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List:       kde-look
Subject:    Re: Pooling task bar buttons.
From:       Sean Pecor <sean () digitalspinner ! com>
Date:       2002-02-08 15:24:45
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> Of course the problem with the "XP way" as you describe it is that you've
> then got two mouse clicks and you don't see the windows for an application
> until you've clicked on the application task button. So you're probably as
> better off using the drop-down Windowlist instead of the Taskbar.

I'm hoping a good way to group application buttons does exist that doesn't 
require 2 clicks. I think hiding the tasks creates an "out of sight, out of 
mind" problem. I didn't know this would be the case when I started arguing 
for the current group by similar application feature back in 2000. I still 
think grouping is a good thing, but seeing all the tasks at once should be 
preserved in some way. 

Optional grouping by similar application in the form of pooling buttons might 
open other interesting doors. If you did provide a handle (like in my earlier 
rough illustration) to the left of each grouping you could provide a context 
menu for each grouping to allow:

- Cascading or tiling JUST those application windows in the pool. That would 
be pretty damn helpful in some scenarios (like w/ 10 kwrites, 10 gimps open, 
just cascading the kwrites allows a more structured session to take 
place when editing source code).

- Closing JUST those windows in the pool. Gimp has child windows, and it's 
really convenient to close the top window and watch all others shut down 
(unless you did it accidentally - doh!). Having this option for KDE would be 
neat and then the application framework doesn't need to be monkied with to 
support it.

- Sending JUST those windows to a different desktop. I don't use multiple 
desktops, but I'm sure other people would find this useful. 

- Changing a preference for EACH application grouping (remembered in config) 
that indicates whether or not you want to hide/minimize/maximize task button 
text for the grouping. Sounds wierd so let me describe what I envision. I 
would like to see as much of each kwrite file name, gimp image name, 
konqueror urls as I can. However, I don't care if I can't see all of the 
subject title of an email draft. I also don't care if I can't see what song 
is playing in noatun (I can hear it can't I? grin). There are many other 
applications where seeing the task title isn't important. So, I'd like to 
MAXIMIZE the task bar button real estate for konqueror, kwrite, gimp, etc. 
I'd then like to HIDE tab bar button text for noatun, IglooFTP, korganizer 
and other applications that I don't typically run multiple sessions of. 
Assuming the application icon would remain in the task bar button for these 
hidden titles it would be clear to what application these belong. Also, I 
could MINIMIZE the use of task bar button titles for apps which it isn't 
important to see the titles although it would be nice if there were room. So, 
the taskbar would be smart enough to give real estate to maximized groupings 
first, then divide up the remaining extra real estate (if any) to the 
minimized groupings, then allot the minimum required for hidden groupings. 
This would be very handy for the way in which I work. For example, I 
frequently hit reply to messages in kmail that I want to gradually reply to 
within the day. They sit around in my task bar and I reply individually as I 
have time. That they sit there with an equal amount of text real estate as my 
kwrite icons is a sign that the kicker can't be tuned to make the most out of 
the way I like to work. 

> the KWord icon with (13) next to it clearly shows that I need to work on my
> attention span problem. ;)

I suffer from that same afflication with Gimp and Kwrite :).

Sean.

-- 
Digital Spinner, Inc.
Cutting edge web design and applications development.
sean@digitalspinner.com
http://www.digitalspinner.com
Phone: 802.948.2020
Fax: 802.948.2749

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