RadWindow reloads when restoring from the minimize zone

[Toni Gomez]

Hi,

I am editing data on a form that is loaded into a RadWindow.
When I minimize the window and then later restore it, the form reloads itself and I lose all data that I have been editing.
How do I prevent this from happening?

Thanks,
Jaap

[Georgi Tunev]

Hi Jaap,

So far this problem has been reported when the following conditions are met:

1. You are using MinimizeZone
2. You are using Firefox.

If this is your case, this is a browser's bug that pops up when an IFRAME is being moved in the DOM tree (what is actually happening when the window object is moved in the minimize zone) and for now there is no fix for it. If this is your case we suggest either not to use MinimizeZone or not to minimize the window at all.

If your scenario is different, please open a support ticket and send us a reproduction project that we can examine locally - we will check it right away.


All the best,
Georgi Tunev
the Telerik team

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[Toni Gomez]

Hi Georgi,

Thanks for the reply.

I have checked, but this is not a bug specific to FireFox. The same thing happens in Safari, Opera, and Google Chrome.
Only IE (8) restores the window without reloading the page.

This is a serious issue, though. Getting rid of the minimize zone or not minimizing at all are not realistic options, since these are both crucial to the design, functionality and usability of our application! I would like to see this issue resolved somehow.

Thanks,
Jaap

[Georgi Tunev]

Hello again Jaap,

Yes, I missed these browsers in my previous reply - I apologize for that.
Unfortunately, currently there is no workaround for this problem - this is default browser's behavior and we cannot modify it in any way. To demonstrate the problem, I attached to this thread a small sample that reproduces the same behavior - the moving of the RadWindow in a minimize zone is basically the same. If you have ideas on how to avoid that problem, please let us know and we will be glad to discuss them with you.


Greetings,
Georgi Tunev
the Telerik team

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[Toni Gomez]

Hello Georgi,

Thanks for the quick response.

I understand the problem with the DOM. I have looked into it briefly, so correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that the RadWindow consists of a table with a row for the window title, a row that contains an IFRAME, one for the status bar and a footer. When minimizing a window the whole table is moved to the minimize zone, therefore changing the DOM. Only the title bar is displayed in the minimize zone.

It makes sense that you designed the control that way, but given this "side effect" I would like to suggest a change, if this is possible.
For instance, why not make the entire table invisible when minimizing and render a seperate "title bar" inside the minimize zone. That way you won't have to move the IFRAME through the DOM.

This approach could even be an opporunity to further enhance the RadWindow features: if a developer could choose to "always show" the RadWindow's title bar as a button inside the minimize zone (instead of only when it is minimized), you could really create the look and feel of a Windows task bar.

This last bit is just a wild suggestion of course, but not reloading the IFRAME is very important. I think the best way to illiustrate why is this: how would you feel if you were writing a long email to your friend in Outlook, then minimized the email to go back to your inbox, opened another email, and then went back to the email you were writing only to discover that everything had been lost and you had to start all over again?!
I think you'd be pretty annoyed, but this is exactly the functionality that the RadWindow is offering right now (at least to non-IE users).

I hope this issue can be fixed.

Greetings,
Jaap.

[Georgi Tunev]

Hi again Jaap,

Thank you for the feedback and the suggestion. We logged this issue in our ToDo list and we will try to fix this problem for one of the following updates. In the meantime I could suggest to consider using a RadWindow along with RadTabStrip for achieving a MD Interface. For convenience I attached a small sample based on the First Look demo that, however, work with multiple simultaneously opened documents - I hope it will be of help.

Your points were updated.


Kind regards,
Georgi Tunev
the Telerik team

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[Toni Gomez]

Hi Georgi,

Thanks a lot for your help.
I've looked at your code sample, but we can't use it in our application. It would mean a complete redesign and it still doesn't solve the problem with minimizing.

You mentioned that you've put the issue on your ToDo list for one of the following updates. Our company has just recently required a Telerik license, so we have no experience yet with how often and how fast you update your controls. Since we are due to release our product September 1st, we would like to know if you can give us an indication on when you think this issue will be taken up? Do you think it would be feasible to have an update before this date?

Thanks,
Jaap

[Georgi Tunev]

Hello again Jaap,

Our tasks for the next several month are pretty much set and I am afraid I cannot promise that this will be ready for September. Still I would recommend to consider using RadTabStrip instead of minimize zone. We are currently working on improving the logic of the demo that I sent in my previous reply and it should be ready next week. The new version of the code will allow minimizing e.g. when the user clicks on the minimize icon, the window will be hidden and can be called again by clicking on the corresponding tab - just like in MS Windows' desktop. Once we are ready, I will post the new version here.


All the best,
Georgi Tunev
the Telerik team

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[Hendrik]

Is that supposed to be a bug in firefox for loading or in ie for not loading ?? or is it just the "normal" difference between the two ??:)

thanks in advance
hendrik

[Georgi Tunev]

Hi Hendrik,

To be honest, I cannot tell is this a bug in Firefox or a feature :) I believe however, that the content should not be reloaded when the IFRAME is moved in the DOM.


Regards,
Georgi Tunev
the Telerik team