Transforming panels in fullscreen effects (was activities overview, take N)

[Martin Gräßlin]

cc-ing kwin list. I said it before, I say it again: we need a workspace 
mailinglist

Am Dienstag 13 Oktober 2009 22:08:37 schrieb Aaron J. Seigo:
> On October 13, 2009, Martin Gräßlin wrote:
> > Am Dienstag 13 Oktober 2009 20:19:44 schrieb Aaron J. Seigo:
> > > slightly off-topic: what would you think about making the "show windows
> > > / desktops zoomed out in some presentation" type effects not include
> > > the desktop panels?
> > >
> > > the reasons include:
> > >
> > > * the panel often has things like the tasks widget which shows all the
> > >  windows but may also show only for the "current" desktop ... which
> > > doesn't work very nicely in overview modes
> > >
> > > * if the panels stayed un-transformed, it could give a really
> > > interesting visual effect where the "desktop area" gets transformed and
> > > the panel "overlays" remain as they are
> >
> > if you want to try it: the present windows effect has an option to not
> > hide the panel and the cube desktop switch animation does not hide the
> > panels by default and that one looks really slick.
> 
> just tried both of these options, and i have to agree: it looks much
>  slicker with the panels remaining where they are.
> 
> i think the desktop cube would look nicer and more consistent with the
> switcher without the panels included as well.
fixed the switcher :-)
> 
> > > * it would make some of these effects more consistent with the alt-tab
> > > box which does not transform the panels either
> >
> > Box Switch keeps them untransformed and the more fancy effects fade them
> >  out. I think it would be possible to keep the panel in place instead of
> >  fading it out.
> 
> could the kwin devs consider make it a design guideline to not include
>  panels in such effects but instead leave them untransformed?  it just
>  looks/feels so much more ... nicer.
yeah I think we could make that a design guideline. Just for the fun of it I 
tried it on two effects:
 * desktop grid: 
http://picasaweb.google.de/lh/photo/h0wjRlQ0m3SLQWlz8XYTHA?feat=directlink
 * flip switch: 
http://picasaweb.google.de/lh/photo/fUqlyPd2lg5XpUXFmZh3Tg?feat=directlink
> 
> the only draw back would be if we ever make panels per-desktop. but then i
> guess the heuristic could be "don't transform panel windows that are also
>  on all desktops"?
That heuristic would break the desktop grid effect with the changes in the 
above screenshot. But as Plasma does not yet have that feature we don't have 
to worry about it.
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