        Which processes are listed? The expected list would be one main BCompare process and two scripts (bcompare) while one window is open with two tabs. When you have two windows, are you seeing two bcompare scripts and two BCompare processes?
        Aaron P Scooter Software

        Comment

        • Dave_L
          Veteran
          • Dec 2007
          • 348

          #5
          Is the filename "bcompare4" in the above posts intentional?

          On my system, which is similar to the one involved (Xubuntu 16.04.3, Xfce 4.12), the BC executable is named "bcompare". I do not experience the problem described; a susbsequent comparison invoked from the command line does open in a new tab.
          Last edited by Dave_L; 24-Oct-2017, 04:17 PM.

          Comment

          • calandoa
            Visitor
            • Dec 2014
            • 6

            #6
            bcompare4 filename is due to the fact that I have both BC3 and BC4 on my PC (problem of licences et features). Note that with clean install and BC3 moved away, I still have the problem, so this should be not the cause (and BTW BC3 tabs are working fine).

            Here is your test with the fresh install:

            root /tmp > bcompare a b&
            [1] 3447
            root /tmp > bcompare b c &
            [2] 3501
            root /tmp > ps -a
            PID TTY TIME CMD
            3447 pts/1 00:00:00 bcompare
            3461 pts/1 00:00:01 BCompare
            3501 pts/1 00:00:00 bcompare
            3515 pts/1 00:00:00 BCompare
            3555 pts/1 00:00:00 ps


            Something interesting: I am using root account in this case, but if switch to a normal user, the problem is not occurring anymore, so it looks like this is related to the root account only.

            Comment

            • Dave_L
              Veteran
              • Dec 2007
              • 348

              #7
              Something interesting: I am using root account in this case, but if switch to a normal user, the problem is not occurring anymore, so it looks like this is related to the root account only.
              I just tested that, and I get the same result. When invoking bcompare from my normal user account, the new comparison opens in a new tab. But when invoking bcompare from root, a new instance of BC is opened. That's not a big issue for me, since it's not an operation I normally do.

              Comment

              • Aaron
                Team Scooter
                • Oct 2007
                • 15942

                #8
                Hello,

                The key factor is the Root user, and it is working as intended in that case. When calling as a regular user, the process launches, sees the other process, and then joins into it. As a Root user call, these processes must be kept separate (we want to avoid some tabs as a standard user and some as Root), so the Root call is made as a solo/new process each time.

                There isn't a good method to detect and assign a tab (if, for example, both types of windows are open, and you continue to call both types from the command line), plus this could lead to confusion and accidentally using the wrong permissions window. Therefore, the regular user accounts allow joining from the command line, but each Root call is always solo. The Root window can launch new tabs within it using the Session menu -> New Tab. As a general recommendation, you should avoid elevating programs (including BC4) with Root as a common workflow, as this can be dangerous when deleting or editing files. BC4 does not offer any type of Undo support.

                In my tests, BC3 also functions this way, but there may have been a bug that either elevated the tabs in the single interface or was joining them as an un-elevated Standard.
                Aaron P Scooter Software

                Comment

                • calandoa
                  Visitor
                  • Dec 2014
                  • 6

                  #9
                  Hi Aaron,

                  This is not exactly the answer I was looking for, but, well, thanks for your explanantions.

                  Now I guess I will have to add a bloated workaround script to use BC4 the normal way as root.

                  Comment

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