(*** This bug was imported into bugs.kde.org ***) Package: kdelibs Version: unknown (using KDE 2.2.2 -1) Severity: wishlist Installed from: Red Hat Linux 7.2 Compiler: gcc version 2.96 20000731 (Red Hat Linux 7.1 2.96-98) OS: Linux (i686) release 2.4.3-12 OS/Compiler notes: not just appearance but also usability trouble. 1. Open any app say konqueror 2. you can see the 2 toolbars 'location' and 'standard toolbar' 3. you can also see the menubar 4. the toolbars look nice but the menubar doesn't look consistent with toolbars. 5. especially the 'slider' is missing for menubar which would ease all application developers to write an individual hide-menubar function 6. now if you horizontall minimize the window by dragging on right or left 7. you can see the toolbar get nicely adjusted 8. But the menubar looks very ugly since all menu items are displayed. 9. if menubar would behave like the toolbar the window will look much better. Please make menubar behave like toolbar. (Submitted via bugs.kde.org) (Called from KBugReport dialog)
Well, this includes my request. I have been missing the ability since KDE v1 days. I've been praying and hoping somebody would put it back, yet still it's gone. Windows (Office and IE, anyways) allows you to move the menubar about anywhere you like, the top, the bottom, left, right, and it's great! KDE v1 lacked the left/right ability, but it was still something. Personally, I only really care about the bottom, which is where I prefer to place my menubar. Plus, in addition to being able to move it, you'd be able to make it occupy the same row as a slimmed-down menubar. You see this configuration in IE/Explorer often, and there's a reason! It's efficient, saves screenspace, and lets you put the menubar wherever you like. And I don't really see how the menubar is that much different, from say, the bookmarks toolbar with only text menus shown, except that it has hotkeys. And also...in regards to numbers 6-8, this ought also to be a preference. Obviously, some like the "more options" button that the toolbars feature. Personally, I prefer the wrapping myself. There should be one setting, for both. They're just not consistant. Also, the more options or whatever it's called button is buggy. 1. It overlaps the frame of the toolbar on the right, but the frames of the menubar or other toolbars still show. This is with the default KDE nonhighcolor style. 2. I have it on my bookmarks toolbar right now...when I click the more button, it shows the remaining icons, but does not indicate whether the items are menus are not, as i.e. IE (no pun intended) would show with little arrow icons to the right. 3. When I click on an icon in that menu that I know is a menu, the menu for it appears in midair, whilst the original menu disappears. So I'm left with a floating child menu with no parent. That's odd. 4. The button always shows on my location toolbar. It always has, unless I make my window at least 1400 or so pixels wide. I use the location toolbar because the Open Location dialog doesn't share the history...grr, so it would be nice if I didn't have that annoying button covering up the down arrow on the dropdown (which I workaround by turning on the silly go button that nobody in their right mind uses (but I'm glad it's an option), so it covers up that instead). This has happened on my location bar on every machine I've used (all linux, but different distributions, compiles, cpu architectures) since somewhere in KDE2.x. That's all. I just want the UI that I have to deal with in *every* KDE program to be the best part, not a constant annoyance.
One of the menu related feature I particulary like in some KDE apps is the ability to hide it. It's particulary useful for some applications who don't have a bunch of options and features (think about Amarok, Konversation, Kopete... once all is set, just a few icons should be sufficient to use the apps). I also like that Amarok create an icon with a popup menu containing the menubar items when the menubar is hidden. (note that some applications like Akregator, Kaffeine or KMail could have a "hide menu" feature too)
*** This bug has been confirmed by popular vote. ***
*** Bug 125394 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I also prefer wrapping, perhaps even for toolbars. As for the menubars in IE and Office, these aren't really menubars at all - they're toolbars without icons. Standard Windows menubars suffer from the same problem as KDE's, so Windows is not as far ahead as was suggested.
*** Bug 238624 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
(In reply to comment #6) > *** Bug 238624 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. *** Well my report was a bit different, but I accept it as a duplicate, this is my original post: The KDE Human Interface Guideline (HIG) declare, that a menubar is mandatory for every single application, quotes: "Provide a menubar in every application main window" "Don't make the menubar 'hideable', users may not easily be able to make the menubar viewable again" This has grown to be a problem, since application developers tend to get away from menubars and as such - violate the KDE HIG. Applications that in their current state violate this part of the HIG are for example rekonq, konsole, kget, the systemsettings and palapeli to name a few. There are valid reasons to replace the menubar how it looks today with something more useable, more visually appealing and less space wasting. But first of all let us see, what is good about the menubar: - provides an easy way to access every functionality of a program - accessibility features (press alt+*key*) - menubars are also present in Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, GNOME etc. So what is bad about the menubar? - wastes vertical space, which is a problem on smaller screens and annoying on bigger screens - menubars are flat, thus they are not usable on touchscreen devices - doesnt look appealing - uses deprecated labels like "file" (quassel has a "file" entry with the entries "networks -> join network" and "quit", where is there a file involved?) - text only which makes it hard to use for people who have trouble reading (for example disabled people), also this makes it harder to find what you are looking for since you dont have self explanatory icons What could be done to improve/replace the menubar? The menubar should be merged with the right side of the toolbar, entries should be reordered and renamed, in general there should be less entries (for example there could be an entry "actions" with basic actions such as "save" "open" "print" and "find", "help" doesnt need to be an own entry). Menubar entries should have icons. It should be configurable in system settings whether icons, text or both should be shown, this should also apply to the toolbar. Problems with that: - some applications do not have toolbars (I just know one: Konsole) - needs work, a template needs to be written and applications need to be changed - KDE would be the first one to fully replace the menubar, breaking same look and feel as other desktop enviroments Why this would still be better: - saves space for applications - makes it work on touchscreen devices - would look better - increased accessibility - less confusing to find the right function - more modern look and feel - would stop violation of the HIG I hope you see the opportunities that are open for KDE, to be a pioneer in this issue. Please note that this should be considered a draft, it needs further discussion and tweaks, maybe a completely different solution will be found in the end. I will attach a poorly done mockup of this concept. Thanks for reading :-)
In KDE4 (tested in 4.9.1) the menubar and toolbars behave in the same way: when no more space is available, they add a small arrow and hide what does not fit. So the original bugreport is solved.