Falkon UI for touch and handheld devices

[Genghis Khan]

Please see notes below.

On Mon, 05 Dec 2022 22:53:01 +0100
Juraj Oravec <jurajoravec at mailo.com> wrote:

> On pondelok 5. decembra 2022 17:00:22 CET Genghis Khan wrote:
> > Please pardon me for triple mailing.
> >
> > Another observation below.
>
> That is fine, I just read the last one.
>
> > TOOLBAR
> > -------
> > Falkon should have all toolbars hidden by default except
> > Navigation Toolbar.
> >
> > Search Bar (a part of the Address Bar) should be disabled.
> > This can be done now by collapsing the Address Bar to the Search

... and from "Configure Toolbar" dialog.

> > Bar, but it really should be completely disabled as the
> > display might be too narrow.

Please ignore it.

>
> Provide a custom config by the distribution, or might need a way to
> introduce some defaults during compile time.
>

Custom config is fine.
Search Bar can be completely hidden from the "Configure Toolbar" dialog.

> > TABS
> > ----
> > Tabs should be disabled by default in favor of (New) Windows.
>
> That might break too many things, you are better of making a new
> interface over QtWE.
>

Please ignore it.
The Vertical Tabs are a better solution.

> > TABS
> > ----
> > I think that a convergenced Vertical Tabs sidebar can be enabled by
> > default, which I think is a very good solution and will allow users
> > to handle sessions of multiple tabs.  It seems that such solution
> > isn't offered by any web browser yet.
>
> There is already a similar request on the bugtracker but this should
> be extended to sidebar itself.
>
> https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=462085
>

A vertical bar to toggle the sidebar, similarly to LibreOffice and
Otter Browser, or as described in ticket #462085, would be a solution

> > SUGGESTIONS
> > -----------
> > For the time being, suggestions should be disabled so it won't
> > interrupt user typing on virtual keyboard, unless theses's a way
> > to program the suggestions in a different way that would not
> > interrupt typing.
>
> Suggestions can be disabled by a config option. Other stuff may
> require aan investigation on how the touch input works together with
> current suggestion method.
>
> > TOOLS BUTTON
> > ------------
> > Button "Tools Button" should be hidden by default and dialog
> > "Configure Toolbar" should be available inside Preferences ->
> > Appearance.
>
> Another thing for custom config.
>
> > ICON
> > ----
> > Falkon should change its icon to favicon, if available, for each
> > active tab.  This is the begaviour of the default web browser of
> > LineageOS and it seems useful.
>
> Interesting, but I believe there is a similar request tied together
> with --app mode which I think include changing the icon to either the
> specified one or the one provided by page. Well I preffer to keep the
> same icon, often the icons provided by web are not good enough.
>

Please ignore it in favor of Vertical Tabs.

> > SETTINGS
> > --------
> > Preferences and other dialogs should be stretched, that is occupy
> > Falkon main window.
>
> Not gonna happen.
>

Not even for handheld mode?
This is not strict to all mode, only to handheld.

> > Preferences and other dialogs should also be adapted to smaller
> > displays.
>
> Some work can be done on this to at least have a way to get to all
> options on smaller screens.
>
> > STATUS BAR
> > ----------
> > This issue is also relevant to Sway Window Manager for Wayland.
> > Menus of status bar are opened to the buttom which makes them
> > unusable when Falkon is maximized (streched).
>
> Doe not happen on my desktop OpenBox setup, so this is either Qt or
> Wayland issue. Or is there a real way we can influence how menu is
> displayed?
>

It happens on Phosh.
It happens on Sway only to the Proxy Submenu.
I didn't look into Plasma Mobile.

Perhaps avoid sub-menus for statusbar menus or make them all like the
RSS menu.

> > MENU
> > ----
> > Context menu might need some changes, but I think it's best to
> > leave
> > it after users provide feedbacks for Handheld Mode, perhaps under
> > "Appearance" or "Configure Toolbar".
>
> Yeah, incpect element is missing icon on my setup, may fix that.
>
> > FINAL NOTE
> > ----------
> > I think we need to add a Handheld Mode to Preferences ->
> > Appearance,
> > and when this mode is made available, Falkon is perfect for
> > handheld devices.
>
> It feels more like a whole fork in terms of visual stuff. There are
> stuff listed which can be easily done by changing configuration and
> some stuff which would be nice to have anywhere and not just the
> handhelp 14 inch laptops.
>

I'll make a document of what is config related and what of UI, and I'll
send it to you before opening a ticket.

> > Juraj, please do let me know how can I help.
>
> Falkon needs a lot of work as it is, so this all will have to wait
> until someone starts working on it.
>
>
> > MENU
> > ----
> > Menus should not contain sub-menus, so essential menu items should
> > be placed on the main menu (e.g. sessions, history and bookmarks
> > sub-menus to be removed and page sourc, full screen, zoom in/out to
> > be moved to the main menu).
>
> I believe this should be handled by Qt itself. It should be told it
> is a touch device and menus should react in a way it is proper on
> such a device. I personally hate the Firefox menu when I have to
> click all the time.
>
> > ENCODING
> > --------
> > Character Encoding sub-menu should be available in a form of a
> > dialog when each change will be "Previewd" upon click.
>
> I wonder if this can be done or how this even works, this one is
> interesting since it would be helpful anyewhere to have a live change
> (assuming it is not there yet)
>
> > FULL SCREEN
> > -----------
> > Navigation Toolbar shoud be always visible, because F11 key isn't
> > available on all th keyboards and when it is, it requires several
> > clicks to reach to.
>
> This is either already there or it can be done as an option and might
> be helpful at some time.
>
> > SEARCH
> > ------
> > Search Bar (Ctrl+F) buttons should not have Next Previous text and
> > Match Case button should be replaced by an icon.
>
> There could be an option at worst case, I wonder.
>
>
>
> These are my thoughts, so take it as an opinion of a thickheaded
> stubborn man.
>
> Best regards,
> Juraj