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RFC: Desktop Bar visibility in Overview

This RFC addresses conditional visibility of the Desktop Bar in Overview for non-linear Virtual Desktop/Grid layouts. I'll try not to rehash what is already been posted elsewhere.

Merge Request: !6331 (merged)

Reference:

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=475077 (the discussion pertains to the Desktop Bar and not general linearization of desktops)

!5330 (closed) - !5330 (comment 966047)

The code change is simple and only removes a hardcoded filter that hides the element. I've been running it in my personal builds from 6.0.5 onward and combined with the performance boosts in 6.1 it's a real treat.

I would like to request that it be re-submitted for review. Not sure if that can be done by myself, or if @vladz will need to be involved as it is his code.

In Plasma 5.24-5.27, the Overview displayed a Desktop Bar containing a linear view of the populated Virtual Desktops, just like MacOS. This was distinctly separate from Desktop Grid and was visible in the Overview in all conditions.

From Plasma 6, the Virtual Desktops were made non-linear if the row-count was adjusted, not just in the Desktop Grid but globally across Windowheap. This resolved several bug reports and is otherwise a fine change. However, a decision was made to hide the Desktop Bar from these non-linear layouts, likely during the unification of the Grid and Overview effects.

This was a huge oversight and affects my workflow, as well as more users than i've ever shared a bug report with here. This only addresses the Desktop Bar's visibility, not the non-linear behavior of virtual desktops in Plasma 6 or the unification of effects.

Gleaned from bug report comments, the reason the bar was removed was to nudge Overview + Grid users to adopt a workflow of:

  1. Engage Overview
  2. Grab window
  3. Engage Grid with same hotkey (https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=475077#c8) or with a screen corner (https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=475077#c21)
  4. Drag window to target desktop

At this time, there is no clear indicator of this system, nor should the old one have been removed, even if the new one was ready and polished. As a cross-platform Mac user, the default workflow in their Mission Control is:

  1. Engage Overview
  2. Grab window
  3. Flick window to target Desktop Bar thumbnail.

This is intuitive and flows in Plasma just fine. No need to reinvent any wheels here, it worked, works, and should work going forward. I thought my system was broken by updating from Plasma 5 to 6 due to fresh accounts having the bar, and waited for the dust to settle before investigating, not expecting the VD/Grid layout to determine the Overview behavior.

Many users in the linked bug report also report similar confusion. If it's to be hidden from particular users, it needs an indicator, or the option to collapse and expand on demand (future enhancements).

There are no bugs I can find regarding the Desktop Bar specifically that are unique to this case ( !5330 (comment 883093)). Any bugs that affect the bar (too many desktops overflowing to the side) will also occur with a linear row of desktops (at which point Desktop Grid is entirely unusable as a linear row).

Thanks for the time and consideration, I hope this feature can be restored for everyone.

Edited by Blazer Silving