Open previous page in new tab

alexander.schultz

//MODEDIT: solution: right click on the navigation button (previous/next) to view the tab history. Click the left mouse button on an entry to open the page in the current tab or click the right mouse button on an entry to open it in a new tab

This is a feature for the browser I have been missing for many years now, no browser is able to do this. The feature would give me a possibility to open the previous page I have visited in a new tab. For example: I do a google-search, I click on one of the search results and want to stay on that page, but I also want to go back to the google-search results and look at the other results. In this situation I would like to right-click on the left-arrow (go to previous page) and select "open previous page in new tab". I would need that feature all the time. I know I can plan ahead and open links in new tabs in general but at least in my daily usage, the routine is just not like that.

blackeagle

You can do that in most other browsers? I use it all the time.

Right click the back button, and then middle click the first link in that history list that you want to open.
In Chrome, Firefox etc. it will open a new tab in the background with that link.

Unfortunately in Vivaldi it currently opens it in the same tab, but I hope they will fix it so I can start using this nice browser more.

alexander.schultz

@blackeagle
Thank you, I did not know that and I have searched for a way to do that for a long time. I do not have a middle-click button on my laptop, I could probably use a keyboard shortcut to emulate the middle-click for use with other browsers. I still think a visible function would be a nice feature and unique within browsers - also I want to use Vivaldi. Non-geek people who do not use shortcuts that often will probably never know about the feature otherwise.

blackeagle

If you don't have a middle button, you can hold down CTRL and left click a link to open it in a new tab.
So right click the back button, choose the previous page in the list and CTRL+left click it.

Again, this works in most browsers, but not Vivaldi at the moment, since it opens it in current tab instead.
I really hope they add this functionality soon.

Azenix

You don't have to right click you can just middle click the back button. This sucks for laptops. As for non geek people. Most of them don't use vivaldi, and don't need most of the features. If they want these features, they better become a geek.

becm

@azenix do you know if the different treatment of Shift+LeftButton and MiddleButton on Forward/Back-Buttons is intentional or just accidentially inconsistent with treatment for weblinks (and bookmarks)?

Pesala

@becm This is another feature request: Open Items from History List in Background.

If I have rightly understood this current Feature Request, it is already available by opening links on search result pages in background tabs.

becm

@pesala the exact feature is available (even in V1.14) by using the MiddleMB on the Forward/Back buttons, so the feature is rightfully marked as done (in hindsight).

But as you said yourself in the mentioned discussion:

Ctrl+Click … should also work for those who do not have a middle-mouse button.

So @azenix and I just wondered why there is no similar trigger for this existing feature (I checked various ModifierKey+LeftClick combinations).

The linked feature request discussed (exclusively?) operations on the history list items popup (shown after Right/Long mouse click) and not the buttons themselves.

becm

@alexander-schultz so the feature is already in Vivaldi but can only be triggered by MiddleMouseButton for the moment.

Some notebooks can interpret pressing left and right touchpad/mouse buttons at the same time as middle mouse button. Availability (hardware/drivers/config) and accuracy (and so usability for this task) vary from model to model…

@blackeagle the extended functionality for history lists is discussed in another FR (as mentioned by @pesala)

Pesala

@becm Not only MMB, also Ctrl+Click,, right-click open in background tab, and mouse gestures over a link.

alexander.schultz

@pesala
Thank you for your suggestions. I do use an emulated middle button for now. But my feature request really aimed at a graphical way to do this. I think it is very common for many people not to plan ahead, and not to open a link in a new- or background-tab beforehand. The graphical way would open the feature to everyone.

@Azenix
I do not think that Vivaldi aims to be geek-browser, nor should anyone need to be one to use it. If I wanted that, I would use w3m.

Pesala

@alexander-schultz I don't know what you mean by a graphic way to do this.

I tend not to open new tabs for search results. I just read each one, then GestureLeft to go back to the search results page, where I click the next link.

It is more efficient than opening a new tab only to close it again immediately after reading it.

alexander.schultz

@pesala I thought of a "open previous page in new tab" or e.g. "back in new tab" menu point. Maybe in the right-click menu on the page or the right-click menu on the backwards button. The scenario is the following: I do a google search, I left-click a search-result. I find the result to be interesting, but I want to check first if there are even better search results. For that, I want to keep that page open and want to return to the search results.

Pesala

@alexander-schultz So go back, and Ctrl+Click on the search result that you previously followed.

This way, you do not need to keep every linked page open, just those that turn out to be of interest.

alexander.schultz

@pesala I am absolutely aware that there are ways around this. I just think that it would be a nice feature. I have observed various people when giving introductory computer classes actually quite often coming in that situation.

becm

@pesala yes, this is all implemented for links on websites and in the bookmark side panel.

But some time ago somebody implemented the open in background page via MMB for the forward and back buttons and did not go the distance to also support ModKey+LeftClick semantics. They are "downgraded" to regular click operations, resulting in forward/back for current tab. And that's the missing feature (or inexplicable inconsistency).

Action	expected result	actual result
MMB on BackButton	previous page in new BG tab	previous page in BG tab (works)
Ctrl+LMB on BackButton	previous page in new BG tab	history back on current tab
Shift+LMB on ForwardButton	next page in new FG tab	history forward on current tab

So the actual request is: Support ModKey operations for history buttons.
Since MMB works as expected, most of the required code might already be there.

nic.prudhomme

As a laptop users, I don't always have access to the MMB and I think it wouldn't be too difficult to implement this feature as it seems like ModKey operations on navigation buttons are already supported and the action is already bind to MMB.

This is a feature I find myself using very often, so much I haven't completely switched to Vivaldi as this feature is too entrenched in my browsing habit . It is implemented on all major browser: Chrome, FF, Opera and Safari all features previous or next page on cmd+click+nav button on mac, so I don't see why Vivaldi could not have the same.

chaswmsday

Would this request satisfy the OP's needs?
https://forum.vivaldi.net/topic/25969/follower-tabs