Bug 492327

Summary:	UI elements are resized for tablet mode on an external screen
Product:	[I don't know] kde	Reporter:	Raphaël Jakse <raphael.kde>
Component:	general	Assignee:	Unassigned bugs mailing-list <unassigned-bugs>
Status:	RESOLVED DUPLICATE
Severity:	normal	CC:	nate
Priority:	NOR
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Other
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Raphaël Jakse 2024-08-28 16:02:33 UTC

Sorry for the lack of specific classification for this bug, I'm not sure which component(s) is involved.

SUMMARY

On a 2-in-1 convertible laptop, when converting to tablet, KWin titlebars and buttons in Plasmashell become bigger so one can tap and grab stuff more easily with the fingers.

But when a (non-touch) external screen is connected, this also happens on the external screen. Bigger UI elements on the external screen is not necessary and looks weird.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Put a convertible laptop in laptop mode
2. Connect an external screen
3. set the external screen to primary so you have a Plasmashell dock in it
4. move a window to the external screen so you have a window in it
5. convert the laptop to tablet mode, keyboard behind the screen.

OBSERVED RESULT

Nothing changes on the external screen

EXPECTED RESULT

Window titlebars and and buttons in the Plasmashell dock are bigger

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma:  openSUSE Tumbleweed
Wayland
KDE Plasma Version: 6.1.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.5.0
Qt Version: 6.7.2
Linux kernel: 6.10.5-1-default (64 bit)

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6

Comment 1 Nate Graham 2024-08-28 18:10:03 UTC

This is true. Right now tablet mode is an all-or-nothing thing, because we assume that it doesn't make sense to enter tablet mode when the system is docked like this. Maybe we should even suppress it when we detect there are any external screens connected.

Can you explain the use case you have for doing this?

Comment 2 Raphaël Jakse 2024-08-28 18:26:15 UTC

The screen of this laptop also happens to be a Wacom graphics tablet, with an active pen and all.

The bug is something I spotted by trying to see if I could use the laptop as a regular graphics tablet (which is also a central unit). And the answer is yes, definitely. Someone who draws could definitely reach for such a computer, and draw with Krita using the large 14 inch screen of the laptop as a graphics tablet, possibly turned off. You don't need a laptop + a dedicated wacom tablet, you have both, it's one less device to have and to carry when on the go.

I can also imagine someone with a regular tablet with an HDMI output wanting to connect an external screen.

The bug gives a small unfinished feeling, but is definitely not a blocker. And I haven't found a way to turn this mechanism off.

When the tablet screen is turned off, it might already be desirable to disable tablet mode without changing the architecture of the feature to be per screen, that's probably lower effort, maybe as a first step.

> Maybe we should even suppress it when we detect there are any external screens connected.

Yep, it would not even make the tablet unusable, just a bit less practical (but totally manageable), and if you have an external screen you probably have a mouse and a keyboard anyway. Unless you plugged your tablet to play a video on a big screen, so maybe detecting the presence of a mouse / a keyboard is better.

Or if the screens are cloned (then you may not want to disable tablet mode, probably the person is using the touchscreen in this case)

Comment 3 Nate Graham 2024-08-29 19:56:15 UTC

Ah ok, so this is the whole "touch mode's assumptions don't make sense with a stylus" issue. And that's valid.

We can dupe this to Bug 459143, and Bug 459973 is related as well.

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 459143 ***

Comment 4 Raphaël Jakse 2024-09-02 06:21:32 UTC

I agree this is a duplicate of these bugs, I don't know why I didn't find them when looking for existing bugs. Thanks!