Docking Panels

Tabbed views share the left dock group while a separate split keeps another image visible for comparison.

Purpose, audience, prerequisites, and expected result

Docking Panels explains how AfterNight arranges standard image and sequence views and the dockable Session Console. Use it when you need tabbed targets, side-by-side comparisons, a detached floating group, or one temporarily maximized image.

Start with at least one successfully opened or created view. Rearranging a dock changes only window organization and display scale; it does not resample image data, change metadata or history, or mark an image for saving. The expected result is a workspace arrangement that makes the required targets visible while preserving each view's image state.

Reachability and availability

Item	Current behavior
Path	Open or create an image/sequence to enter the dock workspace. Use the layout toolbar, Window, Image > View, the standard image-view toolbar, or right-click a standard image view. With at least one image open, right-clicking the main window outside any view offers Lock Layout and Unlock Layout.
Enabled/visible when	The layout toolbar exists but is disabled on the Dashboard; Window is disabled there. Image-dependent actions require an active view.
Supported inputs/state	Standard still-image and sequence views; the Session Console can occupy another dock. Process preview views do not become main-workspace docks.
Outputs/side effects	Reorders, tabs, splits, detaches, fits, or temporarily maximizes views. Closing a tab can close its image/sequence and attached processes after confirmation.
Persistence	The interface/lockLayoutByDefault setting persists whether startup should lock movement, and the main window's size and position persist while Remember window size and position (interface/rememberWindowSize, on by default) is on. Dock positions, tab groups, splits, floating geometry, and the current lock toggle are not serialized or restored by the current application code.
External dependencies	Bundled KDDockWidgets runtime; no network, catalog, or external executable.

The status bar and its active-image selector appear in the dock workspace and are hidden or disabled on the Dashboard. Selecting a name activates that view; clicking a dock tab or group also makes its image active. Hovering a real image tab or title bar shows the summary of a still image, a SER sequence, or an image list; a video sequence shows none, and neither does a still while an edit holds its image at that moment. Empty tab-bar space does not reuse a stale tooltip.

Before you start

• Save or identify pending changes before closing tabs or whole tab groups.
• Unlock the layout before dragging, reordering, detaching, redocking, or using double-click layout gestures.
• Decide whether an operation should affect every main-workspace view or only the views in the clicked main/floating window. The menu and toolbar scope is different from the context-menu scope.
• Remember that Fit changes display magnification. Inspect at 100% again before judging pixel-scale noise, registration, or sharpening.

Procedure

Arrange all main-workspace images

1. Open or create the required views. AfterNight leaves the Dashboard. A view made with no neighbour is added to the right side of the main dock workspace; every later file of one open, and any view made beside another, is tabbed onto that neighbour. Making a view while another docked view is maximized restores that view first.
2. Choose Window > Group All Images or the matching layout-toolbar button. Checkpoint: all registered image/sequence views are tabs in one main-window group, and the previously active image remains active.
3. Choose Window > Split All Images. Checkpoint: the views occupy equalized cells rather than tabs. The split helper uses explicit balanced layouts for one through sixteen views and continues in additional four-item runs above sixteen.
4. Choose Window > Fit Images To Window. Checkpoint: every registered image view recalculates its display scale for its current viewport.

The global Group and Split commands move image views into the main dock window. They do not include the Session Console in the generated image layout.

Arrange only one main or floating window

1. Right-click inside a standard image view.
2. Open Current Window.
3. Choose Group All Images, Split All Images, or Fit All Images to Window.
4. Checkpoint: only image views sharing the clicked view's containing window change. If it is floating, image views in other floating windows and in the main dock workspace remain unchanged.

Maximize and restore one docked view

1. Activate a standard docked image or sequence.
2. Choose Image > View > Maximize View, click Maximize image view in the image-view toolbar, or press F11 while that view has focus.
3. Checkpoint: the selected view becomes the central workspace content; the action changes to Restore View. Lock, Group, and Split controls are disabled.
4. Invoke Restore View or press F11 again. The view returns to its original dock, and the prior layout is shown.

If the layout was unlocked, maximizing temporarily locks it and restoring unlocks it. If it was already locked, restoring leaves it locked. Maximizing is disabled in the visible controls while a view is detached in a floating window; dock it before maximizing.

Current limitation: when the layout was already locked before maximizing, restore re-enables the toolbar button but leaves both Window > Lock Layout and Window > Unlock Layout disabled. The first toolbar click reasserts the locked state and restores the normal menu-action state; click the toolbar a second time, or then choose Window > Unlock Layout, to unlock.

Lock and unlock movement

1. Choose Window > Lock Layout or click the lock button in the layout toolbar. The toolbar icon and tooltip change to the corresponding unlock state.
2. Checkpoint: dock drag/drop indicators are inhibited, drag start is rejected, and tab/title/group double-click layout changes are consumed.
3. Choose Window > Unlock Layout or click the same toolbar button to allow movement again.

Locking protects interactive movement. It does not disable Group All Images, Split All Images, Fit Images To Window, tab selection, or close buttons.

Complete control and action reference

UI label/action	Type and unit	Default	Valid values/constraints	Effect	Enabled, hidden, or ignored rules	Trade-off or side effect	Scope	Persistence
Layout-toolbar lock button: Lock layout / Unlock layout	Two-state tool button	Unlocked; locked at startup only when the saved default is on	Click	Calls the same lock/unlock behavior as the Window actions	Toolbar disabled on Dashboard; while a view is maximized the lock button and Group/Split are disabled and Fit Images To Window stays enabled; after restoring an already-locked layout, the first click only restores normal menu-action state	Blocks interactive movement, not programmatic layout commands	All dock widgets	Current state is session-only; startup default uses interface/lockLayoutByDefault
Window > Lock Layout	Menu action	Enabled when unlocked	Trigger	Inhibits drop indicators and rejects dock drag start	Window disabled on Dashboard; action disabled when already locked or maximized	Prevents accidental drag/detach/reorder; Group/Split still work	All dock widgets	Session-only
Window > Unlock Layout	Menu action	Disabled when unlocked	Trigger	Restores dock dragging and drop indicators	Window disabled on Dashboard; normally enabled when locked; disabled while maximized and remains disabled after restoring a layout that was already locked until the toolbar is clicked once	Allows accidental layout changes again	All dock widgets	Session-only
Window > Group All Images	Menu/toolbar action	Available with active image data	Trigger	Moves every registered image/sequence view into one tab group in the main dock window	Disabled without an active image and while any view is maximized	Floating image views are pulled into the main group; console is excluded	All registered image views	Not persisted
Window > Split All Images	Menu/toolbar action	Available with active image data	Trigger	Moves every registered image/sequence view into an equalized deterministic split layout	Disabled without an active image and while any view is maximized	Many views create small cells; the active view is retained	All registered image views	Not persisted
Window > Fit Images To Window	Menu/toolbar action	Available with active image data	Trigger	Fits every registered image view to its current viewport	Disabled without an active image; not disabled merely because a view is maximized	Display resampling can hide pixel-scale detail	All registered image views, including floating windows	Display scale lasts for the view lifetime only
Current Window > Group All Images	Context submenu action	Available in a standard view context menu	Trigger	Tabs image views that share the clicked view's main or floating window	Group and Split disabled when the clicked view is maximized	Does not pull views from other windows	Containing window only	Not persisted
Current Window > Split All Images	Context submenu action	Available in a standard view context menu	Trigger	Splits and equalizes image views in the same containing window	Disabled when the clicked view is maximized; one view is effectively unchanged	Small cells with many local views	Containing window only	Not persisted
Current Window > Fit All Images to Window	Context submenu action	Available in a standard view context menu	Trigger	Fits image views in the same containing window	Remains available while the clicked view is maximized	Display-only scale change	Containing window only	View lifetime
Image > View > Maximize View / Restore View	Dynamic menu action	Restore state off	Toggle	Removes the active control from its dock into the central maximized slot, then returns it	Requires an active standard view; disabled when the active view is floating	Hides other workspace content; temporarily locks an unlocked layout	Active standard view	Session-only
Maximize image view / Restore image view	Image-view toolbar action	Restore state off	Toggle or F11	Same maximize/restore state as the main-menu action	Standard dock-capable views only; toolbar action disabled while floating	See F11 limitation below	Focused view	Session-only
F11	Focused-view shortcut	None	Key press without Ctrl/Shift	Toggles maximize/restore directly in the focused view	Standard image-view key handler; not a global QAction shortcut	The handler does not recheck the disabled floating-view action; dock floating views before using it	Focused view	None
Image tab	Selectable, draggable tab	Current tab selected	Click; drag/reorder when unlocked	Activates the image; drag can reorder or move it to another group	Movement blocked by layout lock; selection remains allowed	Changes the target used by active-image actions	One image/sequence view	Tab position not persisted
Tab close button	Per-tab close action	Available for normal image docks	Click	Requests closure of that image/sequence	Pending changes or attached processes can require confirmation; cancellation keeps it open	Stops sequence playback and closes the view on acceptance	One view	Destructive view closure; image save state remains governed by its own workflow
Close Tab Group	Group-corner close action	Available on a dock group	Click	Requests closure of each closable tab in order	Stops at the first tab whose close confirmation is cancelled	Can close several images and attached processes	Current tab group	Destructive view closure
Float / Detach	Group-corner layout action	Docked	Click	Moves the dock group to a native floating window or returns it through KDDockWidgets controls	Interactive layout changes require an unlocked layout	Floating groups have separate window scope; visible maximize action is disabled there	Current dock group	Position/state not persisted
Drag tab/title/group	Pointer layout gesture	Docked	Drag while unlocked	Reorders, groups, splits, floats, or redocks according to the drop target	Drag start rejected while locked	Can substantially reorganize the workspace	Dragged dock/group	Not persisted
Double-click tab/title/group area	Pointer layout gesture	No action recorded by AfterNight itself	Double-click while unlocked	Delegates the layout gesture to KDDockWidgets	Explicitly consumed while locked	Exact native gesture result is library/platform controlled	Clicked dock/group	Not persisted
Status-bar active-image selector	Non-editable selector	Disabled on Dashboard; current view in workspace	Choose an open view name	Activates the corresponding image dock without emitting a recursive selection change	Enabled in dock workspace while it lists a view, and when the Session Console was opened from the Dashboard with no image; disabled after the last image closes while the console keeps the workspace open. Session Console focus does not replace the selected image	Convenient with many tabs or floating groups	Registered image/sequence views	Session-only

There is no main-layout shortcut for Lock, Unlock, Group, Split, or Fit All. Ctrl+Shift+F belongs to the focused image view's single-view Fit To Window command, not Fit Images To Window.

Behavior and state model

AfterNight creates a KDDockWidgets main window behind the Dashboard and enables always-visible tabs, tab reordering, per-tab close controls, tab-bar group buttons, native floating title bars, and menu-based tab switching. Every image and sequence uses a deletable dock with a minimum logical size of 100 x 100. The Session Console is the only other current DockableControl; process windows, Image History, metadata viewers, and Settings are separate windows or dialogs.

Global Group and Split read the image-view manager's registered view list. Group adds the first view to the main dock and adds the remaining views as tabs. Split adds the views at explicit left/right/bottom positions, then asks the containing drop area to equalize cell sizes. Both operations restore the previously active image after rearrangement.

Context Group, Split, and Fit first compare each dock's floating-window owner. Views with the same owner are in scope; a null floating owner means the main dock window. This is why a command invoked from one detached group does not change another detached group.

Maximize is not a KDDockWidgets window maximize. AfterNight temporarily replaces the image dock's widget with a placeholder and shows the image control in a dedicated central stack slot. Restore puts the same control back in the same dock. No image copy, conversion, history step, metadata edit, or file write is performed.

Inputs, outputs, and metadata

The inputs are existing image/sequence views and, for local context commands, the clicked view's containing window. The output is only Qt/KDDockWidgets UI state plus display magnification after Fit. Image pixels, channel data, masks, WCS/SIP metadata, sequence frames, file names, and processing history remain unchanged.

Closing is the exception: an accepted close removes the view, stops sequence playback, and can close attached process windows. It does not silently save pending image changes. Cancel either confirmation to keep the view open.

Performance and responsiveness

Grouping and fitting are lightweight UI operations. Splitting many views causes layout recalculation for every dock, and fitting every image causes every view to recompute display scale. The source pixels are not reprocessed, but many simultaneously visible image widgets can increase display memory and repaint cost. Group views into tabs or maximize one view when interaction becomes slow.

The explicit split helper is optimized for practical comparison counts rather than semantic pairing. Above sixteen views it continues adding cells in four-item runs; use smaller manual groups when relative placement matters.

Worked example

• Evidence mode: Source-and-test-derived.
• Starting state: three standard docked views named linear, processed, and mask; processed is active and the layout is unlocked.
• Choose Group All Images. Check that one tab group contains all three and processed remains the active target.
• Choose Split All Images. The three-view branch places one view left, one below it, and one right, then equalizes the layout.
• Choose Fit Images To Window. Each view changes only its display scale; histories and pending-save states remain unchanged.
• Maximize processed, verify Restore View and disabled Lock/Group/Split controls, then restore it. Because the example started unlocked, the layout becomes unlocked again.
• Limitation: the captured tabbed and split workspace was validated, but no live drag/drop interaction was recorded. The checkpoints do not promise identical pixel geometry on every platform or window size.

Warnings and limitations

• The current source contains no LayoutSaver, serialization, or restore path. The Interface Settings note that the window layout is automatically saved on exit is true only for the main window's size and position, not for dock positions/groups in this revision.
• Lock dock layout by default persists only the startup lock preference. It does not save the current dock arrangement and changing it does not immediately lock or unlock the running workspace.
• Locking does not protect against Group, Split, Fit, or Close. Use the lock as drag prevention, not as a read-only workspace mode.
• Global Group/Split can pull detached image views back into the main window. Use the context menu inside a floating group for local changes.
• The F11 key handler calls maximize directly and does not consult the disabled floating-view toolbar action. Dock the view before using F11.
• Restoring a view that was maximized while the layout was already locked leaves both Window lock actions disabled. The first toolbar click restores their normal locked-state enablement; a second click unlocks.
• Fit is a display operation. A fitted overview can conceal pixel-scale defects, interpolation artifacts, or noise.
• Process preview windows are not main-workspace docks and are not affected by these Group/Split commands.

Troubleshooting

Symptom or exact error	Verified cause/enablement path	Recovery	Evidence source
Window and layout toolbar are unavailable	The Dashboard is current; the toolbar is disabled and the Window menu is disabled until the dock workspace is selected	Open/create a valid image or sequence	UiBootstrapCoordinator.cpp, WindowLayoutCoordinator.cpp
A dock cannot be dragged, reordered, detached, or changed by double-click	Layout lock inhibits drag/drop and consumes double-click layout gestures	Use Window > Unlock Layout or the layout-toolbar toggle	AfterNightApp.cpp, KDDockWidgetsHelper.cpp
Group or Split still changes a locked layout	Lock affects interactive movement, not those connected programmatic actions	Avoid Group/Split while preserving a locked arrangement; there is no undo-layout command	MenuActionManager.cpp, WindowLayoutCoordinator.cpp
A context Group/Split command ignores images in another window	Context commands intentionally select only docks with the same floating-window owner	Use the global Window/toolbar command, or invoke a context command inside the other window	WindowLayoutCoordinator.cpp
Group All Images unexpectedly redocks floating views	The global command rebuilds the group in the main dock window	Use Current Window > Group All Images for floating-local grouping	WindowLayoutCoordinator.cpp
Maximize View is disabled	The active standard view is floating, or no active image view is available	Dock/select a standard view first	ActionStateCoordinator.cpp, ImageViewControl.cpp
Lock/Group/Split become disabled after maximizing	Maximize temporarily locks layout and disables arrangement actions	Use Restore View or F11 on the maximized view	WindowLayoutCoordinator.cpp
Restore leaves both Window lock actions disabled	The layout was already locked before maximize, so restore preserves the lock but does not re-enable the QAction pair	Click the toolbar lock button once to restore normal locked-state actions, then click it again or choose Window > Unlock Layout	WindowLayoutCoordinator.cpp, AfterNightApp.cpp
Closing a tab group stops before all tabs close	One image's pending-change or attached-process confirmation was cancelled	Resolve/save that view, then close the group again	KDDockWidgetsHelper.cpp, ImageViewControl.cpp
A restored session does not reproduce the prior dock layout	No application layout serialization/restore implementation exists	Recreate the grouping manually; use the startup lock preference only after arranging	repository-wide LayoutSaver/layout serialization audit; InterfaceSettingsPage.cpp
Fine detail looks different after Fit	Fit changed display magnification and resampling, not source pixels	Inspect at 100% and compare the image history/pending state	ImageOperationsCoordinator.cpp, ImageViewControl.cpp

Related workflow steps

• Begin with Dashboard to open or create the first workspace view.
• Use Image Viewer for per-view channels, zoom, autostretch, overlays, and the single-view Fit/Maximize toolbar controls.
• Use Toolbar and Menus for the complete application menu hierarchy and action availability rules.
• Use Session Console for the content and controls inside the dockable console, and Image History for data-state undo/ redo rather than layout changes.
• Use Settings for the persisted startup lock preference.

References and provenance

• AfterNight application layout, dock helper, active-view, lifecycle, settings, and focused regression sources.
• KDDockWidgets documentation: upstream docking framework behavior. AfterNight overrides tab sizing/tooltips, close-group safety, theming, activation, and lock-aware double-click handling.