Minimize tools, icons for laptop

[MarkPawelek]

What is the best way to minimize screen space occupied by tools / icons / command windows / etc.?

When working on my laptop with its puny 13" screen I want to see as much of the image as possible. Which means hiding various icon/command/tools windows. What is the best way to do this.  Note: I do not want to get rid of essentials such as the menu and the status tools. How?

[rich2005]

(07-19-2020, 10:42 AM)MarkPawelek Wrote: What is the best way to minimize screen space occupied by tools / icons / command windows / etc.?
...snip...
Note: I do not want to get rid of essentials such as the menu and the status tools. How?

Partly depends on your laptop. I use a 14" notebook with HD (1920x1080) display  and not too bad. A couple of minutes needed when I transition from my desktop 23" monitor, but otherwise OK. I also have a netbook 11.5"  (1366 x 768) with Gimp 2.8 and that does feel cramped.

If you have not updated to Gimp 2.10.20 then try it. The tool groups really save space.  Apart from the tools, two docks that you really need are tool options and layers. Many of the "it does not work" questions here are because the user has closed those. Does not see the tool settings, does not know what layer is active.

With the Gimp 2.10.20 tool groups, you can separate the toolbox from the tool options. Tool options is the snag. It has a minimum usable width, nothing you can really do about that. You can put it with layers and keep the two together.

Other docks like brushes, fonts, gradients can be accessed from the tool options. No real need for a separate tab in the dock. This as a quick example: https://i.imgur.com/LP6Ucyc.mp4 

Then for any set-up, the tab key toogles/hides all the docks, F11 key toggles/maximises, use either or both example:  https://i.imgur.com/ZYhRnkS.mp4  Both those examples in a small Win10 netbook size display.

When you start experimenting, dragging / closing docks, your friend is Edit -> Preferences -> Window Management  then Reset Saved Windows positions to Default Values For when you screw up, everyone screws up sometime

[Ofnuts]

(07-19-2020, 10:42 AM)MarkPawelek Wrote: What is the best way to minimize screen space occupied by tools / icons / command windows / etc.?

When working on my laptop with its puny 13" screen I want to see as much of the image as possible. Which means hiding various icon/command/tools windows. What is the best way to do this.  Note: I do not want to get rid of essentials such as the menu and the status tools. How?

IMHO the best way 1) not use single-window mode and 2)  use the Tab key to toggle the visibility of all dialogs.

[rich2005]

That was my first thought as well but trying out in a small display size Win10 VM, IMHO no real advantage over single window mode and using TAB and F11.

Another way in multi-window mode is put the docks in Window mode, the main window will now cover them, but these can be raised /lowered individually from the Windows toolbar. No need for both as with TAB..



or.... Win10 has desktops, put the docks on a separate desktop. Might be useful if the user has many-many resources and wants to see them all at the same time.



...endless possibilities.