Bug 410928 - Don't Present Windows if each window in the group is on a different monitor
Summary: Don't Present Windows if each window in the group is on a different monitor
Status: CLOSED INTENTIONAL
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: effects-present-windows (show other bugs)
Version: 5.16.4
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2019-08-15 10:53 UTC by Szczepan Hołyszewski
Modified: 2021-08-25 14:18 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

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Description Szczepan Hołyszewski 2019-08-15 10:53:24 UTC
NOTE WELL: I am not entirely sure that this should be filed against kwin; feel free to reassign.

SUMMARY

When I click on a taskbar button or icon representing a group of several windows, I am presented with a UI mode that requires me to choose one of the windows by clicking it with a mouse. I believe this is redundant if each window is on a different monitor.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

1. While using a two-monitor setup and the "icon task bar" panel widget, open two windows of the same program, each on different monitor. Adjust taskbar grouping options if necessary to ensure that those windows do get grouped.
2. Bring another window to the top.
3. Click on the task bar icon of the program from step 1 to try bringing it to the top again.

OBSERVED RESULT

Present Windows mode is entered, requiring me to choose one of the windows by clicking on it.

EXPECTED RESULT

The windows should just be restored / brought to the top, each on its own monitor. Activate the one that is on the same monitor as the taskbar involved, or simply remember the last active window within a group.

Current behavior should still be used if any monitor contains more than one window from the group.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 5.16.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.60.0
Qt Version: 5.13.0
Kernel Version: 5.2.8-arch1-1-ARCH
OS Type: 64-bit
Processors: 8 × AMD FX(tm)-8320 Eight-Core Processor
Memory: 15,6 GiB
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2021-08-19 15:32:54 UTC
We altered the Present Windows effect to always active even if there is a single window open, which would extend to the case of a single window per screen. The reasoning was that if we try to be smart by activating windows instead of showing the effect or just not showing the effect at all, we were confusing the user more than if we show the effect in a slightly sub-optimal state. If the user triggers the effect, they should get the effect.
Comment 2 Szczepan Hołyszewski 2021-08-25 00:15:01 UTC
The user's intention is not to "trigger the effect". Their intention is to "get to the desired window" as directly as possible. They may have *intentionally* arranged the windows on different monitors in order to be *able* to get to either of them as directly as possible. What is confusing (and annoying) is when the software introduces another interaction step to ask a completely redundant follow-up question, and *frustrates* user's intention to "get to" either window as quickly and directly as possible.
Comment 3 Szczepan Hołyszewski 2021-08-25 00:22:38 UTC
Curiously though, current behavior is different from the one against which the bug was reported. I no longer see the Present Windows effect when clicking on a group button. Instead clicking repeatedly on the group button activates the windows in a cycle. This is close enough to what I wanted that I'm inclined to consider this bug fixed.
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2021-08-25 14:18:01 UTC
Yes, that change was made precisely to support this use case. :)