Amiga OS 3.2 released

[Minuous]

Workbench will not open a hidden window; this includes eg. requests from ARexx scripts to do so.

[walkero]

@Steady
As an alternative thought, the way it works right now for some users might be useful, because it is a way to move any of the volumes to menu. Think that someone might want to not have any icon on his workbench and open a volume only from the menu. This way this is possible to be done.

I don't believe there is wrong or right way here, because it depends on how someone wants to use the system.

[kolla]

I really don’t see the point of the “open volume” unless it can be used for “hidden” volumes.

So there’s now “win” command? That doesn’t make much sense, the name is flat out confusing, no reference to workbench and could just as well be the counterpart to a “loose” command. For decades we’ve had wbrun, why not use that? A simple rexx script will do.

@Minuous
Oh, and are really SURE that you can open a hidden volume or any of its drawers using this "win" command? I know for SURE that it certainly does NOT work using any CLI command (wbrun) or Workbench AREXX port on OS 3.1.4.1, so it would be fun to really have it confirmed, and also have it confirmed that same can now be done using RX "Address Workbench WINDOW 'Hidden:' OPEN"

[Mikhail]

I really don’t see the point of the “open volume” unless it can be used for “hidden” volumes.
 

What if you have many windows opened that obstruct the volume icons ?
Then it is easier to open that volume via menu, so having an option is better than not.
As for the hidden volumes, that could be an extra option.
The must be a good reason why the volumes are hidden in the first place.

[kolla]

This is Amiga and Workbench, there are no good reason to clutter the screen with tons of windows in the first place, at least I never have this problem - bringing root to top is just a hotkey away. It would make more sense if it was more like macOS and the Workbench menu was _always_ there, even when other programs’ windows were active, but it’s not.

I can’t speak for others, but I never hide volumes, I only hide devices. For example on MIST I have both a fat95 SD0: and cachecdfs CD0: both scsi.device unit 1, and both mounted at boot - I use GhostBuster and its WB prefs and set both DS0: and CD0: to hide if not valid filesystem. Of course this feature is not in OS 3.2 because then users cannot format partitions, says ThoR. However, if I could hide ALL volumes and instead use arexx to open them rather than double clicking volume icons - I would! To be more precise, I would make icons on the desktop that would replace the volume icons, and havr them do much more than just open the drawers. Reminds me, on my wishlist is “triggers” for double clicking on workbench background and window backgrounds, with and without qualifiers, so one can configure double click on background to launch an arexx script, shift + double click to run a command etc. Same for windows, but with path to window being passed on as an argument.

The way Workbench works on 3.1.4.1, a hidden volume can not be opened AT ALL as a wb window, neither can any subdrawer, and left out icons are of course also not there. From previous comment by Minuous, this MAY have changed in OS 3.2, but I know better than to trust that

[Minuous]

You are right, this behaviour hasn't changed for 3.2. Hidden WB windows are not openable via ARexx or similar methods.

I don't really see a problem with that though: if you wanted to use look at those devices/volumes in WB then you would not tell WB you wanted them hidden in the first place, logically.