WM: grouping applications (TAI)

[Maciej Pilichowski]

On Monday 09 March 2009 16:13:29 Matthew Woehlke wrote:

> Let me try again. Let's say you have (easy example):
>
> (a) tile container +
>    (b) tab container
>      (c-f) konq's (with qt doc)
>      (g-i) konsole (h+)
>    (k) kate sidebar +
>    (l) tab container
>     (m-p) kate documents (with various source files) (n+)
> (q) kpat

Wait here please.

> Now, each parent (including root) has a last-active child, right?
> The '+' mark active children, above. 

I don't uderstand both of them. What is "last-active" term at all? And 
if + are active children, it means there are 3 active "windows"? How 
is this possible?

> > Here I am lost. Let's back to your example, I am writing
> > something in any doc within Kate, Konq. is visible, I would like
> > to make a switch to Konsole. How we do this.
>
> Assuming you have the awesome plug-in :-). You press ctrl-tab. Up
> pops something with these preview images:

Hmm, I am just thinking -- maybe we should not show anything extra? 
Just gray out the whole container, and preserve colors + add frame 
(a11y people) to the window which should get focus. User than see 
exactly not altered layout at all, and can use 
ctrl+tab/shift+ctrl+tab to go next/prev window, or just user arrow 
keys to navigate trough layout in geometric sense, arrow-down would 
mean go activate the window below.

> [q]    [a]
> [l] -->[b]<-- [k]
> [g]    [h]    [i]
>
> If you wanted to get to "i", you could either 'down', 'right', or
> let go of the modifier and tap ctrl-tab.

Ok, so we think about very similar thing. My observation is TAI/GAI 
cannot overlap (unlike windows on desktop) so we don't need that much 
special popup.

> That's roughly what I'm describing, except I wouldn't use a key to
> change modes... just make it like alt-tab; the first key puts you
> in switch mode, you leave when you let go of the modifier key.

Oh, I get it :-)) Nice!

> Until you do, you can move around with arrows/etc. (I think I would
> want to use mainly arrows, not so much space/whatever, though
> tab/shift-tab is okay.)

Tab-shift would be a killer in case when the switch mode is triggered 
i think, the better would be ctrl+backspace as going previous. In 
other words ctrl+shift+tab or ctrl+tab to trigger switching, but once 
trigger handle ctrl+backspace as well (as ctrl+shift+backspace). 

Detail of course.

> > Ok, but since you provided the proof of mixed mode need we have to 
> > think about it. I would like to detach one of the TAI window, and 
> > this TAI is already in GAI. What happens? It goes directly to the 
> > desktop? Or it goes to GAI container?
> 
> I think my earlier suggestion was it tries to go in the deepest 
> container possible,

Ok.

> unless you do something that makes it go to root  
> instead (or vice-versa), where "something" is e.g. hold ctrl.

I think it is not necessary -- if it is possible to just drag the 
window you can drag as sibling of the top level window.

> That... might be interesting :-). Again I'm more inclined to copy
> chrome 'tabs above everything' since it fits more with the tab as a
> WM object concept (and is less technically challenging).

After rethinking I have to give up my personal preferences and goes 
with what logic dictates.

The most important is application "decoration" to inform user what 
she/he is looking about, thus tab (not that ugly as in chrome 
though ;-))) ). 

Cheers,