Bug 374094 - Avoid cells overlapping widgets when deciding initial placement of new icons in desktop containment mode (perhaps optionally)
Summary: Avoid cells overlapping widgets when deciding initial placement of new icons ...
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Folder (show other bugs)
Version: 5.8.2
Platform: Debian testing Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Eike Hein
URL:
Keywords: usability
: 427011 449764 476365 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2016-12-23 18:08 UTC by Hrtmt Brng
Modified: 2023-11-01 19:46 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:


Attachments
impossible to use folder plasmoid at that position (251.90 KB, image/jpeg)
2016-12-23 18:08 UTC, Hrtmt Brng
Details
Icons placed around plasmoids (1.08 MB, image/png)
2017-01-02 09:45 UTC, Hrtmt Brng
Details

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Description Hrtmt Brng 2016-12-23 18:08:51 UTC
Created attachment 102961 [details]
impossible to use folder plasmoid at that position

This makes it hard to use plasmoids in combination with folderview as background plasmoid.

If using the features "create new file", "create new folder" or "sort icons" it may happen that icons appear under a plasmoid and thus are invisible.
Comment 1 Eike Hein 2017-01-02 06:42:15 UTC
What do you suggest?
Comment 2 Hrtmt Brng 2017-01-02 09:44:07 UTC
Isn't it obvious:

If the folder view is the background and there are plasmoids, it must be guaranteed that no icons are under the plasmoids.

* If you drag an icon from background folder view and drop it over a plasmoid, the icon must not replaced in the background folder view.
* If you you auto sort or align icons, the space of the plasmoids must not be used for placeing icons.
* If you place a plasmoid over icons of the background folder view, I could image one of the two options: (a) That must be impossible or (b) All icons align automatically (very very cool feature).

You could argue that the user might be allowed to place icons where ever he wants. I don't think so. See my second screenshot for an example.
Comment 3 Hrtmt Brng 2017-01-02 09:45:20 UTC
Created attachment 103141 [details]
Icons placed around plasmoids
Comment 4 Eike Hein 2017-01-02 11:17:11 UTC
I understand why this seems attractive, but it also easily creates situations where adding a plasmoid, or moving a plasmoid, would displace icons, making users upset. It seems more practical to leave arrangement up to the user.
Comment 5 Hrtmt Brng 2017-01-02 14:03:47 UTC
I don't think so. How can I arrange my icons if they are behind a plasmoid? Icons may also lie behind plasmoids if new files are created or if icons auto sorted.

Can you give me an example where rearranging of icons could make users upset if a plasmoid is moved? Perhaps I don't understand the concept of plasmoids correctly. Can I look behind a plasmoid? Can I hide plasmoids? I usually don't move Plasmoids a lot, but the contents of my desktop folder changes a lot.
Comment 6 Eike Hein 2017-01-02 14:47:26 UTC
Many people carefully arrange their icons, so adding or moving a plasmoid destroying that seems catastrophic.

I'd suggest simply not putting plasmoids where you place icons or wherr icons for new files accumulate ...
Comment 7 Hrtmt Brng 2017-01-02 15:33:55 UTC
I cannot follow your argumentation. If there are people who carefully arrange their icons, they would never place a plasmoid onto their icons. They would first clear space for the plasmoid.

However, there are many people who do not carefully arrange their icons. And some of them use plasmoids. But if the icon positioning algorithm do not take care about their plasmoids, they simply cannot use plasmoids.

It is just the simple question: What could be the intention of having an icon behind a plasmoid?

You suggested simply not putting plasmoids where you place icons. This suggestion do not apply to me because I am not placing my icons manually. I don't think this is an exotic use case.
Comment 8 Eike Hein 2017-01-03 06:10:39 UTC
Let's go with a compromise - I'll set this to wishlist and change the ticket title a bit to capture your intent better.
Comment 9 Eike Hein 2017-01-03 06:14:41 UTC
Hint to interested implementers: The Positioner class contains a firstFreeRow() method that is used to find free space to initially place new icons in the positioning proxy. To implement this request, Positioner would have to be made aware of the (QML level) containment code's occupied widget cells tracking state and consider icon grid cells overlapping occupied widget cells as non-free, just as icon grid cells already containing an icon are. It should then return an icon grid cell that's neither occupied by an icon or overlapping an occupied widget grid cell, taking arrangement and alignment settings into account as before.
Comment 10 Hrtmt Brng 2017-01-03 09:53:51 UTC
I don't understand the new title. However, if you say it is the same issue, I'll trust you.

Thank you for the hints. Really helpful for new KDE developers.
Comment 11 Nate Graham 2020-01-23 19:10:23 UTC
With the current title, I think this proposal makes sense.
Comment 12 Nate Graham 2023-04-10 01:19:41 UTC
*** Bug 427011 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 13 Nate Graham 2023-04-27 16:55:35 UTC
*** Bug 449764 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 14 Nate Graham 2023-11-01 19:46:53 UTC
*** Bug 476365 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***