Bug 497811 - After activity switcher is opened using Meta+Q, releasing Meta should close the switcher, while keeping Meta pressed should keep the switcher opened
Summary: After activity switcher is opened using Meta+Q, releasing Meta should close t...
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Activity Switcher sidebar (show other bugs)
Version: 6.2.4
Platform: Neon Linux
: NOR wishlist
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords: usability
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-12-23 06:33 UTC by Pellaeon Lin
Modified: 2025-01-10 08:45 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

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Description Pellaeon Lin 2024-12-23 06:33:10 UTC
SUMMARY
In Plasma 5, Activity switcher is "floating", similar to how the window switcher work:
- single pressing Meta+Tab would switch to the next activity
- after pressing Meta+Tab and releasing Tab while holding Meta, the switcher stays open, another Tab press switches to the next activity
- switcher automatically closes after releasing Meta.

In Plasma 6, Meta+Q only opens the activity switcher, I have to use mouse or arrow key to select an activity to switch to, and I have to press Meta+Q again to close the switcher.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Press Meta+Q, activity switcher opens
2. Release Q, and press Q again

OBSERVED RESULT
Activity switcher closes

EXPECTED RESULT
Switch to the next activity. The switcher stays open until Meta is released, when Meta is released, close the switcher. If Q is pressed again while Meta is kept pressed, switch again to the next activity.


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Kubuntu 24.10
KDE Plasma Version: 6.1.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.6.0
Qt Version: 6.6.2

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Bug Janitor Service 2024-12-23 06:33:36 UTC
Thank you for the bug report!

However Plasma 6.1.5 is no longer eligible for support or maintenance from KDE; supported versions are 5.27. (LTS), and 6.2 (non-LTS) or newer. Please upgrade to a supported version as soon as your distribution makes it available to you. Plasma is a fast-moving project, and bugs in one version are often fixed in the next one.

If you need support for Plasma 6.1.5, please contact your distribution, who bears the responsibility of providing support for older releases that are no longer supported by KDE.

If you can reproduce the issue after upgrading to a supported version, feel free to re-open this bug report.
Comment 2 Pellaeon Lin 2024-12-23 06:47:20 UTC
I just tested the latest KDE neon 6.2.4, this behavior is the same.
Comment 3 Niccolò Venerandi 2025-01-08 20:13:33 UTC
What you're looking for is actually Meta+A, which behaves as you explain here. Meta+Q is used to toggle the sidebar, and it does not switch between activities, meaning that it would be a useless shortcut if the sidebar disappeared when you release the shortcut.
Comment 4 Pellaeon Lin 2025-01-10 08:45:49 UTC
Please reopen the issue, Meta+A does not behave as I explained earlier.

Here are their differences, assuming I have 4 activities A, B, C, D:
1. In plasma 5, when I press Meta+Tab, the activity switcher opens. In plasma 6, when I press Meta+A, the activity switcher does not open. This is important because it indicates which activity I'm switching into.
2. When I'm on activity A, in plasma 5, when I press Meta+Tab, it switches to the next activity B. If I keep meta pressed, release and press again tab, it would switch to the next activity C. However, when I'm on activity A, in plasma 6, if I press meta+A, it switches to the next activity B. If I continue to press meta and press A again, it switches back to activity A. 

What I would like is to keep the activity switcher key press behavior the same as Plasma 5. This is also more consistent with the window switching key behavior.