Bug 471083

Summary: Add a global switch to enable menubars additionally to the per-application setting
Product: [Applications] systemsettings Reporter: Martin Fritz <Fritz.Martin99>
Component: generalAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED INTENTIONAL    
Severity: wishlist CC: nate
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: openSUSE   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Martin Fritz 2023-06-15 16:06:13 UTC
So the current way kde appliactions handle Menubars/Hamburger menus is sub-optimal. I propose that additionally to the per-application settings there should be a setting in systemsettings that sets a default, (show menubar / use hamburger menu) that any application gets its default value from, but can still override.
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2023-09-15 16:19:04 UTC
It's not a bad idea, but there are more than just two options for how to show menus. The full set of options is:
- in-window
- hamburger menu on toolbar showing curated menu structure
- hamburger menu on titlebar showing full menu structure
- global menu widget in a panel showing full menu structure

And an additional complication is that each option only supports certain apps. For example if you chose the "in-window" option, you might be frustrated that non-KDE apps didn't change accordingly.

I think this has the potential to become a "broken promise" global option; see https://community.kde.org/Get_Involved/Design/Frequently_Discussed_Topics#%22Broken_promise%22_global_options. So for now I don't think we'll be considering it, sorry!
Comment 2 Martin Fritz 2023-09-15 16:28:55 UTC
Ah OK, I hadn't quite considered the complexity of such an option.
Comment 3 Nate Graham 2023-09-15 16:30:26 UTC
Yeah it's a bit unfortunate.

I sympathize as I would like such an option as well, and have proposed it myself in the past. But the devil's in the details, and making it work in a way that doesn't mislead people or require buy-in from 3rd-party apps (which never happens; they don't care) would be extremely tricky.