Persistent Navigation? February 1, 2012 9:03 AM Subscribe
Idle pony request: optional, check-box activated persistent top navbar, such that the main site content scrolls up behind it.
I find myself reading the site on an iPad, and long threads sometimes fail to hold my attention. Getting back to the top of the site requires scrolling, which is slower than on a PC.
On the other hand, that navbar would probably be unwelcome on a small-screen device, so an on-off control would be useful.
Anyway, not something I'm all het up about, just an idea.
I find myself reading the site on an iPad, and long threads sometimes fail to hold my attention. Getting back to the top of the site requires scrolling, which is slower than on a PC.
On the other hand, that navbar would probably be unwelcome on a small-screen device, so an on-off control would be useful.
Anyway, not something I'm all het up about, just an idea.
If you're using Safari on the iPad, just tap anywhere in the top of the browser bar. It will scroll you to the top of the page.
posted by hamandcheese at 9:06 AM on February 1, 2012
posted by hamandcheese at 9:06 AM on February 1, 2012
...or what he said.
posted by hamandcheese at 9:07 AM on February 1, 2012
posted by hamandcheese at 9:07 AM on February 1, 2012
You can tap the top of mobile safari on the iPad to get back to the top quickly. Saves a lot of scrolling.
Yes. It didn't take me very long to wish this was a feature in the desktop client.
posted by OmieWise at 9:08 AM on February 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yes. It didn't take me very long to wish this was a feature in the desktop client.
posted by OmieWise at 9:08 AM on February 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
That's what the "Home" key is for, OmieWise.
posted by koeselitz at 9:10 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by koeselitz at 9:10 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
And everybody learned!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 9:18 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 9:18 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
or the "command up arrow" combo if you are home key disabled.
posted by HuronBob at 9:19 AM on February 1, 2012
posted by HuronBob at 9:19 AM on February 1, 2012
Another iPad tip: if you're stuck in a long ass page and the tap-to-top doesn't work (in things like Twitter's safari viewer) you take your two index fingers and alternate scrolling them, like two little walking legs. You'd be amazed how quickly you can scroll dozens of screens in a second or two.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:23 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:23 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
And now I'm going to have to do that while humming the theme from "Chariots of Fire".
posted by middleclasstool at 9:32 AM on February 1, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by middleclasstool at 9:32 AM on February 1, 2012 [7 favorites]
You'd be amazed how quickly you can scroll dozens of screens in a second or two.
Just to be clear, this is some sort of personal "I like the running motion" thing and not any hack that makes the iPhone do anything faster, right? Because if so, I'll make little racing stripes on my fingers and enjoy it that much more.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:35 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
Just to be clear, this is some sort of personal "I like the running motion" thing and not any hack that makes the iPhone do anything faster, right? Because if so, I'll make little racing stripes on my fingers and enjoy it that much more.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:35 AM on February 1, 2012 [4 favorites]
pb: “You can tap the top of mobile safari on the iPad to get back to the top quickly. Saves a lot of scrolling.”
By the way – sadly, this is a lot more difficult than it used to be. On the last update, they added tabs to Safari. Now, I often find it almost impossible to do the tap-at-the-top-to-scroll-up thingie; I just end up switching tabs over and over and over again. Maybe somebody can clue me in on how to avoid that.
posted by koeselitz at 9:45 AM on February 1, 2012
By the way – sadly, this is a lot more difficult than it used to be. On the last update, they added tabs to Safari. Now, I often find it almost impossible to do the tap-at-the-top-to-scroll-up thingie; I just end up switching tabs over and over and over again. Maybe somebody can clue me in on how to avoid that.
posted by koeselitz at 9:45 AM on February 1, 2012
Now, I often find it almost impossible to do the tap-at-the-top-to-scroll-up thingie; I just end up switching tabs over and over and over again.
Yeah, I agree. I usually aim for the very top of the screen -- the few pixels between the location bar and the bezel. It's not much room, but if you err on the side of the bezel, nothing untoward happens even if you miss.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:00 AM on February 1, 2012
Yeah, I agree. I usually aim for the very top of the screen -- the few pixels between the location bar and the bezel. It's not much room, but if you err on the side of the bezel, nothing untoward happens even if you miss.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:00 AM on February 1, 2012
Suddenly, I'm thinking: QWOP for the iPhone.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:04 AM on February 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:04 AM on February 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
You mean this, cortex? It's not bad, but it is a somewhat different experience from the desktop game.
posted by koeselitz at 10:08 AM on February 1, 2012
posted by koeselitz at 10:08 AM on February 1, 2012
I for one would support this pony. And I'm on a desktop. So basically, I'm kinda lazy and don't want to have to reach for my keyboard all the time.
posted by Grither at 10:09 AM on February 1, 2012
posted by Grither at 10:09 AM on February 1, 2012
I would support this pony on the desktop as well. Ambivalent about iOS because of screen real-estate, but I'd try it out.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:14 AM on February 1, 2012
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:14 AM on February 1, 2012
On a desktop, "SHIFT+Spacebar" held down makes for a rather gratifying, fast-but-not-instant journey to the top. It's the scenic train ride to "HOME"s jet plane.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:15 AM on February 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:15 AM on February 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
I found a Greasemonkey script that adds a little floating arrow the lower right corner of every page you visit: Scroll To Top. Click the arrow and you go back to the top. Hover and click the little side arrow to go to the bottom of the page. Works in Chrome.
posted by pb (staff) at 10:40 AM on February 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by pb (staff) at 10:40 AM on February 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
"you take your two index fingers and alternate scrolling them, like two little walking legs. "
Viewed in the context of the Yellow Pages slogan 'let your fingers do the walking' and considering how things like the iPad probably* helped to continue to rapid decline of the phone book, for some reason, this made me a little sadly nostalgic.
* I'm not sure it had much further to decline. Or is that farther? No, it's not. Or is it...
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:44 AM on February 1, 2012
Viewed in the context of the Yellow Pages slogan 'let your fingers do the walking' and considering how things like the iPad probably* helped to continue to rapid decline of the phone book, for some reason, this made me a little sadly nostalgic.
* I'm not sure it had much further to decline. Or is that farther? No, it's not. Or is it...
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:44 AM on February 1, 2012
Yes. It didn't take me very long to wish this was a feature in the desktop client.
I am wishing so hard right along with you. And god would I love a "skip to [bottom of page]" link like the "skip to menu" on mefi mobile. Not just for here, though that would be great, but for everywhere on the web.
posted by rtha at 12:40 PM on February 1, 2012
I am wishing so hard right along with you. And god would I love a "skip to [bottom of page]" link like the "skip to menu" on mefi mobile. Not just for here, though that would be great, but for everywhere on the web.
posted by rtha at 12:40 PM on February 1, 2012
....And I just saw pb's comment. I will go investigate this script!
posted by rtha at 12:40 PM on February 1, 2012
posted by rtha at 12:40 PM on February 1, 2012
koeselitz: "pb: By the way – sadly, this is a lot more difficult than it used to be. On the last update, they added tabs to Safari. Now, I often find it almost impossible to do the tap-at-the-top-to-scroll-up thingie; I just end up switching tabs over and over and over again. Maybe somebody can clue me in on how to avoid that."
Take the finger you use to tap on the screen. Insert in pencil sharpener. Rotate.
posted by dg at 1:23 PM on February 1, 2012
Take the finger you use to tap on the screen. Insert in pencil sharpener. Rotate.
posted by dg at 1:23 PM on February 1, 2012
You can make two bookmarks with the following as the bookmark address:
(when I try to post these as actual links, they're filtered by the mefi code, which is probably wise)
(when I try to post these as actual links, they're filtered by the mefi code, which is probably wise)
Scroll to Top: javascript:scroll(0,0);
Scroll to Bottom: javascript:scroll(0,document.getElementsByTagName('body')%5B0%5D.scrollHeight);posted by ceribus peribus at 2:59 PM on February 1, 2012 [2 favorites] Cortex, mathowie, keoselitz: there are, amazingly (or not) multiple finger treadmill apps for iOS.
Tap top, return to top. Noted. Now if only I could disable the notifications drawer.
posted by mwhybark at 10:06 PM on February 1, 2012
Tap top, return to top. Noted. Now if only I could disable the notifications drawer.
posted by mwhybark at 10:06 PM on February 1, 2012
That's great! I have acually regarded the whole top quarter inch as a no go zone since the damnable drawer began fucking with me in Brushes and the like. Child labor, Notifications drawer, yes, I expect as much.
posted by mwhybark at 10:09 PM on February 1, 2012
posted by mwhybark at 10:09 PM on February 1, 2012
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posted by pb (staff) at 9:06 AM on February 1, 2012 [2 favorites]