Bug 490914 - Large margins consume space that could be used for showing thumbnails at larger sizes
Summary: Large margins consume space that could be used for showing thumbnails at larg...
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: effects-overview (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.1.3
Platform: Fedora RPMs Linux
: NOR minor
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords: usability
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-07-28 08:46 UTC by Maggie
Modified: 2025-03-21 00:42 UTC (History)
6 users (show)

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Description Maggie 2024-07-28 08:46:59 UTC
Hi! This is largely and accessibility/visual design feature request.

I've noticed that a singular window in the overview mode takes ~70% of the virtual desktop preview behind it. And it is even smaller for several windows. Window borders are too far away from the virtual desktop preview borders making windows even smaller. It gets worse for the grid view, when a singular window can take below 50% of the space of the virtual desktop behind it and even smaller for several windows. This all makes windows less prominent and so harder to focus on when what you want to use overview and grid view for is to manage windows and virtual desktops.

To solve it I wanted to suggest making the window previews larger. How large?

For overview a singular window can take up to an entire space of the virtual desktop behind it (while maximised, and proportional when in a window). And several windows can go outside of the virtual desktop preview. This is inspired by GNOME decisions on their overview. And I assume it was made to make windows more easily readable and to make an accent on window managing and it also makes the user to focus more on the windows rather than an empty virtual desktop behind it. Such approach will bring more accessible and easier to find and/or manage windows to the overview effect.

For Grid View approach is similar but slightly different. Windows obviously cannot be allowed to go outside their virtual desktop preview because other virtual desktops could be tiled nearby and lead to an overlap. However a singular window taking the entire space of the virtual desktop preview could also be possible. As well as increasing the window preview size will be very beneficial for the end user that wants to find and see their windows in the grid view.

Thank you for your patience with me.
Comment 1 cwo 2024-07-28 12:06:34 UTC
See also https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=488828 about the size and positioning of windows in overview mode.
Comment 2 Nate Graham 2024-07-30 19:34:28 UTC
Letting windows escape from the virtual desktop area to make more room for them could be feasible. IIRC GNOME does this too.
Comment 3 Blazer Silving 2024-07-30 21:25:34 UTC
Hello, hopefully this tidbit helps: 

The margins are hardcoded in the four m_relativeMargin* directions in https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/blob/master/src/plugins/private/expolayout.h#L179. Adjusting them from 0.07 to 0.01 made for the best spacing on my system with the new layout.
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2024-07-30 21:36:56 UTC
Could be a good merge request opportunity.