Review Request: Add "Show Icon only" option to the tasks applet

[Todd]

> On 2010-08-23 09:00:48, Marco Martin wrote:
> > this very patch appeared here for several times already.
> > and as usual, the question is: what real value gives over auto hiding the text when there is not enough space?
> 
> Markus Slopianka wrote:
>     If this patch works with the other one that implements launcher support, a Mac OS X-like Dock (AFAIK it's similar in Win7) can be implemented without the need to get 3rd party widgets.
>     With a Dock-like setup I wouldn't want text other than tooltips.
> 
> Beat Wolf wrote:
>     i would actually agree on adding it from the feedback i get when i show kde to people used to windows. it's one of the first things they ask for.
> 
> Aaron Seigo wrote:
>     the number of such features that have appeared over the years is immense, and always people ask for those features ... as long as they are new in Windows. there is no point in chasing taillights just to chase taillights. if the idea is a good one, let's do it; if it isn't, let's not.
> 
> Beat Wolf wrote:
>     sure. i was just mentioning it because i for myself think its a good idea and other people want it, so from my point of view if the patch has a good quality, and it's actually using a feature that is there anyway, why not have it.
>     But i see the other point of views too and all have their merit i think.

I think that the question is not so much a question of why we shouldn't have titles in the task manager, the question is why we need them.  With grouping and the ability in 4.5 to change between grouped windows by clicking on their thumbnail, at least for me titles are just wasted space.  I understand that for people without compositing they are needed, and some people may still prefer them, but personally they don't contribute anything, and they are huge relative to just the icons.

I agree that the the current configuration interface for the task manager is getting a bit crowded.  However, there is a way to add the feature without increasing the complexity of the dialog.  Currently there are three grouping options: "Do not group", "Manually", and "By Program Name".  There is also an checkox "Only when taskbar is full".  The problem is that this option is only meaningful in "By Program Name" mode, and in fact the checkbox is disabled when the other two modes.  So I would suggest getting rid of the checkbox and adding a fourth option in the dropdown "When taskbar is full", or something along those lines. 

Also, since plasma supports multiple categories in the configuration dialog, it may be worthwhile splitting the current options into categories.


- Todd


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On 2010-08-22 13:52:33, Björn Ruberg wrote:
> 
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> 
> (Updated 2010-08-22 13:52:33)
> 
> 
> Review request for Plasma.
> 
> 
> Summary
> -------
> 
> This patch adds the option to put the taskbar in an icon-only mode - similar as in Windows 7 . This is an much requested feature in bugzilla.
> It is fairly simple and just using features already existing in the code, adding an m_showIconOnly member to the layout and the abstractitem plus the adaption of the config ui.
> 
> 
> This addresses bug 159480.
>     https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=159480
> 
> 
> Diffs
> -----
> 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/tasksConfig.ui 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/tasks.cpp 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/taskitemlayout.h 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/taskitemlayout.cpp 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/abstracttaskitem.h 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/abstracttaskitem.cpp 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/taskgroupitem.h 1166313 
>   /trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/desktop/applets/tasks/taskgroupitem.cpp 1166313 
> 
> Diff: http://reviewboard.kde.org/r/5078/diff
> 
> 
> Testing
> -------
> 
> Moved panel around and made sure it works. Looks actually pretty good this icon-only mode!
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Björn
> 
>

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