How to "start in desktop browser" without a new tab everytime

1

Hi, I’m looking to make NSB IDE easier and more convenient to use.

When I press F5 (which I usually do about 3x a minute during dev), Chrome opens a new tab. I notice the old tabs also refresh (presumably via Ajax detection). This gives me two minor headaches – It slows down as the appache server is busy reloading all the old tabs, and of course it opens lots of unnecessary tabs which have to be cleaned or they eventually overload chrome. As it happens, it reloads the existing tab faster than it opens a new tab, but the new tab usually hides the old faster one reloading.

This also causes issues with the Chrome Inspect debugging window.

Can anyone please humour my OCD by advising how to make it only refresh the one existing tab when pressing F5? Is there a Make.bat or something? Thanks!

2

This is how Chrome works. AppStudio creates an index.html file and opens it in the default browser. Chrome opens a new tab when asked to do this.

I use command+W a lot to close extra windows.

You could also go into Preferences and use Deploy to a Local Folder. You then it refresh on the browser to get the latest version.

Anyone have a better tip?

3

Thanks! At least that’s confirmed. Maybe that is a simple new feature for the next release? Normal behaviour is to open a new index.htm page as before, but if a box is ticked in options, it will only refresh the existing on F5 (which happens automatically anyway … it’s just a case of putting the code that opens chrome again in a conditional… but I guess things are never that simple. :slight_smile: ).

Ps: Tried F6 with deploy to folder, and that works fine and I could easily write a script elsewhere to refresh, BUT for that rather annoying Success dialog that will open the folder if you press enter and does nothing if you press escape. :sunny:

4

For anyone else, I now have Chrome in a second window. After the first tab is created, as soon as I press F5, I await the new tab and instantly close it. Thus, chrome reverts to the earlier tab and updates. This is faster, tidier, uses less resources, and keeps my “Inspect” page (chrome developer tools) open. But I still hope the above suggestion is implemented… .

5

I wish it was up to us! It’s Chrome doing this.

6

New tip: To stop chrome duplicating browser tabs (pages) when you press F5, add the chrome extension “Clutter Free” here.

It is better still if in settings you tick “Refresh existing tab when switching to it after closing a duplicate”. When this setting is checked, the original page is refreshed after closing a duplicate (The original refreshes itself without this, but is slower – this method is near instant). Hope that helps.

2 Likes
7

Great tip - thank you!

OK if we make a blog post about it giving you credit?

10

Pls do! I’d be flattered. Real name Clyde Quarrie by the way… but you can use Alfie if you prefer. Ps: This method holds open the debug window as well.