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Desktop App Updates

Desktop App Updates

Owned by Matt Birtch
Last updated: Sept 22, 2021
3 min read

Implemented

Important Links

Figma Design

Figma Prototype

Summary of updates to the Desktop App’s Header

A summary of the proposed changes to the desktop app header:

  • Collapsed multiple servers into one dropdown

    • A server icon within the dropdown shows a mention count on it as an aggregate number for all servers (matches the number on the app icon)

  • Products opened from the App Switcher will open in new tabs.

    • If they are already open, they will open in the corresponding tab

  • Tabs are closable (except for messaging to start)

  • Tabs can be reordered via drag and drop

 

Default Product Tabs

  • Show all 3 products by default.

  • Users can close them if they don’t use them.

    • Messaging cannot be closed (for phase 1)

Saved State for Product Tabs

Each Server will remember the last state of the product tabs open for that server

Links to Products

Any links to any of the other products will open in the appropriate tabs if they are already open. Otherwise, open new tabs for the product.

For example, if I’m in the Messaging Product Tab and I click on a link to Focalboard, I would open the link in the Focalboard tab.

Servers Selector

The new Servers Selector collapses all servers into one menu item and triggers the Servers Menu.

  • Displays an aggregate number of mentions for all servers

  • Displays the active server name

Servers Menu

  • Display mention and unread badges on the right side of the menu item

  • Server switcher and server menu items should display 99+ if more than 2 digits

  • Display a checkmark on the active server in the menu

  • On Hover, users can edit or delete a server

    • Clicking edit or delete will open the same modals as we currently do

  • Include ‘Add a server’ as the last item in the menu

 

Updates to Shortcuts

To switch between product tabs (formerly the shortcuts for server tabs):

  • Command + 1, Command + 2, Command +3

  • Next Tab: Ctrl + Tab

  • Previous Tab Ctrl + Shift + Tab

To Open Server Menu:

  • Command + Ctrl + S to open the server menu

  • Arrow up/down once the menu is open, Enter to select

  • Use 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. once the menu is open? (to be confirmed)

 

App Settings Screen

Since all Server Controls are moved to the Servers Menu, any of the Server Management settings are removed from the Settings Screen

Desktop App Minimum Width

The minimum width for the desktop app will be around 700px, but will need to be somewhat adaptive in order to fit the Server Selector, Product Tabs and the OS window controls.

Telemetry

Ideally (not for MVP), we’d like to gather data on the following:

  1. # of servers

  2. # of product tabs are open (and which ones)