Bug 433257

Summary:	Categories switch even when "Switch tabs on hover" is off
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	Keith <keithhacks-kdebug>
Component:	Application Launcher (Kickoff) widget	Assignee:	David Edmundson <kde>
Status:	RESOLVED INTENTIONAL
Severity:	minor	CC:	franz.trischberger, mikel5764, nate, plasma-bugs
Priority:	NOR
Version:	5.21.0
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Neon
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Keith 2021-02-19 16:07:49 UTC

SUMMARY
In the new Kickoff launcher, the option to toggle "switch tabs on hover" remains, but doesn't apply to the new category list, which selects on hover regardless.

This creates inconsistency, and makes it harder for some users to navigate the launcher, i.e. if they move the mouse slowly.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Add an Application Launcher widget, select "Configure", and turn off "Switch tabs on hover".
2. Open the launcher and hover over the tabs.
3. Hover over the categories.

OBSERVED RESULT
Hovering over a tab does not select it, but hovering over a category does.

EXPECTED RESULT
"Switch on hover" behaviour should be consistent across the whole UI.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
Linux/KDE Plasma: KDE Neon 5.21 (User Edition)
(available in About System)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.21.0
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.79.0
Qt Version: 5.15.2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2021-02-19 16:13:33 UTC

Right, because it only applies to the tabs on top, not to categories (as the text label indicates). Always switching categories on hover is the intended design.

Comment 2 Keith 2021-02-19 16:20:01 UTC

It still poses accessibility issues, and feels inconsistent - perhaps there could be a second checkbox to turn switching categories on hover off as well?

Comment 3 Nate Graham 2021-02-19 16:27:53 UTC

What's the accessibility issue you foresee?

As for consistency, it's not consistent to have two different things behave the same; consistency is when identical things look and behave identically, and different things look and behave differently.

Comment 4 Keith 2021-02-19 16:41:27 UTC

The accessibility issue I'm talking about is that users who move the mouse slower than average for whatever reason will trigger accidental category switches. It's not major, but it's frustrating and wastes the user's time.

I had experienced this problem sometimes with the tabs on the old launcher, and now I'm encountering the same annoyance with the categories in the new launcher, only this time with no option to disable it.

Comment 5 Nate Graham 2021-02-19 16:48:20 UTC

Are you talking about the case where you move your mouse slowly over 3 items before finally reaching an item below/above them, and seeing the main view unnecessarily switch 3 times?

Comment 6 Franz Trischberger 2021-02-21 07:19:21 UTC

It happens regularly that I click the kickoff-icon in the panel, then look at the favorites to find the app I want to launch, and inadvertently the mouse starts to travel and I change to another category. Usually it is "System" which auto-scrolls the category list and moves "Favorites" out of view.

Also interaction with the categories feels quite similar to the ancient "Application Menu": You have to precisely keep the mouse in the category square while moving it to the right column where you can then launch the applications. Shaking while moving the cursor instantly changes the category. This forces the user to follow the cursor with the eyes - time you could spend to scan the applications and move the cursor straight to the application you want to launch. AFAIR this issue was (one of) the main arguments for introducing kickoff over the application menu.

Comment 7 Nate Graham 2021-02-21 23:19:45 UTC

Thanks for the info.

We're contemplating making category hover optional in https://invent.kde.org/plasma/plasma-desktop/-/merge_requests/292.