[Panel-devel] [RFC] Interaction model for "building" your shell

[Ryan Nickell]

On Wednesday 14 September 2005 18:01, Kevin Ottens wrote:>
> Here are the points I'll assume to be true about plasmoids:
> 1) Each plasmoid has a layout support.
> 2) When on the edge of the screen a plasmoid uses a one dimension layout.
> 3) Otherwise it uses a two dimensions layout.
> 4) You can change the size of a plasmoid (in both direction, or only one
> depending on the current layout).

Sounds like a sane set of requirements.

>
> Next, if we want to get rid of panels, that means that we need to be able
> to "connect" plasmoids together. The best way to do this, looks like using
> "magnetic" edges. You drag a plasmoid close to the edge of another one and
> you get two connected plasmoid when you drop.

Now this is something I've had in the back of my mind since we first started 
talking about Plasma.  The "magnetic" edges could have effects like a 
morphing or melting of the edges together so that there is no border line.
Almost like two water droplets coming together.

>
> This raises two issues:
> 1) How does it affect resizing?
> 2) How to disconnect?

Why not use the current convention of modifier keys and mouse button presses.
For example, any window in kwin supports Alt+LMB to move a window and Alt+RMB 
to resize it.  But as you mention about context menus, this may not be 
obvious without some sort of instruction.

>
> And finally... The open issue... How to trigger the "edit the shell" mode?
> I see two possibilities:
> 1) Having a handle on each plasmoid that you can use for dragging. I'm not
> sure it's really nice from a visual perspective...
> 2) Having a special action "somewhere"(*) triggering the edit mode. In this
> case every windows are hidden, and only the desktop and its plasmoids are
> accessible until you switch back to the normal mode.

I would have voted for the "windows" key, but I just found out by accident 
that it is used in KMail for things like Forwarding/Replying ("windows key" + 
F and "windows key" + R).  Where's the information on these hidden features 
anyway.. ;)

>
> Regards.
>
> (*) This "somewhere" could be a special action available in the context
> menu of all the plasmoids... but everybody knows the issue with context
> menus, you have to know they are available.