Bug 426840 - Panels should remain mouse-accessible while window is full-screen (not just when maximized)
Summary: Panels should remain mouse-accessible while window is full-screen (not just w...
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Panel (show other bugs)
Version: 5.20.3
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords: usability
: 466289 483041 496386 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2020-09-21 21:28 UTC by silocoder
Modified: 2024-11-19 18:57 UTC (History)
7 users (show)

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


Attachments
Sample Desktop (2.45 MB, image/png)
2024-02-01 01:09 UTC, silocoder
Details

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Description silocoder 2020-09-21 21:28:39 UTC
SUMMARY
Full screen videos, should allow mouse to show/access Panel apps/widgets.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Open youtube video.
2. Enter full screen
3. Move mouse to top of screen.

OBSERVED RESULT
Only shows an X to Exit full screen to click on. 

EXPECTED RESULT
Should show the panels so application menus and widgets can be accessed. Similar to when you press the Meta key. 

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Kubuntu 20.04
KDE Plasma Version: 5.18.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.68.0
Qt Version: 5.12.8
Kernel Version: 5.4.0-48-generic
OS Type: 64-bit
Processors: 8 × Intel® Core™ i7-4810MQ CPU @ 2.80GHz
Memory: 15.6 GiB of RAM


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
========================
When playing a full screen video such as YouTube, if I want to access any of the apps/widgets on the panels, I have to first exit full screen using the mouse. This is inconvenience as to many times I would like to view System Tray info, time, set volume, etc. while watching a video without having to exit full screen.
As an example, on the Mac, when you move the mouse to the top or bottom of the screen the menus show up and you can make selections from the system tray. Also if you run another app, the full screen app is minimized. Then to restore it, you can just click the app in the dock.
Right now, when you move the mouse to the top of the screen, all you get is an X to exit full screen video.
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2020-11-24 18:54:25 UTC
Seems reasonable.
Comment 2 mike wyatt 2023-05-01 04:28:21 UTC
Another detail that I like about the macOS version, and is also an option in an extension for Gnome, is you have you "push" your mouse past the edge to activate the panel. This lets you move your mouse to the edge more easily without accidentally activating your panel
Comment 3 mike wyatt 2023-05-01 04:35:16 UTC
It gets even more awkward when you hide window decorations for fullscreen apps and use something like the Active Window Control applet. You just can't easily close the window with your mouse.
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2023-09-18 17:16:00 UTC

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 349785 ***
Comment 5 mike wyatt 2024-01-31 20:47:18 UTC
I'm not sure marking this as a duplicate was the right call? Testing on KDE Neon Unstable as of today, Dodge seems to only dodge maximised windows / windows overlapping with the panel. It does nothing when an app or video is fullscreen.

Also, I'm not looking to use Dodge mode. I'm looking for my panels to auto-hide and still be accessible when an app is fullscreen/ a video is playing in fullscreen.
Comment 6 Nate Graham 2024-01-31 20:55:28 UTC
Ah, so what you want is for Auto-hide panels to be mouse-accessible while a window is full-screen, not just maximized. That's reasonable as an option, but I doubt we could do it by default since it would be extremely disruptive for one of the primary use cases of full-screen content: video games. Maybe it could be an off-by-default thing or we could try heuristics to detect when you're playing a video game.

Anyway,un-duping and moving to KWin since that's I believe where support for this would need to be implemented.
Comment 7 Vlad Zahorodnii 2024-01-31 21:21:39 UTC
By default, panels are stacked below fullscreen windows because you don't want them to interfere with fullscreen mode.

It might be easier if plasma places panels in the overlay layer when using auto-hide or dodge windows mode. I think no changes are needed in kwin, PanelView would just need to request overlay layer, however the user would need to toggle an option in screen edges kcm.
Comment 8 Nate Graham 2024-01-31 21:25:43 UTC
Ok cool. Moving back to Plasma, then.

We could also make always-visible panels temporarily be auto-hide while a fullscreen window is in the front, to make sure that that still works too.
Comment 9 mike wyatt 2024-01-31 21:46:37 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #6)
> Ah, so what you want is for Auto-hide panels to be mouse-accessible while a
> window is full-screen, not just maximized. That's reasonable as an option,
> but I doubt we could do it by default since it would be extremely disruptive
> for one of the primary use cases of full-screen content: video games. Maybe
> it could be an off-by-default thing or we could try heuristics to detect
> when you're playing a video game.
> 
> Anyway,un-duping and moving to KWin since that's I believe where support for
> this would need to be implemented.

Yup! And apologies for being blunt but the "steps to reproduce" in the original report mentions playing a video in full screen. Thank you for un-duping.

(In reply to Vlad Zahorodnii from comment #7)
> By default, panels are stacked below fullscreen windows because you don't
> want them to interfere with fullscreen mode.
> 
> It might be easier if plasma places panels in the overlay layer when using
> auto-hide or dodge windows mode. I think no changes are needed in kwin,
> PanelView would just need to request overlay layer, however the user would
> need to toggle an option in screen edges kcm.

Screen Edges has such an option, and works exactly as I'd expect hidden panels to, where you have to "push" your mouse into the corner for one to activate.
Comment 10 silocoder 2024-02-01 01:09:23 UTC
Created attachment 165421 [details]
Sample Desktop

Top is a fixed panel. Bottom is an auto hide task manager. When in full video screen, and mouse moved to bottom or top, the panels should appear and also the applications should be launch-able. Ideally :)
Comment 11 silocoder 2024-02-01 01:10:56 UTC
(In reply to mike wyatt from comment #2)
> Another detail that I like about the macOS version, and is also an option in
> an extension for Gnome, is you have you "push" your mouse past the edge to
> activate the panel. This lets you move your mouse to the edge more easily
> without accidentally activating your panel

YES on this.
Comment 12 silocoder 2024-02-01 01:15:50 UTC
By the way I have discovered that pressing the Meta key (or Window key?) already does this feature I am asking. However most of the apps are not clickable In other words when task manager or the top menu appears, clicking on an icon just returns back to the video. Pretty useless.
Comment 13 Nate Graham 2024-03-11 23:19:58 UTC
*** Bug 483041 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 14 Nate Graham 2024-08-09 20:50:56 UTC
*** Bug 466289 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 15 Nate Graham 2024-11-19 18:57:29 UTC
*** Bug 496386 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***