WM: grouping applications (TAI)

[Maciej Pilichowski]

On Thursday 05 March 2009 22:44:10 Matthew Woehlke wrote:

> >> In short, it's a good question that needs an answer. Perhaps
> >> best is to us alt-arrows for tree navigation, and alt-tab to
> >> switch only top-level windows/containers
> >
> > OK, I was focused on is it or not possible to use alt-tab for
> > that switching, so we agree. Alt-tab should be reserved only for
> > first class windows/containers.
>
> I'd be willing to try it for something else, but I'm dubious. You
> also don't think it's a good idea. I guess that counts as agreeing
> ;-).

Yes :-)

> > Another matter is switching windows within containers, but
> > whatever shortcut we choose as default it is not related (as long
> > it is not alt-tab) to the above.
> >
> > Btw. I use win-right/ctrl-tab, win-left/shift-ctrl-tab for tab
> > switching.
>
> If these are indeed unbound (as they seem to be) in default
> configurations, I'd agree.

Ok, however I just said _I_ use them, no need to go public with 
those :-)

> Okay, example:
>
> tile container
>    tab container
>      konq's (with qt doc)
>      konsole
>    kate sidebar
>    tab container
>      kate documents (with various source files)
>
> The above is a setup I could use right now if it was available.

Uhum, so we have a problem because this is good example and you 
convinced me :-). And this problem leads us to...

> > For example -- you have GAI in TAI in GAI in TAI in GAI... -- how
> > do you window-switch in such case?
>
> Child-switch is limited to windows in the parent. 

Ok, direct children?

> I can imagine something like cover switch with multiple rows; the
> bottom row is siblings, above and center is the parent, and next to
> that are the parent's siblings. If desired it could go all the way
> up to the root's children, or show just one parent row (if there is
> a non-root parent).

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. 
Window-switch traverse _all_ windows -- the most intuitive way, but 
can go with long list, or window-switch should be nested, i.e. it 
traverses only windows at the same level. This is quicker, but on the 
other hand requires more elaborate handling.

For the last one I can think of something like visual switching -- you 
activate switch with (all keys are just examples) F7. Then you switch 
the same level objects (windows or containers) with tab/shift+tab or 
faster (visual way) with arrow keys. Escape to cancel switch. Enter 
or F7 again accept the final switch. Space to go one level down, 
shift+space to go one level up.

In TAI/GAI there is no overlapping of the same level object so we can 
use this fact.

> > Is it possible to drag&drop window
> > from one GAI to another GAI? If yes, how fast it would be
> > possible to make a mess by accident?
>
> Slightly worse than doing it with TDI? ;-)

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?

> > New issues :-) For TAI, should container from top to bottom
> > should look like:
> ...I could agree here also. I think I prefer to make it
> configurable, which reduces the question to "which is default";
> that's easier to answer (and dead simple to change).

Ok then, however all in all I would prefer menu/tabs order because it 
is more consistent for future uses, when we would shift to 
philosophy "everything is browser", so we need URL editbox. Which 
would be more sane to have menu/URL/tabs. Or maybe not sane, but I am 
used to it because of Konqueror ;-).

Cheers,