Layout System

Organize your workspace with flexible tabs and split panels. Work with multiple collections, queries, and tools simultaneously in a layout that adapts to your workflow.

Working with Tabs

Every activity you open in VisualLeaf appears as a tab at the top of the panel. Tabs help you keep multiple activities organized and quickly switch between them.

Opening and Closing Tabs

• Open New Tab - Click on any collection, run a query, or select an activity from the sidebar. It automatically opens in a new tab.
• Close Tab - Click the X button on any tab, or use Ctrl+W to close the active tab.
• Switch Between Tabs - Click on any tab to make it active, or use Ctrl+Tab to cycle through tabs.

Reordering Tabs

Organize your tabs in the order that makes sense for your workflow. Simply click and drag any tab left or right to reposition it. As you drag, you'll see a gap indicator showing where the tab will be placed when you release it.

Tab List Dropdown

When you have many tabs open, the dropdown list helps you quickly find and switch to the tab you need. Click the dropdown arrow button at the right end of the tab bar to see all open tabs in the current panel.

Split Panels

Split panels let you view multiple activities side-by-side. This is perfect for comparing data, working with related collections, or monitoring queries while editing others.

Creating Split Panels

There are multiple ways to split your workspace:

Right-Click Menu

Right-click on any tab and select "Split Right" or "Split Down" to create a new panel with that tab.

Drag to Drop Zones

Drag a tab toward the edges of the workspace. Drop zones appear on the left, right, top, or bottom to create a split panel in that direction.

Types of Splits

• Split Right - Creates a new panel to the right of the current panel, dividing the space horizontally.
• Split Down - Creates a new panel below the current panel, dividing the space vertically.
• Center Drop - Drops the tab into the center of an existing panel, adding it to that panel's tab bar without splitting.

Adjusting Panel Sizes

Drag the divider between split panels to resize them. This lets you allocate more space to the panel you're currently focusing on.

Tab Context Menu

Right-click on any tab to access a menu with powerful options for managing your workspace.

Available Options

• Split Right - Moves this tab to a new panel on the right side, creating a horizontal split.
• Split Down - Moves this tab to a new panel below, creating a vertical split.
• Clone Tab - Creates a duplicate of the current tab. This is useful for comparing different views of the same data or experimenting without losing your current work. Note: Not all activities can be cloned.
• Close - Closes the current tab.
• Close Tabs to the Left - Closes all tabs to the left of the current tab in the same panel.
• Close Tabs to the Right - Closes all tabs to the right of the current tab in the same panel.
• Close Others - Closes all tabs except the current one in the same panel.
• Close All - Closes all tabs in the current panel.

Note: Split options are only available when the panel has multiple tabs. Clone is only available for activities that support duplication.

Moving Tabs Between Panels

The drag and drop system makes it easy to reorganize your workspace on the fly.

How It Works

1. Click and hold on any tab to start dragging it.
2. As you move the tab, drop zones appear as highlighted areas showing where you can place it.
3. Drag the tab over a drop zone to see a preview of what will happen.
4. Release the mouse button to complete the move.

Drop Zone Locations

• Left Edge - Creates or adds to a panel on the left side.
• Right Edge - Creates or adds to a panel on the right side.
• Top Edge - Creates or adds to a panel at the top.
• Bottom Edge - Creates or adds to a panel at the bottom.
• Center Area - Adds the tab to the existing panel without creating a split.
• Tab Bar - Drop between existing tabs to reorder them within the same panel.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts to navigate your workspace efficiently without touching the mouse.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + W	Close current tab
Ctrl + F4	Close current tab (alternative)
Ctrl + Tab	Switch to next tab
Ctrl + Shift + Tab	Switch to previous tab
Ctrl + 1-9	Jump to tab 1-9 directly
Ctrl + 0	Jump to last tab
Ctrl + Alt + W	Close all tabs except current
Ctrl + Shift + W	Close all tabs in current panel

Note: On macOS, use Cmd instead of Ctrl

Advanced Features

Auto-Scroll to Selected Tab

When you have many tabs open and the tab bar extends beyond the visible area, VisualLeaf automatically scrolls to bring the selected tab into view. This ensures you always see which tab is currently active.

Tab Overflow Dropdown

When your tab bar has more tabs than can fit on screen, a dropdown button appears on the right side. Click it to see a complete list of all tabs in the current panel, making it easy to find and switch to any tab even when they're not all visible.

Mouse Wheel Scrolling

Hover your mouse over the tab bar and use the mouse wheel to scroll through tabs horizontally. This provides a smooth way to navigate through many tabs without needing to use the scrollbar.

Connection Status Indicators

Tabs for activities that require a database connection show a connection status icon. A green plug icon means the connection is active, while a gray icon indicates the connection is unavailable.

Pro Tips

1. Split for Comparison: When comparing data across collections, use horizontal splits to view them side-by-side. For reference data you check occasionally, use vertical splits to keep it visible but less prominent.
2. Clone for Experimentation: Before modifying a query or aggregation, clone the tab. This gives you a safety net to compare results or revert changes without losing your work.
3. Keyboard Navigation: Learn the number shortcuts (Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9) for your most-used tabs. Position frequently-accessed activities in the first 9 tab slots for instant access.
4. Close Others Strategically: When your workspace gets cluttered, right-click on the tab you want to keep and select "Close Others" to quickly clean up while preserving your important work.
5. Drag to Center: To move a tab between existing panels without creating new splits, drag it to the center area of the target panel. This is useful for consolidating related activities.
6. Watch the Preview: When dragging tabs, the visual preview shows exactly what will happen before you drop. Take a moment to ensure you're dropping in the right zone to avoid accidental splits.

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Comparing Two Collections

1. Open the first collection from the sidebar - it opens in a new tab.
2. Open the second collection - it opens in another tab in the same panel.
3. Right-click on the second collection's tab and select "Split Right".
4. Both collections are now visible side-by-side for easy comparison.
5. Adjust the divider between panels to give more space to whichever collection needs it.

Workflow 2: Building Complex Aggregations

1. Open your collection and start building an aggregation.
2. Right-click the collection tab and select "Split Down" to keep the raw data visible below.
3. Work on your aggregation in the top panel while referencing the collection data in the bottom panel.
4. When satisfied with the aggregation, close the bottom panel by closing all its tabs.

Workflow 3: Multi-Database Monitoring

1. Open statistics or monitoring views for different databases.
2. Drag each tab to different drop zones to create a grid layout (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right).
3. All database statistics are now visible simultaneously for comprehensive monitoring.

Troubleshooting

I can't split a panel

The split options in the context menu are only available when a panel has multiple tabs. If you only have one tab in a panel, open another activity first, then you'll be able to split.

My workspace is too cluttered

Use the "Close Others" option to keep only the tab you're working on, or use "Close All" to start fresh. You can also close multiple tabs quickly using Ctrl+W repeatedly.

I accidentally moved a tab to the wrong panel

Simply drag the tab back to where it belongs. You can move tabs between panels as many times as needed. Drop it in the center of the original panel to avoid creating new splits.

The tab bar is scrolled and I can't find my tab

Click the dropdown button on the right side of the tab bar to see a list of all open tabs. Select the one you need, and the tab bar will automatically scroll to show it.

Related Features

• Collection Activity - The main data browser that opens in tabs. Understanding the layout system helps you work with multiple collections efficiently.
• Aggregation Activity - Complex aggregations benefit from split panels so you can reference source data while building pipelines.
• Compare Activity - Use split panels to view comparison results alongside the original collections being compared.
• MongoDB Shell - Split the shell with collection views to test commands while viewing their effects in real-time.