Bug 472385

Summary: [Feature Request] (Widget Explorer): Better sorting and categories for widget explorer
Product: [Plasma] plasmashell Reporter: BOF <bugs_kde_org.5.kuru>
Component: Widget ExplorerAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs>
Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE    
Severity: normal CC: karl, nate
Priority: NOR    
Version: 5.27.6   
Target Milestone: 1.0   
Platform: Other   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: KDE widget explorer
KDE widget explorer empty search
MacOS widget explorer

Description BOF 2023-07-19 08:35:59 UTC
Created attachment 160380 [details]
KDE widget explorer

SUMMARY
Apple presented the incredible and before unheard idea of desktop widgets in MacOS 14 "Sonoma".
Well, that nothing new for KDE! However, the makers of the golden cage had some good ideas that widgets on KDE could also benefit from IHMO.

DESIGN & SUGGESTION
The widget explorer on MacOS looks much more organized than it's KDE equivalent and has categories.

The KDE widget explorer that you can open with a right click on the desktop looks very messy and as if somebody just emptied a bucked of widgets onto the browser and they sorted randomly. There are no categories either.
That the widget explorer does not search online by default is a strength and a weakness IMO. If you search for "translator" (by driglu4it) it just shows you that it can not find any (local) applications with that. The field where the widgets are displayed and that is now empty could include a button that links you to the online search.

My suggestions are to make the widget manager a little bit cleaner (or the arrangement of the elements less random), include categories (like there are in Dolphin) and add a link to the online search if nothing is found offline (could also be a setting to always allow online search)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This would make a great feature for Plasma 6 to clearly set it apart.
(I hope the product + component sorting is correct. I copied it from a bug that included widgets. if it's in the wrong category please move it :) )
Comment 1 BOF 2023-07-19 08:38:23 UTC
Created attachment 160381 [details]
KDE widget explorer empty search

The KDE widget explorer that does not show results for "translator" and does also not provide a direct link to the online repository (no, the link at the top that let's you search for widgets online or install widgets you have on your SSD/HDD is not enough)
Comment 2 BOF 2023-07-19 08:39:44 UTC
Created attachment 160382 [details]
MacOS widget explorer

Widget explorer of MacOS 14 "Sonoma" with categories
File is taken from https://www.ifun.de/macos-sonoma-desktop-personalisierung-mit-interaktiven-widgets-211456/
Comment 3 Karl Ove Hufthammer 2023-08-05 12:11:10 UTC
Note that it *is* currently possible to *filter* by category (clicking ‘Alle Miniprogramme’ should show a list of a categories, though some may be missing with non-English language settings – see bug #473035).

However, I agree that grouping and sorting the widgets by category, like in your macOS screenshot, would be nice.
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2023-08-16 13:22:58 UTC

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 431953 ***