Bug 484999 - [Overview] MMB-clicking on added Virtual Desktop should not remove it
Summary: [Overview] MMB-clicking on added Virtual Desktop should not remove it
Status: CLOSED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: effects-overview (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: unspecified Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords: usability
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-04-03 21:35 UTC by bugsie
Modified: 2024-06-14 21:08 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In: 6.1
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description bugsie 2024-04-03 21:35:43 UTC
SUMMARY

In Overview, Middle-mouse-button clicking any extra Virtual Desktop should not remove it. There's a trashbin icon already for that, which should (also) require confirmation. 

Virtual Desktops are many times set up "permanently". By deleting them that easily with MMB, "Window Rules" set for them are being destroyed as well, which are a pain to set up again.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Hit "Meta+W" to go into Overview. 
2. Create a new Virtual Desktop with the + button.
3. MMB-click the newly created Virtual Desktop.

OBSERVED RESULT
Virtual Desktop is being removed.

EXPECTED RESULT
Nothing.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.0.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.0.0
Qt Version: 6.6.3
Kernel Version: 6.8.3-AMD-znver3 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Comment 1 Bug Janitor Service 2024-04-11 13:37:51 UTC
A possibly relevant merge request was started @ https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/merge_requests/5600
Comment 2 Nate Graham 2024-04-12 14:38:29 UTC
Git commit 99324c12fd6b689809aad77ea3cb852d89982273 by Nate Graham.
Committed on 12/04/2024 at 13:25.
Pushed by ngraham into branch 'master'.

plugins/overview: remove middle click to close virtual desktop

This is a hidden destructive action[1] in a context where users are not
primed to expect it. It's also largely unnecessary since the delegates
already show a delete button on hover, and deleting virtual desktops
isn't such a common task that it benefits from an accelerator. Let's
remove it for safety.

[1] It's destructive because user-created state on the deleted virtual
desktop is lost--with no confirmation or undo, to boot.
FIXED-IN: 6.1

M  +2    -9    src/plugins/overview/qml/DesktopBar.qml

https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/commit/99324c12fd6b689809aad77ea3cb852d89982273
Comment 3 Samuel M. 2024-06-14 16:50:16 UTC
I guess I'm the famous spacebar-heater guy... but I extensively use this behavior.

Before plasma 6 I had an array of first 4, then 6 desktops in a grid, these were fixed. When plasma 6 came out I wondered why my overview did not look like the clips I had seen, and eventually I figured out it was the grid layout, which seems incompatible.

So I had to rethink my virtual desktop handling. Before that I had already had the situation that I ran out of virtual desktops in specific tasks, while most of the time most desktops were empty anyways and just taking up space.

When I saw that you got a remove icon in the overview, and then tried the MMB to remove a desktop - which also works for most other things tabs in broswers or dolphin, windows in the overview, ... - I thought this was intended and adjusted my virtual desktop management to regularely add and remove desktop in a linear layout.

So honestly removing this for me feature is not amazing. Closing desktops with the close button is much more effort than roughly aiming at the desktop and clicking the MMB - which shares muscle memory with closing windows and by now has trained specific muscle memory too - and opening new desktops is appropriately easy, just drag a window to the plus desktop button.

And removing desktops is IMO not really destructive at all, unless you had a BUNCH of windows on that desktop. All Apps that were opened just go to another desktop, keeping their shape and their monitor assignment. So if you made a mistake just drag the few windows back over to a new desktop.
Comment 4 Samuel M. 2024-06-14 16:53:45 UTC
Sorry to come in at a late hour like this. I just learned of this yesterday from Brodies video.
Comment 5 Samuel M. 2024-06-14 16:57:19 UTC
> By deleting them that easily with MMB, "Window Rules" set for them are being destroyed as well, which are a pain to set up again.

Did not read properly. Yeah, thats destructive.

Still, for my workflow removing this is a considerable regression.