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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: Change in kicker behavior: Bug or feature
From:       Frank Schmitt <ich () Frank-Schmitt ! net>
Date:       2004-10-15 20:49:55
Message-ID: m3k6tr670s.fsf () fed1 ! frank-schmitt ! net
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Dan Bullok <dan.kde@bullok.com> writes:

> However, in implementing that change, I fiddled with the icon sizing.  The 
> icon margins used to be fixed, if I recall correctly.  Things didn't look 
> right (to me) with super tiny margins on large buttons.  My intention was 
> to have the large kicker use a large app button icon, normal kicker use a 
> medium icon, etc.  So, the points at which the icons use the next 
> larger/smaller icon probably have changed.

First, I agree with the points about the need for a bit more
customisability in the sizes of kicker components. I mean hey, we even
have an option allowing to change the placement of the hide button.

However about my point about taskbar rows and application buttons: You
state that it's a matter of taste and there are probably people out
there liking the new behavior but I must say that I really can't image
why one would actually want small buttons. However, there's a point
beyond taste backing up my wish for big icons with one taskbar row:

After I initially entered my bugreport I got a mail from a guy telling
he set up KDE for his granddad who has an unsteady hand and trouble
hitting small buttons. With the current behavior he has to live with
either small application buttons or small taskbar buttons. (See my last
comment to the bugreport)

Further on, an other point was made in this discussion: People coming
from Windows aren't used to a multirow taskbar and the small application
buttons there look ugly.

If those arguments convinced you, I'd like to propose two possible
changes, either of them should be sufficient to revert behavior to the
one of KDE 3.2:

possibility 1:
In function TaskBar::sizeHint there's

int rows = contentsRect().height() / BUTTON_MIN_HEIGHT;
if ( rows < 1 )
{
  rows = 1;
}

increasing BUTTON_MIN_HEIGHT wouldn't be good as this would change panel
size large from 3 to 2 rows. Instead one could change the if-condition
to something like "(if getPanelSize() < 41)". (I don't really now which
function returns the panel size but you get the idea.)

possibility 2:
Decrease the margin of the application buttons for 32x32 buttons by
changing:

int Kicker::iconMargin(int iconDim) const
{    return iconDim/16; }

to

int Kicker::iconMargin(int iconDim) const
{    
  if (iconDim <= 32) {
    return 1;
  }
  else {
    return iconDim/16; 
  }
}

MFG Frank

-- 
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that a signature usually consists of up to four lines, this gives you enough
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