Android Studio: Create a second Windows window

Question

I am getting familiar with Android Studio and now prefer it over Eclipse. However I find the window handling of Eclipse more efficient and flexible.

1. Is there any way to open a second window for the same project (like you can if you have separate projects)? Basically the "New Window" function of Eclipse.

2. Is there any way to store different window layouts and switch quickly between them (like the perspective of Eclipse)

I am developing on a Notebook, so space is limited. I rather switch with Alt+Tab between IDE windows than resizing 5 docked windows.

Answer 1

Opening a separate window (Qn #1)

This is possible. For an existing window tab, click and drag the tab outside of the window area of Android Studio. This is easier if the Window is in a restored state. So:

1. Ensure that there's some desktop area that's not covered by Android. This could be by ensuring the Android Studio window is not maximized (as you'd do on your notebook), or by having a dual-monitor setup.
2. Bring the window to be 'floated' to be the active tab

Initiating drag to make window float

Keep dragging

3. Drag the window outside of the Android Studio window area, and release mouse.

Drag outside of IDE

4. The window is now floating. To make it tabbed again, just drag it back to be where it was (beside other tabs).

Alt+Tab navigates between floating windows and the main IDE window.

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Floating tool windows

Tool window tabs can be dragged in the same way:

ADB logs tab can be be made to float

... such that they float like this:

Floating tool window

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Window layouts (Qn #2)

It appears that there's only the option of a 'Default' layout, and after changing this (e.g. pinning tool windows), the option to revert to a previously saved 'Default' layout.

To save a layout, select 'Window' -> 'Save Current Layout as Default'. Now after re-arranging any tool window layouts, the saved layout can be restored via 'Window' -> 'Restore Default Layout'

Tool windows such as '1. Project', '2. Favorites', 'TODO', 'Terminal' etc. can be dragged to be in different border areas of the application. It's the arrangement of these tool windows that is affected by the layout feature.

Tool Windows and Dragging

• Gunnar Bernstein: Thanks for the effort with the screenshots. As of b) I take it it is not possible, I would like to save both and switch. a) is a big help. The main reason for b) is the view of the logcat. I want a big window sometimes fast to read the content more easily (unfortunately there is no maximize button on the Android Studio Windows). Now I can use a for that. New Window on Eclipse is still ten times faster compared to Android Studio normalize IDE Window, reduce size, drag window out, maximize both.
• CJBS: I'd just use a command window for logcat. In the SDK directory, just run .\platform-tools\adb logcat. Then you can drag and size it to your heart's content.
• Gunnar Bernstein: Ok, I just messed up everything. I tried dragging the logcat window outside. That does not work. It gave a pop-up, which could not be closed and finally got me an IDE error which was reported to google. Intellij is really bad at window handling.
• CJBS: I just tried that and it worked, although I'd still rather use a command window. I updated the answer with a screen-dump of a floating tool window. It seems that the Tool functionality clusters (or whatever they're called) can't be dragged as a unit.