v2 first impressions and why I'm back on v1

Kobus Smit

I've tried the latest SourceTree beta on Windows (v.2.0.14.1) and I like a lot of the new features and improvements but there are 2 issues that forced me back to v1.

1. The removal of the bookmarks side bar

I miss the Bookmarks sidebar, it gave me a quick overview of the status of my repos, so I can quickly see repos with changes/files to be commited/pulls required etc.

I'd love to have an option to show it again!

I've got a high res monitor so "the removal of the bookmarks sidebar gives you 250px horizontally" is not as important as loosing important functionality.

 

2. The exe does not stay in the same folder

Every time SourceTree updates it installs into a new folder under AppData\Local\SourceTreeBeta. I understand that there are probably good reasons for that but for me that is a step backwards as it has unintented consequences.

I pin the shortcut to my Windows TaskBar for quick launching but the shortcut points to AppData\Local\SourceTreeBeta\Update.exe --processStart "SourceTree.exe" so when I click on it the bootstrapper launches another exe and then I have 2 SourceTree icons in my TaskBar (1. the original shortcut/bootstrapper and 2. the newly launched exe) 
It does not help to pin "SourceTree.exe" because come the next update then my pinned shortcut is outdated/incorrect.

v1 does not have this issue because the exe stays in the same place.

 

Another side effect is that I have firewall rules for SourceTree.exe and because the folder changes with each update, my firewall rules become invalid and the firewall app prompts me unnecessary.

Google Chrome also use different folders, for example C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\57.0.2987.133 but the exe stays in the same place: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

 

Regards
Kobus

 

Scott R. Frost

You must not have used it long enough to notice the biggest lols...

Open a few tabs, espeically those with file status all checked in / nothing to do, now go away from the app for a moment and come back.  Try to use anything in the UI at all to tell you which repo you're currently on.  No color coding on the tabs for active, nothing in the title bar, nothing ANYWHERE in the app.

Now, try to figure out which repos have pulls waiting... without switching to every tab.  Since they took the sidebar away, you can't ANYWHERE in the app.