Bug 454026 - can't turn off application menu translucency
Summary: can't turn off application menu translucency
Status: RESOLVED DOWNSTREAM
Alias: None
Product: kde
Classification: I don't know
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: Slackware Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Unassigned bugs mailing-list
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2022-05-19 03:59 UTC by David Chmelik
Modified: 2022-05-25 20:48 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

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


Attachments
screen photo (1.21 MB, image/jpeg)
2022-05-24 22:42 UTC, David Chmelik
Details

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Description David Chmelik 2022-05-19 03:59:13 UTC
SUMMARY
Can't turn off application menu translucency.  I never turned it on.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Disable translucency.
2. Revert to application menu (from application launcher.)
3. Application menu is translucent: unreadable.

OBSERVED RESULT
Application menu is translucent: unreadable..

EXPECTED RESULT
Opaque application menu unless specifically set (even in case of having set translucent desktop effect, due to being bad for text programs.)  Translucency effect should probably also be off by default.  Make application menu translucency selectable in its configuration and/or systemsettings (doesn't seem to be in either) which its one should disable it everywhere (but doesn't.)

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Slackware64 15.1-current / 5.24.5 
KDE Plasma Version: 5.24.5 
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.94.0
Qt Version: 5.15.3
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2022-05-19 17:09:20 UTC
> 1. Disable translucency.
How did you do this exactly?

Can you attach a screenshot that shows the objectionable visual state you're reporting here?
Comment 2 David Chmelik 2022-05-19 20:58:19 UTC
systemsettings -> workspace -> workspace behaviour -> desktop effects -> transluceny

I guess I could use <PrtScn> to screenshot, but that version doesn't respect the choice to use the active window, rather screenshotting all monitors, so I'd have a lot of editing to do, and I'm using XFCE desktop environment now (much faster)... maybe I'll do it later.
Comment 3 Nate Graham 2022-05-23 14:22:18 UTC
When you say you're using XFCE, which KDE components did you replace with XFCE? Did you replace Plasma with XFCE's desktop shell, or the KWin window manager with XFCE's window manager? Or both? Or something else?
Comment 4 David Chmelik 2022-05-23 19:35:18 UTC
> Can you attach a screenshot that shows the objectionable visual state you're reporting here?

<PRINTSCREEN> disappears menus, but should be very easy/quick to test.

> When you say you're using XFCE, which KDE components did you replace with XFCE? Did you replace Plasma with XFCE's desktop shell, or the KWin window manager with XFCE's window manager? Or both? Or something else?

I don't know anyone who 'picks & mixes;'  I simply switched from KDE to XFCE, apart from briefly going back to see if I could screenshot, because hope I can use KDE again in future.
Comment 5 Nate Graham 2022-05-24 15:55:27 UTC
If you switched to XFCE, then I'm confused as to why you're reporting a bug on a KDE component since you're not using KDE software anymore, you're using XFCE. That's why I want to see a screenshot of what UI component is showing the problem.

Spectacle has a timer function that lets you schedule a screenshot several seconds in the future. You can use those seconds to open the menu in question.

Or you can take a picture with your phone.
Comment 6 David Chmelik 2022-05-24 22:42:12 UTC
Created attachment 149193 [details]
screen photo

Logic errors.  Again, I reported this when I was using KDE and want to switch back, and still use KDE software (family PC is fast enough for KDE, and I use KDE programs, just not KDE itself.)  You can see Konqueror text under application launcher, make it all somewhat unreadable.
Comment 7 Nate Graham 2022-05-25 14:47:44 UTC
Ok, so that's the Kicker applet, which appears to be living on a Plasma panel. So I'm not sure what exactly you mean when you say you switched to XFCE since you're clearly still using Plasma.

Did you replace KDE's KWin window manager with XFCE's xfwm4 window manager? If so then I think this would be expected since the blur behind the transparency comes from a KWin effect and most likely xfwm4 does not have the same effect.

If you want the panel and all applets to be opaque, you can do that in the following way:

Right-click on panel > Enter Edit Mode > click "More Options" on the panel toolbar > click "Opaque". That should make the panel and all applets on it opaque, which will work around the bug of a lack of blur behind the transparent UI elements due to using a different window manager.

Does that work?

Alternatively, you can go back to using KWin, and things should overall work much better. :)
Comment 8 David Chmelik 2022-05-25 19:47:53 UTC
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #7)
> Ok, so that's the Kicker applet, which appears to be living on a Plasma
> panel. So I'm not sure what exactly you mean when you say you switched to
> XFCE since you're clearly still using Plasma.

I explained thrice I'd hopefully use KDE later (apart from brief follow-up testing, until various bugs are fixed: ) did you know one can exit an an X window manager (WM) or desktop environment (DE) and start another, and run multiple different X sessions?

> Did you replace KDE's KWin window manager with XFCE's xfwm4 window manager?

NO!  Strange large unwarranted assumption; I don't 'pick & mix'/'mix & match' X WMs & DEs nor know anyone who does: I use XFCE, KDE separately.

> If so then I think this would be expected since the blur behind the
> transparency comes from a KWin effect and most likely xfwm4 does not have
> the same effect.

Of course it's KWin: reported when still using KDE!

> [...] Right-click on panel > Enter Edit Mode > click "More Options" on the panel
> toolbar > click "Opaque". That should make the panel and all applets on it
> opaque, which will work around the bug of a lack of blur behind the
> transparent UI elements due to using a different window manager.

Option isn't there.
Comment 9 Nate Graham 2022-05-25 19:55:37 UTC
Oh, I guess I got confused. When you said "I'm using XFCE desktop environment now" I assumed that meant you were using the XFCE desktop environment now. The fact that you also have XFCE installed on the system is probably not relevant, because XFCE code shouldn't be running when you're in a Plasma session.

If this bug applies to Plasma with KWin, then please tell me what Plasma style you're using, and check in System Settings > Desktop Behavior > Desktop Effects to see if the "Blur" and "Background contrast" effects are turned on
Comment 10 David Chmelik 2022-05-25 20:17:02 UTC
> If this bug applies to Plasma with KWin, then please tell me what Plasma
> style you're using, and check in System Settings > Desktop Behavior >
> Desktop Effects to see if the "Blur" and "Background contrast" effects are
> turned on

Those are off and I saw/checked happens in all styles: air, breeze (dark, light,) default, oxygen (didn't expect any styles to be there, which is a bug someone else reported and one of two main issues keeping me from using KDE.)
Comment 11 Nate Graham 2022-05-25 20:31:11 UTC
Ok, well turning them off is what makes the transparency produce barely legible text. I would recommend turning them back on.

As for being unable to disable transparency, can you please take a screenshot of the "More Options" menu on the Panel edit toolbar when you have the Breeze Plasma theme installed?
Comment 12 David Chmelik 2022-05-25 20:45:45 UTC
Turning them on makes readable but shouldn't have to enable some effects to stop others rather than turn all off (as was possible) to be normal/plain... disabling translucency/transparency effect should be for all cases.

Of course breeze has opaque option but I don't plan to use breeze.
Comment 13 Nate Graham 2022-05-25 20:48:45 UTC
> Of course breeze has opaque option but I don't plan to use breeze.
Thanks, that's what I thought.

Transparency is a theme-specific thing, as is the ability to configure it. If you want the ability to configure the opacity level of non-Breeze Plasma themes as well, you'll have to contact their creators and ask them to opt into it.