Bug 449835 - Cannot switch virtual desktop using shortcut in overview effect
Summary: Cannot switch virtual desktop using shortcut in overview effect
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: effects-overview (show other bugs)
Version: 5.24.0
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords: usability
: 455219 456147 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2022-02-09 10:06 UTC by Johannes
Modified: 2022-10-06 08:06 UTC (History)
9 users (show)

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Description Johannes 2022-02-09 10:06:38 UTC 
SUMMARY
Whenever the overview effect is open, the user keyboard shortcuts to navigate between virtual desktops are disabled, which is a severe obstacle to a smooth UX.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Make sure you have several virtual desktops as well as keyboard shortcuts to navigate between them.
2. Open the overview effect
3. Try to use those keyboard shortcuts

OBSERVED RESULT
Nothing happens

EXPECTED RESULT
You should be able to navigate between the virtual desktops.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux kernel: 5.13.0-28-generic
KDE Plasma Version: 5.24.0
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.90.0
Qt Version: 5.15.2
Using X11
Comment 1 Vlad Zahorodnii 2022-02-09 10:16:38 UTC 
Currently, you need to Tab to the desktop bar, and use arrow keys to switch between virtual desktops. Press Enter or Space to actually activate the desktop.
Comment 2 Vlad Zahorodnii 2022-02-09 10:18:46 UTC 
Whether those keyboard shortcuts should work and how they should integrate with the overview effect needs evaluation.
Comment 3 Johannes 2022-02-09 11:30:33 UTC 
Thank you for your answer! Well, in my view, global shortcuts shall be global, otherwise there is no point in having those. It makes little sense to do Tab;arrows;Enter (thus three steps) to navigate if you are used to Super+Arrows or Super+Numbers or whatever you decided to set as a keyboard shortcut. We cannot expect the end users to rewire their brains if they already use a standardised global shortcut. 

This thus isn't just a lacking feature, but a bug in the workflow.
Comment 4 Orlando Rodriguez 2022-02-11 13:50:27 UTC 
I had this problem too with my mouse, which was launching a shortcut to next/previous desktop and it was not working in the Overview Effect. Luckily for my case, I was able to use xbind with the mouse and launch the dbus command for the Next/Previous Desktop instead of launching the shortcut, and that worked for me.
Comment 5 Hyuk 2022-06-28 11:16:15 UTC 
(In reply to Vlad Zahorodnii from comment #1)
> Currently, you need to Tab to the desktop bar, and use arrow keys to switch
> between virtual desktops. Press Enter or Space to actually activate the
> desktop.

I noticed switching between desktops with mouse scrolling was briefly added after updating to 5.25.0.1 then it stopped working for me again after 5.25.1 for some reason. Is this feature permanently removed or coming back? This definitely need to be fixed.
Comment 6 Mahe 2022-10-05 22:10:27 UTC 
*** Bug 455219 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 7 Mahe 2022-10-05 22:13:12 UTC 
*** Bug 456147 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 8 Mahe 2022-10-06 08:06:32 UTC 
It seems this bug only affects X11 sessions.
Using the latest neon testing ISO (20221004-1822 as of this comment) in a VirtualBox session I can successfully use keyboard shortcuts like "Switch One Desktop to the Right" or "Switch to Desktop 2" in Overview when I'm booting into a Wayland session. In contrast, none of those work in Overview in an X11 session.

For the record, here are the component versions of the ISO I tested:
Linux kernel: 5.15.0-48-generic
KDE Plasma Version: 5.25.90
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.99.0
Qt Version: 5.15.6