Bug 498725 - Touchpad/Touchscreen 3 and 4 finger gestures are inconsistent
Summary: Touchpad/Touchscreen 3 and 4 finger gestures are inconsistent
Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 402857
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: Gestures (show other bugs)
Version: 6.2.90
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-01-16 08:11 UTC by Cameron Smith
Modified: 2025-01-29 14:27 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

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Description Cameron Smith 2025-01-16 08:11:30 UTC
SUMMARY
The 3 and 4 finger gestures implemented by kwin are inconsistent across touchpads and touchscreens. These should be largely the same.

Touchpad:
3 AND 4 fingers left gesture: move to left virtual desktop (if present)
3 AND 4 fingers right gesture: move to right virtual desktop (if present)
3 finger up gesture: move to above virtual desktop (if present)
3 finger down gesture: move to below virtual desktop (if present)
4 finger up gesture: show overview/cycle forward (default view, overview, grid view)
4 finger down gesture: show grid view/cycle backward (default view, overview, grid view)


Touchscreen:
3 finger left gesture: move to left virtual desktop (if present)
3 finger right gesture: move to right virtual desktop (if present)
3 finger up gesture: show overview/cycle forward (default view, overview, grid view)
3 finger down gesture: show grid view/cycle backward (default view, overview, grid view)
4 finger gestures: not implemented (!)

This introduces significant problems for touch users with at least 2 rows of virtual desktops, as they cannot switch to above or below rows of virtual desktops without using 3/4 finger gestures alone!


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Have a device with both a touchscreen and a touchpad (touchscreen laptop)
2. Ensure at least 2 rows of virtual desktops are enabled
3. Try to use 3/4 finger gestures on touchscreen only to switch to higher/lower virtual desktop rows

OBSERVED RESULT
Nothing happens (4 finger up/down gestures), or overview/grid view is toggled (3 finger up/down gestures).

EXPECTED RESULT
Toggle overview/grid view (4 finger up/down gestures), or move up/down virtual desktop grid (3 finger up/down gestures).
Also expect 4 finger left/right gestures to switch virtual desktops (I don't think this is an optimal bind, but we should strive for consistency until a better use is decided for them).

OS VERSIONS
Arch Linux, KDE Plasma
KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.90
KDE Frameworks Version:  6.10.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I don't really like how 3/4 finger left/right gestures do the same thing on a touchpad, and I suspect this will be changed in the future from looking at some other bug reports/discussions (https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/issues/59, https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kwin/-/issues/188, etc). This bug should not attempt to address these issues as well, rather just make the gestures consistent across touchpad/touchscreen.
Comment 1 Zamundaaa 2025-01-29 13:34:41 UTC
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 402857 ***
Comment 2 Cameron Smith 2025-01-29 13:46:54 UTC
(In reply to Zamundaaa from comment #1)
> 
> *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 402857 ***
I know this is essentially covered by the fact that gestures should be configurable [402857], but that seems to be quite an undertaking and definitely isn't happening by the next release. Would it be best to attempt parity between the two gesture sets now, even before the configurability aspect? That's essentially the whole reason I added this bug report.
Comment 3 Zamundaaa 2025-01-29 14:27:29 UTC
The current gestures will stay as they are until they can be configured. The defaults can be changed afterwards.