Bug 449939

Summary:	Kwin’s Scale effect in 5.24 looks cheap, lost visible tilting phase
Product:	[Plasma] kwin	Reporter:	Maximilian Böhm <mabo>
Component:	general	Assignee:	KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED INTENTIONAL
Severity:	normal	CC:	mabo
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	5.24.0
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	Comparison between Plasma 5.23 and 5.24 Scale effect (FHD scaledown due to file size limit)

Description Maximilian Böhm 2022-02-10 15:05:50 UTC

Plasma 5.24 seems to got a rewrite of Kwins Scale effect for window openings and closings. In my opinion, not for the better. The new effect is a zoom-in (and -out) of the window with a certain momentum and additional fade-in (and -out).
The former Scale effect was a much more subtle zoom-in with fade-in, and its topping was a subtle tilting, related to the Glide effect but less striking.
This new Scale effect does look cheaper, it reminds me of the first Compiz experiments. Especially the closing animation is way to ostentatious. It’s irritating (this is saying a lover of the Cube and Wobbly Windows). And the subtle tilting of the old version was a pleasant detail. If I look frame-by-frame, the new effect also has an ultra-short tilting phase, but right an the beginning of the fade-in (or -out)

I’m attaching a visual comparison between the two effects in Plasma 5.23 and older and Plasma 5.24 (H.265 4K).

Comment 1 Maximilian Böhm 2022-02-10 15:15:07 UTC

Created attachment 146535 [details]
Comparison between Plasma 5.23 and 5.24 Scale effect (FHD scaledown due to file size limit)

Comment 2 Vlad Zahorodnii 2022-02-10 18:47:17 UTC

We made the scale effect adhere to the HIG, so the looks of the effect have changed a bit. Note that the scale is configurable. If you don't like the new look, you can raise scale values to make the effect more subtle.

If you're still unsatisfied with that, you could take the source code of the scale effect from 5.23 https://github.com/KDE/kwin/blob/Plasma/5.23/src/effects/scale/package/contents/code/main.js and overwrite /usr/share/kwin/effects/kwin4_effect_scale/contents/code/main.js or wherever it's installed.

You could also copy src/effects/scale (https://github.com/KDE/kwin/tree/Plasma/5.23/src/effects/scale) and replace kwin4_effect_scale in metadata.desktop with a new id and install it using kpackagetool5, e.g. `kpackagetool5 --type KWin/Script --install /path/to/copied-effect`

Comment 3 Maximilian Böhm 2022-02-10 22:45:42 UTC

Thank you for this quick response.
Out of curiosity, I’m interested in what part of the animations HIG was decisive in changing this effect?

The configure button of the effect is currently missing, there is even a bug report about it: 449881 – but a fix seems to be on the way.

I’ve followed your instructions to download and install the 5.23 version with an altered ID. kpacketool5 rightly installed it into ~/.local/share/kwin/scripts/, but it is not visible (after a relogin) in system settings → Kwin scripts. Do I need to change more?

Comment 4 Vlad Zahorodnii 2022-02-11 08:43:45 UTC

(In reply to Maximilian Böhm from comment #3)
> Thank you for this quick response.
> Out of curiosity, I’m interested in what part of the animations HIG was
> decisive in changing this effect?

easing curve

> The configure button of the effect is currently missing, there is even a bug
> report about it: 449881 – but a fix seems to be on the way.
> 
> I’ve followed your instructions to download and install the 5.23 version
> with an altered ID. kpacketool5 rightly installed it into
> ~/.local/share/kwin/scripts/, but it is not visible (after a relogin) in
> system settings → Kwin scripts. Do I need to change more?

~/.local/share/kwin/scripts/ is for scripts. effects have to be installed in ~/.local/share/kwin/effects/

Comment 5 Vlad Zahorodnii 2022-02-11 08:45:02 UTC

sigh, idiot me provided wrong instructions.. the kpackagetool5 command should be `kpackagetool5 --type KWin/Effect --install path`