I am in the early days of using Inkscape and I have a pretty basic challenge (which I hope is not a bug).  In all the tutorials/web videos that I've seen, every dialog box opened has buttons at the top right that allow you to dock/minimize it and undock.  Mine do not have that.  So I am stumped on how to minimize the toolbar at this stage.  Is there a setting I need to turn on? 

I've attached a screenshot, where I have the Text and Font dialog box open.  There are 3 dots towards the center-left of the box.  When I hover on that, a left/right arrow shows up but this does not allow me to move it right to minimize.  It only allows me to move it left to stretch it to the left.  Is this a bug of some sort?

Thanks!

Hi,

I too had this issue when I upgraded to v1.1.  Whilst it's an issue for you and I it's actually a feature the developers have added to v1.1. https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php?title=Release_notes/1.1#Docking and specifically the comment: The previous option to minimize dialogs has been superseded by the new feature.  I'm not sure what the new feature is.  You can use v1.1 and F12 to Show/Hide Dialogues (this exists in v1.0 too BTW).  I've reverted to v1.0 as I prefer it's minimise option as it increases screen realestate for drawing and I can get to the dialogues in 1 click.  I'll go to v1.1 when I understand the new minimise feature or find I need a new feature only in v1.1.

Thank you.  That's helpful.  A shame that the new approach takes up half the screen!  

Indeed. It would be useful if someone in the know offered an explanation of the "new feature"

Ugh... once you "undock" a docker, you are stuck with it.  It won't re-dock back to its former position!  Pooo!

OK, check this video out from 1min in.  To be clear you need to grab the tab 'Text and Font' just below the Dock title Text and Font then drag the tab to the area shown which is just to the right of the vertical scroll bar.  When the area highlights release the tab and the dialogue is docked.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR46GjRZ7Cw

Re-docking has always required dragging on the smaller Inkscape title bar, not the OS title bar... the pointer will change to a hand on hover and crossed arrows on drag.

The new feature does not include minimizing/iconizing. Iconized dialogs have been a great source of confusion for new users.

Reportedly, tabs can be closed with the middle-mouse click or right-click menu.  (I don't have 1.1 to test yet.)

Sorry guys... that old trick from the 2016 youtube video does NOT work with version 1.1.   Try again... 😊

Works here when Preferences->Interface->Windows->Dialog behavior is set to Floating (requires restart)

@sniktaw the youtube video is likely for a previous version (esp. since it was 2016).  my thread actually started because the interface for 1.1 (at least what i have) doesn't look anything like this - can't minimize dialog boxes and doesn't have the ability to re-dock once floating (e.g., there's no lower bar to grab).

@Polygon i did try that and now it allows floating.  however, when i changed it back to docking and restarted the app, it would no longer allow that option (only floating).  do you have the same problem?  what a mess this docking issue is!

@SteddieEddie may be an old video but this one I recorded today is not ;o)

@enewbold this new trick from today works for me 😊 no need for a retry

Many thanks, Sniktaw.  The issue I've been trying to tackle in this thread is not the ability of opening the dialog boxes dock/open and have them show up on the side (or have them float).  The issue is a user's ability to minimize the dialog boxes into thin "bars" to optimize the work space.  That was part of previous versions and doesn't seem to be available in 1.1.  You have 2 options now...open and close.  Not minimize.

I know @SteddieEddie I addressed that in post #2, it's gone. You'll need to go to an older version unfortunately. Shame as I liked the minimise option too ;o(

I was trying to answer the latter point about docking a floating dialogue ;o)

Okay, thanks.

@SteddieEddie I've found this is the best I can do to minimise the dialogs.  Side by side tabs with Labels Always Off (unless the dialohue is in use):

For those wanting to know how to redock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljK4at9niZk

If I'm working on one screen, instead of minimising I use F12 to show/hide all dialogs.  If I'm working on two screens I have the dialogs floating and drag them to my second screen.  Sometimes the extra distance you have to travel with the mouse slows me down though so depends what I'm working on.

docking/floating setting does NADA - restarting  none works, docks are just all over  on 1.0.2 (e86c870879, 2021-01-15

grrr

inkscape is full of these little stupidities  :(

Just use GIMP gui/approach (single window mode) for example.

reminds me of libreoffice suite..

Needs to fork Inkscape into usefulness. 

mandd

1.0.2 (e86c870879, 2021-01-15

You are using an old version of Inkscape.

Maybe test 1.3?

https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-1.3/?latest=1

Related issue on the tracker is open for comments:

https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/-/issues/7003

Aero

You are using an old version of Inkscape. Maybe test 1.3? https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-1.3/?latest=1

Yep, Comes from main repo of Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm).

And I will use 1.3 going forward,  especially now that there's app image. Thanks!

oh wow,  it (1.3) looks nice and docks are fixed! Thanks again Aero

TylerDurden

Related issue on the tracker is open for comments: https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inbox/-/issues/7003

Thanks Tyler, but I mostly just intended to rant not actually do something about it. Will contribute at some point in future though. 

Slava Ukraini!