Bug 501746

Summary: Make it easier to see how windows will be tiled ahead of time
Product: [Plasma] kwin Reporter: Filip <filip.kendes1>
Component: Quick TilingAssignee: KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED    
Severity: wishlist CC: nate
Priority: NOR Keywords: usability
Version First Reported In: 6.3.3   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Arch Linux   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/commit/836b0ea205757ae7e2d79952a2121c2e9cc4be35 Version Fixed/Implemented In: 6.4.0
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Filip 2025-03-19 14:41:35 UTC 
SUMMARY
Render the grey preview where the window will be snapped above the dragged window.

I also have a similar proposal for the custom tiling. When user drags a window and presses shift render all the "boxes" of the current layout where the window can snap with light grey color and the one where it would snap with the same dark grey as it does now, just all above the window. I can create a second ticket for the custom tiling feature if needed.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Drag the window to the edge of the screen

OBSERVED RESULT
Grey preview where the window will be snapped is rendered below the dragged window

EXPECTED RESULT
Grey preview where the window will be snapped is rendered above the dragged window. It would be more visually obvious how it will snap.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.12.0
Qt Version: 6.8.2
Kernel Version: 6.13.7-arch1-1 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2025-03-19 20:42:15 UTC 
Can you explain why this would be better? What's wrong with the status quo?
Comment 2 Filip 2025-03-20 07:08:10 UTC 
I think this would make it easier and more obvious how to snap window. Focus should be on snapping the window so make that more obvious  by making it the thing that's rendered on top of everything

Quick tiling:
Not really a big issue, but sometimes (when the dragged window is big compared to the screen), it can be hard to differentiate between edge and cornes snap because the window goes close to the edges of the screen and you can't really see the grey preview very well because it's mostly rendered below the window.

Custom tiling:
It would be useful to show the current layout on the screen because it would make it easier to find a tile where the user wants to snap their window. Otherwise the user needs to "search" for the tile on the screen. I know the "search" is not that difficult, but you can see the difference in thought when the layout is displayed vs not displayed.
Especially useful when user drags a big window with the midifier key (not with the window header) and if window if big than floating tiles will always display under the window so user can only guess where the tile is. Again, it's not very hard to guess, but still, it can be made easier.
Comment 3 Bug Janitor Service 2025-03-24 13:41:44 UTC 
A possibly relevant merge request was started @ https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/merge_requests/7392
Comment 4 Zamundaaa 2025-03-26 02:15:20 UTC 
Git commit 836b0ea205757ae7e2d79952a2121c2e9cc4be35 by Xaver Hugl.
Committed on 26/03/2025 at 02:05.
Pushed by zamundaaa into branch 'master'.

workspace: stack the outline above the moveresize window

M  +2    -2    src/workspace.cpp

https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/commit/836b0ea205757ae7e2d79952a2121c2e9cc4be35