56 votes

User settings are now available for opening links in new tabs

Tags: changelog

Tildes has been open-source for about 4 days now, and there have already been a number of people diving in and making some great contributions. Thanks to Ivan Fonseca, we now have our first feature update from an open-source contribution, and it's a heavily-requested one: you can now choose to have links open in a new tab.

This is split into two separate options, so there are two new checkboxes on your settings page under "Open links in new tabs":

  • "Topic links to other websites" - this will make the external links (from link topics) open in new tabs
  • "Links to text topics and comments" - this will make links to comment pages open in new tabs, both from clicking the title on text topics and the actual comments link

Please let me know if you notice any issues or unexpected behavior with it. There are multiple other open-source contributions in progress as well, so expect some more updates soon.

28 comments

  1. [3]
    what
    (edited )
    Link
    Thank you for the kind comments <3 Huge shoutout to Deimos for being super helpful with code review and having really clean and easy-to-understand code!

    Thank you for the kind comments <3

    Huge shoutout to Deimos for being super helpful with code review and having really clean and easy-to-understand code!

    26 votes
    1. [2]
      Deimos
      Link Parent
      Oh haha, there you are. I wanted to mention your Tildes username in the post, but realized that I had no idea what it was. Or I guess I should say: I had no idea it was what.

      Oh haha, there you are. I wanted to mention your Tildes username in the post, but realized that I had no idea what it was. Or I guess I should say: I had no idea it was what.

      22 votes
      1. JustABanana
        Link Parent
        Hmm... we should maybe recognize contributors on the website, kinda like reddit does with their trophies

        Hmm... we should maybe recognize contributors on the website, kinda like reddit does with their trophies

        10 votes
  2. [13]
    aphoenix
    Link
    It's awesome that someone has added a feature. I guess the days of "savvy users know to middle click" has died, though I guess that makes sense with mobile usage.

    It's awesome that someone has added a feature.

    I guess the days of "savvy users know to middle click" has died, though I guess that makes sense with mobile usage.

    13 votes
    1. [6]
      cfabbro
      Link Parent
      Yeah, on mobile it’s a PITA to click and hold then select ‘open in new tab’ every damn time and middle click is also wonky on some mice as well so providing the option to set a default new-tab...

      Yeah, on mobile it’s a PITA to click and hold then select ‘open in new tab’ every damn time and middle click is also wonky on some mice as well so providing the option to set a default new-tab behavior is never a bad thing, IMO.

      16 votes
      1. [5]
        BuckeyeSundae
        Link Parent
        my mouse's middle click is fine, but the wheel has turned into a very temperamental piece of shit, so I typically avoid touching it unless I absolutely must.

        my mouse's middle click is fine, but the wheel has turned into a very temperamental piece of shit, so I typically avoid touching it unless I absolutely must.

        9 votes
        1. aphoenix
          Link Parent
          CTRL Click (windows) also does the trick.

          CTRL Click (windows) also does the trick.

          12 votes
        2. [3]
          frickindeal
          Link Parent
          Damn. Scrolling must be a chore. I'd get a cheap mouse before I'd put up with that for long (sorry, first-world problems and all that, but the scroll wheel is like an extension of my finger at...

          Damn. Scrolling must be a chore. I'd get a cheap mouse before I'd put up with that for long (sorry, first-world problems and all that, but the scroll wheel is like an extension of my finger at this point).

          5 votes
          1. [2]
            BuckeyeSundae
            Link Parent
            The direction keys usually do the trick for me when it comes to scrolling, so long as the field I want to scroll is in focus. Page up and Page down when I want to go far, fast also helps.

            The direction keys usually do the trick for me when it comes to scrolling, so long as the field I want to scroll is in focus. Page up and Page down when I want to go far, fast also helps.

            4 votes
            1. Deimos
              Link Parent
              Spacebar usually works as page down as well, that's how I do most of my scrolling.

              Spacebar usually works as page down as well, that's how I do most of my scrolling.

              6 votes
    2. [5]
      Algernon_Asimov
      Link Parent
      Not all mouses support middle clicks - like, for example, mine. And there's no such thing as a middle-click on my phone.

      Not all mouses support middle clicks - like, for example, mine.

      And there's no such thing as a middle-click on my phone.

      6 votes
      1. [4]
        aphoenix
        Link Parent
        Right in my original comment, I address the no middle click on phone: What mouse do you have that doesn't have middle click though?

        Right in my original comment, I address the no middle click on phone:

        though I guess that makes sense with mobile

        What mouse do you have that doesn't have middle click though?

        4 votes
        1. [3]
          Algernon_Asimov
          Link Parent
          Just a cheap no-name one I bought at a local office supplies shop.

          What mouse do you have that doesn't have middle click though?

          Just a cheap no-name one I bought at a local office supplies shop.

          3 votes
          1. [2]
            aphoenix
            Link Parent
            CTRL-click also typically works (if it's useful to your workflow and on sites that don't give you an option).

            CTRL-click also typically works (if it's useful to your workflow and on sites that don't give you an option).

            2 votes
            1. Algernon_Asimov
              Link Parent
              Ctrl-click is a two-handed motion, which would be tricky. Meanwhile, right-click and selecting "open in new tab" from the context menu works fine. But having a setting that automatically opens...

              Ctrl-click is a two-handed motion, which would be tricky. Meanwhile, right-click and selecting "open in new tab" from the context menu works fine.

              But having a setting that automatically opens links in a new tab is better than all these options. :)

              6 votes
    3. musa_totter
      Link Parent
      The part I'm excited about is that now clicking will both open in a new tab and switch to that new tab. Shift-middleclick would work too, but it's less convenient.

      The part I'm excited about is that now clicking will both open in a new tab and switch to that new tab. Shift-middleclick would work too, but it's less convenient.

  3. [2]
    BuckeyeSundae
    Link
    Ivan, this song's for you. Your change is brilliant, My love is pure. I saw an angel Of that I'm sure. He smiled at me on the Tildes They said his name was Ivan But I won't lose no sleep on that...

    Ivan, this song's for you.

    Your change is brilliant,
    My love is pure.
    I saw an angel
    Of that I'm sure.
    He smiled at me on the Tildes
    They said his name was Ivan
    But I won't lose no sleep on that
    'Cause I've got a plan

    You're beautiful
    You're beautiful
    You're beautiful, it's true
    I saw your change in a crowded place
    And I don't know what to do
    'Cause I'll never be with you

    Yes, he caught my eye
    As we walked on by
    He could see from my face that I was
    Flyin' high
    And I don't think that I'll see him again
    But we shared a moment that will last till the end

    You're beautiful
    You're beautiful
    You're beautiful, it's true
    I saw your change in a crowded place
    And I don't know what to do
    'Cause I'll never be with you

    9 votes
    1. IfaqYurmama
      Link Parent
      I had my lighter out and was waving it while reading this comment.

      I had my lighter out and was waving it while reading this comment.

      5 votes
  4. Algernon_Asimov
    Link
    Yay! Thank you, Ivan! And it even works. :)

    Yay! Thank you, Ivan!

    And it even works. :)

    6 votes
  5. frickindeal
    Link
    Fantastic work, Ivan. I'd read it being discussed and figured "well, maybe in a few months we'll see it; I can wait." Now, it's already here! Thanks, Deimos, for rolling it into the build (or...

    Fantastic work, Ivan. I'd read it being discussed and figured "well, maybe in a few months we'll see it; I can wait." Now, it's already here! Thanks, Deimos, for rolling it into the build (or however that's termed; I'm not a programmer) so quickly.

    6 votes
  6. Amarok
    Link
    We need a badge or trophy or somesuch for people who contribute code.

    We need a badge or trophy or somesuch for people who contribute code.

    6 votes
  7. Gyrfalcon
    Link
    I just checked the boxes and tested. Looks like it's working great!

    I just checked the boxes and tested. Looks like it's working great!

    5 votes
  8. MangoTiger
    Link
    I'm so used to middle clicking that I likely won't use this feature, but more options is always nice. It's exciting that more people will be able to contribute now the site is open-sourced!

    I'm so used to middle clicking that I likely won't use this feature, but more options is always nice. It's exciting that more people will be able to contribute now the site is open-sourced!

    4 votes
  9. starchturrets
    Link
    Although, tapping user profile links or the favicon in the top left corner don't open new tabs.

    Although, tapping user profile links or the favicon in the top left corner don't open new tabs.

    2 votes
  10. zoec
    Link
    Thank you! And... I'd like to ask if we can support the display theme as a permanent setting. Currently it defaults to "White" each time after log-in.

    Thank you!

    And... I'd like to ask if we can support the display theme as a permanent setting. Currently it defaults to "White" each time after log-in.

    2 votes
  11. [3]
    Neverland
    Link
    I have one piece of feedback. I would like links to other websites in comments to open in a new tab as well. existing options: ☑ Topic links to other websites ☑ Links to text topics and comments I...

    I have one piece of feedback. I would like links to other websites in comments to open in a new tab as well.

    existing options:
    ☑ Topic links to other websites
    ☑ Links to text topics and comments

    I think that the first option should say "Topic and comment links to other websites" - or there should be a third option for just comment links. But I personally don't see the use case for wanting to open topic links in a new tab, and not comment links.

    Thanks for the new feature!

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      Deimos
      Link Parent
      Yeah, handling links inside the text of comments and topics is a little trickier. I'll add an issue for that though, and it can probably be implemented at some point as well.

      Yeah, handling links inside the text of comments and topics is a little trickier. I'll add an issue for that though, and it can probably be implemented at some point as well.

      3 votes