Bug 343690 - Missing windows tabbing
Summary: Missing windows tabbing
Status: CLOSED INTENTIONAL
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: decorations (show other bugs)
Version: 5.17.1
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords:
: 347616 401535 466986 474739 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2015-02-02 10:55 UTC by Jiri Tyr
Modified: 2025-02-14 21:57 UTC (History)
47 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
Karousel Stacked Column screenshot (412.97 KB, image/jpeg)
2025-01-29 18:58 UTC, AndyKluger
Details

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Description Jiri Tyr 2015-02-02 10:55:41 UTC
I just switched to Plasma 5 and I can not find the "Attach as tab to..." option to group windows. Is this very useful feature gonna be implemented?

Reproducible: Always


Actual Results:  
No such option.

Expected Results:  
Right-click on the window title should show the option "Attach as tab to..." and middle-mouse click should allow to group windows.
Comment 1 Thomas Lübking 2015-02-02 11:03:08 UTC
api is still there, matter of decorations to use it.
Comment 2 Jiri Tyr 2015-02-02 11:05:03 UTC
(In reply to Thomas Lübking from comment #1)
> api is still there, matter of decorations to use it.

I see. Then please could you add this feature into the Breeze decoration?
Comment 3 Martin Flöser 2015-02-02 12:15:03 UTC
(In reply to Thomas Lübking from comment #1)
> api is still there, matter of decorations to use it.

actually no: it's not yet exposed in kdecoration2
Comment 4 kdeuser56 2015-02-18 15:28:21 UTC
This is not possible to introduce in a small release right? I hope this feature returns soon, other than that, the new stuff is an awesome job, kudos!
Comment 5 Martin Flöser 2015-02-18 15:36:13 UTC
(In reply to kdeuser56 from comment #4)
> This is not possible to introduce in a small release right?

no, sorry that cannot be done for multiple reasons (the feature freeze could be bended given that it's a regression, but language freeze, Oxygen not ported, etc. make it to much for a minor release)

> I hope this
> feature returns soon, other than that, the new stuff is an awesome job,
> kudos!

thanks.
Comment 6 Martin Flöser 2015-05-12 16:09:42 UTC
*** Bug 347616 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 7 Gilboa Davara 2015-09-25 05:35:32 UTC
Hello Martin,

Before I begin, many thanks for the hard work.
Any timeframe / roadmap to re-adding this feature.
At least in my case, I had huge amount of kwin rules that auto-tabbed windows that I cannot move from kwin4.

- Gilboa
Comment 8 Gilboa Davara 2015-09-30 16:15:54 UTC
Duplicate of https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=340137?
Comment 9 Thomas Lübking 2015-09-30 16:18:10 UTC
Yesno. Tabbing isn't enabled in the core (the code is cut short), (afair) not implemented in libkdecoration2 and finally not used in Breeze.
Comment 10 Gilboa Davara 2015-10-14 09:05:57 UTC
Idiotic question: Are there any existing kwin that still use the old kdecoration that are compatible with Plasma 2 and capable of window tabbing?
Comment 11 Martin Flöser 2015-10-14 09:28:32 UTC
> Are there any existing kwin that still use the old kdecoration that are compatible with Plasma 2 and capable of window tabbing?

well any kwin (+oxygen) before the change to kdecoration2. Whether that's compatible with current Plasma is unlikely though. Plasma, kwin, kdecoration and breeze are released together and expected to be used together. Nobody tries other combinations so it might or might not work.
Comment 12 Gilboa Davara 2015-10-14 18:15:10 UTC
Thanks for the (prompt) answer.
Guess I'll have to grow some patience. :)
Comment 13 Paul Fee 2016-07-05 10:47:21 UTC
Is there a target release for this feature?  I had used it before in KDE4 and I'm now missing it with KDE5 on Fedora 23.  No need to squeeze it in past any release freezes, just wondering what future release will have it so it'll then make its way down into distro packages.
Comment 14 Martin Flöser 2016-07-05 11:34:00 UTC
> Is there a target release for this feature? 

Sorry no, there is no target release for this feature yet. With every release cycle I hope to find some time for it, but well...
Comment 15 Paul Fee 2016-07-06 08:56:31 UTC
Thanks for the update Martin.  I expect features such as Wayland support take priority (and rightly so).  Your hard work is appreciated and I can wait for window tabbing to make its return someday.
Comment 16 Michael D 2016-10-18 14:30:52 UTC
Perhaps it is then best to remove the window tabbing settings under "Window Behavior" --> "Advanced" until it becomes available.
Comment 17 John 2017-02-08 19:00:10 UTC
I'm really missing this!!! It helps a lot to keep work organized!!!
Comment 18 therapon 2017-12-12 14:06:20 UTC
Seems like it's about time to get serious or get honest. Either restore the "missing feature" or take it off the list. Three years and 11 minor versions with no progress is too many! At least for me, it is not simply eye candy. Not being able to tab windows directly impacts my daily efficiency and is a continual frustration. Same goes for a particular broken package (https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=370964). If only I could go back to KDE4 that had issues like these resolved in lots less than 3 years!
Comment 19 John 2017-12-12 17:32:09 UTC
I have to say this affects me and my work too!!! (if only i could code well enough...)
Comment 20 therapon 2017-12-12 17:43:02 UTC
(In reply to john from comment #19)
> I have to say this affects me and my work too!!! (if only i could code well
> enough...)

Ditto. I would fix it if I could. Meanwhile, window tabbing has been added to MacOS and is coming soon to Win10 thanks to 20,000 votes for it. It's a huge productivity enhancer.
Comment 21 John 2017-12-13 18:03:45 UTC
(In reply to therapon from comment #20)
> (In reply to john from comment #19)
> > I have to say this affects me and my work too!!! (if only i could code well
> > enough...)
> 
> Ditto. I would fix it if I could. Meanwhile, window tabbing has been added
> to MacOS and is coming soon to Win10 thanks to 20,000 votes for it. It's a
> huge productivity enhancer.

I think i'll grab some popcorns and see who (from Apple or Windows) will be the first to claim they came up with that idea (as already happened with the "convergence" concept which, actually, born from KDE)!!!

Anyway 20,000 votes are a lot of people that "take up the work" to vote for the feature. It should indicate something...
Comment 22 Kai Uwe Broulik 2018-01-04 17:20:50 UTC
*** Bug 340137 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 23 Vlad Zahorodnii 2018-11-29 14:03:48 UTC
*** Bug 401535 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 24 Oussema Bouaneni 2019-01-14 13:16:13 UTC
I would love to see this feature. Is anyone planning to work on it?
Comment 25 koukasio 2019-10-18 18:03:38 UTC
I have to admit that the reason I am stuck to kde4 is because of this feature.I thought that it would not take long until this feature was implemented. Unfortunately I have no idea about harcore programming such as this, which leaves me to only wish that this will be implemented soon. I strongly endorse this implementation.
Comment 26 Zachary Hubbell 2020-05-07 14:57:14 UTC
+1, would love to see this feature implemented!
Comment 27 Claudius Ellsel 2020-06-12 13:28:42 UTC
Since it worked in KDE 4 apparently, can this be seen as a regression?

Also marking as confirmed based on the comments here.
Comment 28 José 2020-11-18 22:56:54 UTC
I was just thinking the same thing. If it was in Plasma 4, it'd be a regression as this feature won't be dropped soon AFAIK
Comment 29 Gauthier 2021-08-31 08:22:51 UTC
Hello,

For a while this feature was highlighted as missing in in the errata of new plasma release but now (for a long while in fact) it's not being shown at all.

This makes me think it is now abandoned...am I right to think that there now no plans from the core plasma dev to bring it back? 

If so, is there any clues at to what makes it hard to port/implement from Plasma 4 to Plasma 5 so maybe someone else can have a go at the task (as this was such a brilliant feature)?

Many thanks
Comment 30 Nate Graham 2023-03-13 16:41:27 UTC
*** Bug 466986 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 31 Wyatt Childers 2023-04-06 16:31:14 UTC
I'd like to advocate that this feature could pair very well with the new Kwin tiling.

There could be a default, or optional setting, where if you shift drag a window over another window, they automatically tab together. Similarly, a shift drag from the tab would pull the window out of the tab group, and allow it to be made an independent window or allow it to be dragged into another tab group.
Comment 32 ksthiele 2023-05-28 20:32:01 UTC
Would be cool to revive this feature, somehow modernized, like allowing to show those apps tiled and adjusted how it is displayed in the Window Panel and create new short cuts for those windows
Comment 33 David Edmundson 2023-09-20 15:48:36 UTC
We are not reviving this feature. The prevalence of CSDs makes this impossible to do well.
Comment 34 David Edmundson 2023-09-20 15:48:50 UTC
*** Bug 474739 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 35 Ryein Goddard 2023-09-20 15:53:50 UTC
(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #33)
> We are not reviving this feature. The prevalence of CSDs makes this
> impossible to do well.

I don't think CSDs make it impossible to do well.  Why do you say that?
Comment 36 Maximilian Böhm 2023-09-20 19:21:01 UTC
Concept for tabbing mixed SSD and CSD windows: You initiate window merging via shortcut or taskbar option, then select a second (and third…) window. Plasma windows without CSD get regularly tabbed, CSD windows get an extra title bar to be tabbed. The title bar disappears after dissolving the window tabbing.
Comment 37 Wyatt Childers 2023-09-20 19:23:39 UTC
(In reply to Maximilian Böhm from comment #36)
> Concept for tabbing mixed SSD and CSD windows: You initiate window merging
> via shortcut or taskbar option, then select a second (and third…) window.
> Plasma windows without CSD get regularly tabbed, CSD windows get an extra
> title bar to be tabbed. The title bar disappears after dissolving the window
> tabbing.

I agree, I don't see why this would be undesirable at all... In fact I think this is exactly how tiling window managers go about resolving this issue.
Comment 38 koukasio 2023-09-23 12:18:45 UTC
I just want to thank everyone who is still paying attention to this "bug". I am still waiting in agony for this feature. It is sad for me that I don't have the programming skills to contribute.
I am still in kde4 (Kubuntu 14.04) !!!!! (for other reasons as well)
I will have to update this year, which means that the feature won't be available.
Speaking for myself, I still think that window tabbing is INCREDIBLY useful and productive.
There will be a lot of users who will appreciate this feature.
Comment 39 Gauthier 2023-09-30 11:23:41 UTC
I have to say I agree. This feature was SO good! ...and greatly missed since Plasma 5
Comment 40 andy 2023-10-29 09:28:50 UTC
I'm curious about this possibility as well. I came here after seeing on MacOS you can do tabbed windows and searching for other options. Also out of curiosity checked if there's a windows solution. I found some random program called TidyTabs, which makes me think a similar solution could be possible with a KWin script or plugin. A script to stack all windows of the same class on top of each other would be easy. Just needs a visual tabbed indicator and some constraint on extra padding for maximized area on top. The tabs could be a simple Qt app that the kwin script keeps glued to the top of the stack perhaps... But aside from a hack like that, it would be cool for built in support.
Comment 41 David 2023-11-02 13:34:11 UTC
(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #33)
> We are not reviving this feature. The prevalence of CSDs makes this
> impossible to do well.

Kwin currently allows overriding these with standard titlebars and such. Wouldn't it be a matter of just forcing this on windows that are tabbed?
Comment 42 Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell 2024-02-02 15:26:31 UTC
Does https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=42023 have any relevance to this? Worth putting it in the https://bugs.kde.org/page.cgi?id=fields.html#see_also?
Comment 43 uwuwotisdis 2024-07-08 17:01:24 UTC
(In reply to Maximilian Böhm from comment #36)
> Concept for tabbing mixed SSD and CSD windows: You initiate window merging
> via shortcut or taskbar option, then select a second (and third…) window.
> Plasma windows without CSD get regularly tabbed, CSD windows get an extra
> title bar to be tabbed. The title bar disappears after dissolving the window
> tabbing.

Totally agree with this. A piece of Windows software called Groupy by Stardock does exactly this. Native Windows title bars are modified with tabs directly inside, and software with their own title bars have a tab bar put above.
Comment 44 Kevin Messer 2024-08-28 10:02:07 UTC
The new cosmic desktop from System76 is doing it, so maybe there is a way on how to do it properly : https://system76.com/cosmic
Comment 45 Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell 2024-08-28 14:31:22 UTC
(In reply to Kevin Messer from comment #44)

> The new cosmic desktop from System76 is doing it, so maybe there is a way on how to do it properly : https://system76.com/cosmic

Ctrl+F-ing "tab" doesn't return anything. Can you quote or link whichever part of that discusses WM-level tabs?
Comment 46 Gauthier 2024-08-28 14:34:36 UTC
(In reply to Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell from comment #45)
> (In reply to Kevin Messer from comment #44)
> 
> > The new cosmic desktop from System76 is doing it, so maybe there is a way on how to do it properly : https://system76.com/cosmic
> 
> Ctrl+F-ing "tab" doesn't return anything. Can you quote or link whichever
> part of that discusses WM-level tabs?

"Stack windows from different apps like tabs in a web browser"  quote from the first paragraph under Adaptable Windows
Comment 47 Gauthier 2024-08-28 14:35:51 UTC
(In reply to Gauthier from comment #46)
> (In reply to Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell from comment #45)
> > (In reply to Kevin Messer from comment #44)
> > 
> > > The new cosmic desktop from System76 is doing it, so maybe there is a way on how to do it properly : https://system76.com/cosmic
> > 
> > Ctrl+F-ing "tab" doesn't return anything. Can you quote or link whichever
> > part of that discusses WM-level tabs?
> 
> "Stack windows from different apps like tabs in a web browser"  quote from
> the first paragraph under Adaptable Windows

And is demonstrate in the screenshot below the paragraph (on the right hand side of the image)
Comment 48 Kevin Messer 2024-08-28 14:40:11 UTC
(In reply to Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell from comment #45)
> (In reply to Kevin Messer from comment #44)
> 
> > The new cosmic desktop from System76 is doing it, so maybe there is a way on how to do it properly : https://system76.com/cosmic
> 
> Ctrl+F-ing "tab" doesn't return anything. Can you quote or link whichever
> part of that discusses WM-level tabs?

Yes, here is a Github discussion : https://github.com/pop-os/cosmic-comp/issues/262

And I also guess you guys can discuss with them how they did it technically.
Comment 49 Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell 2024-08-28 14:43:12 UTC
(In reply to Kevin Messer from comment #48)

Thank you.
Comment 50 Asten Valentinus 2025-01-28 23:10:47 UTC
I would like this feature (as many others seem to,) so I'm reopening it.

I migrated to KDE during the Plasma 6 release, so I've never had this feature, but I greatly see the usefulness of it.
Comment 51 Nate Graham 2025-01-28 23:13:05 UTC
Don't re-open closed bug reports please.
Comment 52 Kevin Messer 2025-01-28 23:26:48 UTC
What can we do to bring it back ? I mean, I tested the alpha 5 of the cosmic desktop and there it works as intended, just like the KDE4 times, so there must be a way also for KDE to have it. I am pretty sure that people would even pay money to have it implemented.
Comment 53 Gauthier 2025-01-28 23:50:06 UTC
It's more like a feature request than a bug at this point...though to be fair that's what it's been ever since plasma 5. Not sure where the best is for feature requests...I thought here was, no? In which it may be correct that it is in fact not resolved and that the INTENTIONAL flag doesn't make sense for feature request (unless there is an argument from core KDE devs to actively not wanting such a feature to ever be implemented).

As for the question (In reply to Kevin Messer from comment #52)
> What can we do to bring it back ?

One thing is to post it as a feature request, another would be to learn the code and start working on implementing it yourself. Something that personally I don't have the knowledge nor the time to learn and do...so the only option is to respect and trust the choices of other devs as to what they want to implement. 

I say that even though I heavily used window tabbing in KDE 4, has been missing it ever since Plasma 5 and I think it is a shame that it gets implement in another desktop and is seen as a very cool feature while KDE had it ages ago. But unless someone puts the work we must learn to live with it...or without it I should say ;).
Comment 54 Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell 2025-01-29 00:42:21 UTC
(In reply to Gauthier from comment #53)  
It's already an FR – the importance is "NOR wishlist". "Wishlist" in this Bugzilla instance means that it's an FR.

(In reply to andy from comment #40)  
Has anyone attempted to create a KWin script that implements this?
Comment 55 Gauthier 2025-01-29 08:46:29 UTC
(In reply to Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell from comment #54)
> (In reply to Gauthier from comment #53)  
> It's already an FR – the importance is "NOR wishlist". "Wishlist" in this
> Bugzilla instance means that it's an FR.

Ah yes, that was it, thanks. But then in that case the status flag RESOLVE INTENTIONAL doesn't make sense here. This should normally be for things that are reported as bugs where in fact it is the intended behaviour, no?
Comment 56 Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell 2025-01-29 10:45:01 UTC
(In reply to Gauthier from comment #55)  
Yeah, it's a bit of a quirk in how they're triaged here. I asked Nate about that some ago, and it basically equates to a rejected FR. Ultimately, whether something is an FR or bug is mostly based upon the underlying implementation. What matters is that the triage assignee considers this to be undesirable. I'd estimate that the sole route to changing this is by developing a patch/fork that implements this and proposing at Invent (with a promise of continued maintainership) or developing a script that provides this in lieu of it being present in the main codebase.
Comment 57 Asten Valentinus 2025-01-29 17:56:34 UTC
(In reply to Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell from comment #54)
> (In reply to andy from comment #40)  
> Has anyone attempted to create a KWin script that implements this?

After a little searching, I found Aziroshin's kwin-window-tabbing kwin script on GitHub (https://github.com/Aziroshin/kwin-window-tabbing), however, "Currently in its initial stage of development and not yet usable."

It's promising that someone's working on it, though.
Comment 58 AndyKluger 2025-01-29 18:43:07 UTC
I've discovered using Karousel that it has an approximation of tabbed windows, but it comes with its whole tiling setup as well.

It has what it calls "stacked columns," wherein all windows in a tiled column but one are shaded, and as you change focus from one window to another, which window is unshaded changes accordingly.

This does not work in Wayland, as Plasma's Wayland session breaks window shading.

Not a solution for those who don't want to deal with that tiling script, or those who don't want to use X11, but it might suit some folks who find these comments. I'll attach a demo video of stacking and unstacking three windows.
Comment 59 AndyKluger 2025-01-29 18:58:40 UTC
Created attachment 177797 [details]
Karousel Stacked Column screenshot

I had trouble getting a video under the attachment size limit. Here's a screenshot of a Karousel stacked column (one window focused, two shaded).
Comment 60 John 2025-01-30 11:13:14 UTC
maybe this is not the best place for this discussions, but here's an easy set up (workaround) i use myself:

(You need: Global Menu widget + Application Title Bar widget)
1. Move the default bottom panel to the top
2. Place Global menu and Application Title Bar widget wherever you like them the most
3. set Application Title Bar to "Borderless maximised windows" to hide border and titlebars of maximised windows

a) The task manager works as a "tabbed window" 
b) If you want more windows or groups you can use Virtual desktops or Activities (i never actually use this myself)

this leaves more space for your windows and for you to focus on what you're doing without loosing functionalities.
Comment 61 Grósz Dániel 2025-02-14 19:32:45 UTC
(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #33)
> We are not reviving this feature. The prevalence of CSDs makes this
> impossible to do well.

It could still work with SSD windows, just like some other features like customizable title bar buttons.

AFAIUI KDE sticks to SSD for reasons including that it allows for customization and features beyond the lowest common denominator features supported generally by CSD windows. KDE applications use SSD, and most applications that use CSD by default (including Firefox, Chromium/Chrome, VS Codium/Code) can be configured to use CSD. GNOME apps are the only apps I've seen that can't be configured to use SSD.

(In reply to Maximilian Böhm from comment #36)
> Concept for tabbing mixed SSD and CSD windows: You initiate window merging
> via shortcut or taskbar option, then select a second (and third…) window.
> Plasma windows without CSD get regularly tabbed, CSD windows get an extra
> title bar to be tabbed. The title bar disappears after dissolving the window
> tabbing.
(In reply to David from comment #41)
> Kwin currently allows overriding these with standard titlebars and such.
> Wouldn't it be a matter of just forcing this on windows that are tabbed?

Unfortunately forcing a titlebar and frame on CSD windows is often ugly: CSD windows draw their own shadows, which KWin sees as part of the window, so there's a glitchy, semi-transparent frame between the KWin frame and the actual window. I just tried, this happens with Gnome Calculator, Nautilus/GNOME Files and Chromium, but not with GEdit and Firefox. (With the latter two, the titlebar can be re-enabled from the window menu, with the former ones that option is disabled, and it can only be forced via special window settings.) Though even with the former ones, KWin knows where the actual content is for the purposes of snapping, so in theory it could cut off/ignore the shadow when a titlebar and frame is forced on the window. But again, most apps can be configured inside the app to use SSD anyway, which works well, except for GNOME apps which there's rarely a reason to use under KDE anyway.
Comment 62 Roke Julian Lockhart Beedell 2025-02-14 21:57:00 UTC
(In reply to Grósz Dániel from comment #61)  
> CSD windows draw their own shadows, which KWin sees as part of the window, so there's a glitchy, semi-transparent frame between the KWin frame and the actual window. I just tried, this happens with Gnome Calculator, Nautilus/GNOME Files and Chromium, but not with GEdit and Firefox. (With the latter two, the titlebar can be re-enabled from the window menu, with the former ones that option is disabled, and it can only be forced via special window settings.) Though even with the former ones, KWin knows where the actual content is for the purposes of snapping, so in theory it could cut off/ignore the shadow when a titlebar and frame is forced on the window.

That wasn't *always* an issue. Per https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=479372#c1, I recall it being a noticeable regression in KWin's XOrg 11 backend late in the Plasma 5.x development cycle - one reboot, there was a gap between the window decorations that was not there before.