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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Alternative to csqueeze (was Re: [Patch] Usability improved in
From:       Chris Lee <clee () kde ! org>
Date:       2003-08-17 20:11:33
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On Sunday 17 August 2003 5:20, Martin Koller wrote:
> On Sunday 17 August 2003 13:53, Max Howell wrote:
> <snip>
>
> > Showing the whole window title is not acceptable, but neither is showing
> > a list of indentical strings like your example above. I propose a
> > solution where the results of a centre squeeze are examined, and if
> > identical/too similar the strings are scanned for their differences and a
> > portion of this is shown in each string, eg:
> >
> > /home/Documents/5-may-03/monkeys/elephants.text
> > /home/Documents/5-aug-03/monkeys/elephants.text
> > /home/Documents/5-oct-03/monkeys/elephants.text
> >
> > would become something like:
> >
> > /home/Doc...5-may-03.../elephants.text
> > /home/Doc...5-aug-03.../elephants.text
> > /home/Doc...5-oct-03.../elephants.text
> >
> > although that's a rather ideal case, and I imagine the following would be
> > sufficient:
> >
> > /home/Doc...may...ants.text
> > /home/Doc...aug...ants.text
> > /home/Doc...oct...ants.text
> >
> > I'm interested in writing a patch, but would appreciate some comments
> > before I go about it. Is this a good solution, or am I being daft?
> >
> > Max
>
> I think a combination of
> - extending the general available width in that widget and
> - your approach
> would be the best solution.
>
> The current CVS has an implementation, which allows already 40 characters -
> I think this is an improvement but not the real solution.
>
> I would also take the available desktop width into account, and use
> e.g. maximum the 1/2 of this width.
>
> Still, there was no comment on my remark, that the task-group buttons also
> show the full window-title in the popup. This should also be handled in an
> equal way.

Since we're already talking about changing the window list menu anyway - what 
about putting the actual window entries into submenus of the desktops?

So instead of the current structure like (assuming I have an xterm on each 
desktop):

- -Unclutter Windows
- -Cascade Windows
- -[Desktop 1]
- -xterm
- -[Desktop 2]
- -xterm
- -[Desktop 3]
- -xterm
- -[Desktop 4]
- -xterm

It would become:

- -Unclutter Windows
- -Cascade Windows
- -[Desktop 1]
 +xterm
- -[Desktop 2]
 +xterm
- -[Desktop 3]
 +xterm
- -[Desktop 4]
 +xterm

When using multiple desktops heavily, with a lot of different things going on, 
the current menu structure becomes pretty unusable.

The other idea that I had (and one that is a lot more radical) was to change 
the window list to be task-centered instead of desktop-centered. We already 
do task grouping in Kicker, so there's code there for the taking; my idea 
would be to have a BeOS-like taskbar.

Thoughts?

- -clee
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