Bug 459970

Summary: Panel's visibility "Auto Hide" setting doesn't hide when it should, most of the time
Product: [Plasma] plasmashell Reporter: kde.pope
Component: PanelAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs>
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG    
Severity: normal CC: nate, niccolo.venerandi
Priority: NOR    
Version: 5.25.5   
Target Milestone: 1.0   
Platform: Fedora RPMs   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description kde.pope 2022-10-04 11:51:01 UTC 
Panel's visibility "Auto Hide" setting doesn't hide when it should, most of the time.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

1. Have a panel set to "Auto Hide" and have at least two application windows opened, maximized for the best results.
2. Make sure the cursor isn't over the panel during the process.
3a. Switch application (for example with Alt+Tab; most methods produce the same result).
3b. Open a new application (for example with KRunner; most or all methods produce the same result).
3c. Close an active application so that the focus is switched to another application
4. Interact with another application

OBSERVED RESULT

The panel that was set to "Auto Hide" doesn't hide even though:
1. the cursor isn't over it
2. it blocks the view of the maximized window
3. the user interacts with an application

EXPECTED RESULT

The panel should hide the moment or with a slight delay, cursor isn't over it. Additionally, it should stay hidden all the time when the user isn't interacting with it or when a window that needs attention isn't being signalized.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS

Linux/KDE Plasma: Fedora 36 KDE
KDE Plasma Version: 5.25.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.98.0
Qt Version: 5.15.6

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

User could be provided with an option when the panel should leave it's hidden state - for example: 
1. when the desktop is focused - permanently visible
2. when user switches application - briefly
3. when user moves the cursor to the panel's edge of the screen - until cursor leaves the panel area
4. when desktop/activity changes
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2022-10-09 23:23:54 UTC 
In all of the listed use cases, the panel auto-hides as I would expect. Can you attach a screen recording that shows the issue? It might help to clarify what's going on. Thanks!
Comment 2 kde.pope 2022-10-13 07:26:30 UTC 
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #1)
> In all of the listed use cases, the panel auto-hides as I would expect. Can
> you attach a screen recording that shows the issue? It might help to clarify
> what's going on. Thanks!

After I read your response I've created a new account and set the default panel to auto-hide - it worked as expected. That made me assume the faulty behavior must be a consequence of some of my customization I've done to my desktop. And Indeed after I turned on and off some things & tweaked them, the panel started working CORRECTLY! 

Here I should mention that this auto-hide problem I had wasn't brief - right now it's the first time it's working as it should, in my months of using KDE. 

Anyway, the problem I had may be laying somewhere in between following settings:

1. Window Decorations > Breeze > Window-Specific Overrides > Window Class Name with ".*" regular expression that Hides the window title bar.
2. Window Decorations > Titlebar Buttons > without any buttons
3. Presence of Global Menu widget somewhere
Comment 3 Nate Graham 2022-10-14 18:07:44 UTC 
Yep, window rules will definitely cause issues like that, because technically Plasma panels are windows known to KWin, so they get affected by window rules and therefore and it's quite possible for them to unexpectedly match over-broad regex rules.