Working with Panels

Scoriet's panel system gives you complete control over your workspace layout. Whether you prefer a traditional docked interface or floating windows for side-by-side comparison, Scoriet adapts to your workflow.

What Are Panels?

Panels are the primary UI containers in Scoriet. Each panel displays:

• A schema editor
• A template editor
• A preview view
• A settings form
• The tree navigator
• The database explorer

Panels can be:

• Docked to the left, right, top, or bottom of the window
• Floating as independent windows anywhere on screen
• Tabbed together in a single container with multiple items
• Maximized to fill the entire workspace

Opening Panels

From the Sidebar

The most common way to open a panel:

1. Click any item in the sidebar tree (schema, table, template, etc.)
2. A panel automatically opens showing that item's editor or details
3. If a panel already shows that item, it's brought to focus

From the Create Menu

To open a new empty panel:

1. Click Create + in the top navigation
2. Select "New Schema", "New Template", etc.
3. A new panel opens with a blank form ready for input

Opening in New Panels vs. Tabs

By default:

• Same type items open in existing panels (reusing the space)
• Different types (schema vs. template) open in new tabs or panels
• Keyboard shortcut Alt+N forces opening in a new tab

Moving and Docking Panels

Dragging Panels

To move a panel:

1. Click and hold the panel title bar or tab
2. Drag to your target location
3. Release to dock

Visual Drop Indicators

As you drag a panel, visual guides show where it will dock:

• Left/Right arrows - Dock to sides
• Top/Bottom arrows - Dock to top/bottom
• Center square - Create a tab group
• Gray zone - Float as independent window

tip

Drag a panel to the far edge of the screen (past all drop indicators) to float it as an independent window. You'll see a ghost outline showing the floating position.

Common Docking Layouts

Side-by-Side Comparison (Schema editing with preview):

1. Open schema editor in main panel
2. Open template in secondary panel
3. Dock secondary panel to the right

Vertical Stack (Navigator above, editor below):

1. Place tree navigator at top
2. Place schema editor below
3. Dock vertically using top/bottom arrows

Floating Panels (Multiple monitors):

1. Drag panels away from the main window
2. Move floating windows to secondary monitor
3. Arrange as needed for your workspace

Tabbed Panels

Panels can group multiple items into tabs for organized navigation.

Creating Tab Groups

1. Open two panels with related items (e.g., two schemas)
2. Drag one panel onto another
3. Release on the center drop indicator
4. Panels become tabs in a single container

Managing Tabs

• Click tabs to switch between items
• Right-click a tab for close/detach options
• Drag a tab to reorder or move to different panels
• Close a tab with the X button (doesn't close the item)

info

Tabs are a visual grouping only. Closing a tab doesn't delete the item or prevent reopening it.

Maximizing Panels

Maximize for Focus

When you need to focus on a single panel:

1. Click the maximize button (usually a square icon in the panel header)
2. The panel expands to fill the workspace
3. Other panels become hidden but are not closed

Restoring Normal View

1. Click the maximize button again (becomes a restore button)
2. Or press Alt+M keyboard shortcut
3. All panels return to their previous layout

tip

Use maximize mode for detailed editing tasks or when working with complex templates that need full screen space.

Panel Groups

Scoriet organizes panels into logical groups with different behaviors:

Group	Description	Floatable	Closable	Always Visible
Top Navigation	Home, Projects, Settings	No	No	Yes
Sidebar	Tree navigator and search	Yes	No	Yes
Main Content	Schema/template editors	Yes	Yes	No
Database Explorer	Schema and table browser	Yes	Yes	No
Status Bar	Messages and info	No	No	Yes

caution

Closing all main content panels doesn't close Scoriet—it just hides working areas. Click Create + or item in sidebar to open panels again.

Resizing Panels

Dragging Panel Borders

Most panels have resizable borders:

1. Position cursor on the border between panels
2. Cursor changes to a resize handle (↔ or ↕)
3. Click and drag to resize

Sidebar Width

The left sidebar is particularly important to size correctly:

1. Drag the right edge of the sidebar to adjust width
2. Wider sidebar shows full item names and nested structure
3. Narrower sidebar gives more space to main editor panel

Panel Splitter Positioning

For vertically stacked panels:

1. Find the horizontal splitter between panels
2. Drag up or down to adjust the split
3. Double-click the splitter to collapse one panel

Saving and Restoring Layouts

Automatic Layout Saving

Scoriet automatically saves your layout:

• When you close Scoriet - Current layout is saved
• When you move/resize panels - Changes are saved after a short delay
• Per project - Each project remembers its layout separately
• Per user - Different team members have independent layouts

Manual Layout Export

To save a specific layout:

1. Customize panels to your preferred arrangement
2. Click Settings in top navigation
3. Go to Workspace > Save Layout
4. Name your layout (e.g., "Schema Review Setup")
5. Click Save

Loading a Saved Layout

1. Click Settings
2. Go to Workspace > Manage Layouts
3. Click a saved layout to load it
4. Your workspace instantly rearranges

info

Saved layouts help teams share common workspace configurations. A "Code Review Layout" might show schema and template side-by-side, while a "Template Writing Layout" might maximize the template editor.

Panel Context Menus

Right-click any panel header or tab for quick actions:

Action	Purpose
Close	Close this panel (item remains in tree)
Detach	Float as independent window
Maximize	Expand to fill workspace
New Tab	Open another item in this panel
Lock	Prevent accidental closing
Duplicate	Open same item in new panel

Advanced Panel Features

Panel Search and Filtering

Some panels (database explorer, template list) include search:

1. Look for search box in panel header
2. Type keywords to filter contents
3. Results update live as you type
4. Press Esc to clear search

Panel Preview Mode

For some items (generated code, templates):

1. Click Preview tab in the panel
2. See generated output without editing
3. Click through to see different generation options

Panel History

Panels remember what items you've recently viewed:

1. Click history button (back/forward arrows in header)
2. Navigate through recently viewed items
3. Useful for switching between related items frequently

Troubleshooting Panel Issues

Panel Appears to Be Missing

Solution: It might be floating off-screen.

1. Click Settings > Workspace > Reset Layout
2. All panels return to default positions

Can't Resize Panel

Solution: Some panels have fixed sizes. Try:

1. Float the panel first (easier to resize floating)
2. Check settings for panel size constraints

Too Many Tabs, Hard to Find Panels

Solution: Close unused panels or use floating windows:

1. Right-click tabs and select Close on unused items
2. Or drag frequently-used panels to separate floating windows

Panel Best Practices

Organize by Task

Create different layouts for different work types:

• Schema Design - Sidebar, schema editor, database explorer
• Template Writing - Sidebar, template editor, code preview
• Code Review - Schema and generated code side-by-side
• Project Setup - Project settings, multiple tables open in tabs

Keep Related Items Together

• Put schemas in tabs when comparing database designs
• Float templates when writing new template logic
• Tab different languages when managing multilingual projects

Use Maximize Strategically

• Maximize when writing complex template code
• Maximize when editing detailed table field definitions
• Return to normal view after focused editing task

Monitor Performance

If you have many panels open:

• Close unused panels to free memory
• Close floating windows you're not actively using
• Use tabs instead of floating windows when possible

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Related Topics:

• Understanding the Workspace
• Keyboard Shortcuts for faster panel control
• Navigation for finding panels