Bug 456572

Summary:	WindowHeap-based effects exhibit poor contrast when the blurred underlay is close to the color of the windows
Product:	[Plasma] kwin	Reporter:	Brennan Kinney <polarathene-signup>
Component:	effects-overview	Assignee:	KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	minor	CC:	nate
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	usability
Version:	5.25.2
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	openSUSE
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:	https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/commit/028dd552cfb9d826b40b9620d869c98d2aa3dca3	Version Fixed In:	6.0
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Brennan Kinney 2022-07-11 03:47:09 UTC

SUMMARY

This may be dependent upon the theme, but looked unpleasant in both default Breeze and a third-party dark theme. For the dark theme, the underlay almost blended in with the window colours.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Enable and toggle each of the effects.
2. "Overview" and "Present Windows" should have underlays that can look washed out, and the latter cannot remove or adjust blur (blur effect settings don't seem to have any effect to it).

OBSERVED RESULT
Washed out underlay provides poor contrast to windows shown, even with a dark background. Especially with a dark theme.

EXPECTED RESULT
No underlay, or control over colour/opacity or contrast so that windows shown stand out better.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Tested via VMware and QEMU-KVM VM guests with 3D accel enabled:

Operating System: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20220708 (Krypton, daily build of KDE git)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.25.80
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.97.0
Qt Version: 5.15.5
Kernel Version: 5.18.9
Graphics Platform: X11 + Wayland
Extra: xorg: 21.1.3, xwayland 22.1.2, mesa 22.1.3
SVGA3D => vmwgfx 2.20.0 (VMware guest)
virgl => virtio_gpu (QEMU-KVM guest)

Operating System: EndeavourOS (ArchLinux based, fresh and updated install)
KDE Plasma Version: 5.25.2
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.95.0
Qt Version: 5.15.5
Kernel Version: 5.18.10
Graphics Platform: X11 + Wayland
Extra: xorg: 21.1.3, xwayland 22.1.2, mesa 22.1.3
SVGA3D => vmwgfx 2.20.0 (VMware guest)
virgl => virtio_gpu (QEMU-KVM guest)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Only "Overview" effect provides an option to disable blur (which does not affect "Present Windows" that lacks this option). I mention that so that both effects settings can be resolved.

The related effect "Desktop Grid" behaves a bit differently (if only 1 virtual desktop), by omitting any underlay. There's a bit of disparity between UI elements (virtual desktop add/remove, search) between the effects.

In earlier releases, I remember "Present Windows" having a dark contrasting underlay. Now I am given the impression it is tied to the theme/color scheme, but not obvious as to a user what to change / look for to adjust (or if that will affect other parts of UI visuals negatively in doing so).

I'd be happy with no underlay at all vs the current experience that gets in the way with a washed out look, even when the background/wallpaper is quite dark and contrasting, the underlay is far brighter.

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2022-07-13 20:14:41 UTC

It's gonna end up depending a lot on your wallpaper. A dark wallpaper will make the underlay darker and make this more likely to happen when using a dark color scheme; same with a light wallpaper and a light color scheme.

Comment 2 Niccolò Venerandi 2023-09-25 11:14:57 UTC

Git commit 028dd552cfb9d826b40b9620d869c98d2aa3dca3 by Niccolò Venerandi.
Committed on 25/09/2023 at 13:14.
Pushed by niccolove into branch 'master'.

Merge desktop grid and overview together with a new three-state design

Merges the desktop grid and overview effects together in a new three-state one;
you can switch between them with a certain shortcut or gesture, and you can also
still access either the desktop grid or overview directly.

Default shortcuts are also updated to be Meta+G for Grid, Meta+W for Overview,
Meta+Tab to switch between the three states and Meta+Shift+Tab to cycle in the
opposite direction.
Related: bug 474044, bug 460661, bug 460774, bug 449601, bug 450262, bug 449801, bug 461510, bug 463886, bug 459754, bug 459749, bug 459748, bug 459467
FIXED-IN: 6.0

M  +2    -0    CMakeLists.txt
A  +7    -0    kconf_update/CMakeLists.txt
A  +20   -0    kconf_update/kwin-6.0-overview-activities-shortcuts.py
A  +11   -0    kconf_update/kwin.upd
M  +16   -3    src/libkwineffects/effecttogglablestate.cpp
M  +3    -1    src/libkwineffects/effecttogglablestate.h
M  +0    -1    src/plugins/CMakeLists.txt
D  +0    -49   src/plugins/desktopgrid/CMakeLists.txt
D  +0    -127  src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgrid_config.cpp
D  +0    -48   src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgrid_config.h
D  +0    -206  src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgrid_config.ui
D  +0    -32   src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgridconfig.kcfg
D  +0    -9    src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgridconfig.kcfgc
D  +0    -250  src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgrideffect.cpp
D  +0    -99   src/plugins/desktopgrid/desktopgrideffect.h
D  +0    -18   src/plugins/desktopgrid/main.cpp
D  +0    -92   src/plugins/desktopgrid/metadata.json
D  +0    -306  src/plugins/desktopgrid/qml/DesktopView.qml
D  +0    -328  src/plugins/desktopgrid/qml/main.qml
M  +27   -6    src/plugins/overview/kcm/overvieweffectkcm.cpp
M  +15   -1    src/plugins/overview/kcm/overvieweffectkcm.ui
M  +3    -0    src/plugins/overview/overviewconfig.kcfg
M  +229  -24   src/plugins/overview/overvieweffect.cpp
M  +37   -16   src/plugins/overview/overvieweffect.h
M  +44   -36   src/plugins/overview/qml/DesktopBar.qml
M  +541  -193  src/plugins/overview/qml/main.qml
M  +24   -18   src/plugins/private/qml/WindowHeapDelegate.qml
M  +1    -0    src/plugins/windowview/qml/main.qml
M  +0    -2    src/plugins/windowview/windowvieweffect.cpp

https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/commit/028dd552cfb9d826b40b9620d869c98d2aa3dca3