Window Sorting in Overview

Brainstorm
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1

I’m using KDE Plasma 6.4.5 on openSUSE Tumbleweed. And, I use KDE Overview as one of my Screen Edge actions.

The problem I’m having is that the thumbnails in Overview seem randomized to me.

For example, I might expect the Overview thumbnails to be sorted by the last used window.

Instead, I understand that there is a “Smart” sorting which tries to take windows from the desktop and place them in roughly the same position in Overview.

I only have a few maximized windows on each virtual desktop. And, the smart sorting ends up being random for me. I am forced to hunt for windows each time I use Overview. And, it would be useful to apply an explicit and logical sorting order instead.

Personally, I would like the Overview thumbnails to sort by the last used window. And, I think a kind of reverse snakes-and-ladders arrangement would allow me to find a window quickly:

┌               ┐
  5  4  3  2  1
  6  7  8  9 10
 15 14 13 12 11
└               ┘

Ideally, I would use my screen edge action (i.e., Overview) to switch windows instead of using Alt+Tab or the task bar (KDE Task Manager widget).

I guess the new setting would go in the KDE Settings app > Window Management > Desktop Effects > Overview > Configure (button).

Other sorting options might be:

  • Recently used window (Last used window)
  • Chronologically (in the order the windows were originally opened)
  • Alphabetically by window title (e.g., Resume.odt)
  • Alphabetically by application (i.e., Overview thumbnails grouped by application)

References

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Hello! I’ve been hoping for a topic like this to come up for some time.

You may be interested in these two “request for changes” with working branches attached, the latter matching your preference for Most-Recently-Used, though not a snakes-and-ladders arrangement (superb idea though!).

I haven’t had a chance yet to assemble a branch of Overview offering all options at once, but I’ve tested the MRU algorithm by itself and it works. Integrating it with the rest of the layouts and providing a drop-down is the only remaining task.

For your use case, simply patching this branch into your system Kwin package should work.

I’m quite a fan of the Overview with those adjustments, adding flexibility to suit workflows. Present Windows in Kwin 5.x had long-replaced Alt+Tab for me, and Overview received many of the former effect’s features and customizations, but not all.

However, the new layout algorithm since 6.1 does not work for me. The current “Smart” layout packs the screen “optimally” based on window dimensions, at the cost of unpredicable placement (and visual noise from window travel/transit). It also skews with mixed monitor orientation, which I nor the original developer have been unable to remedy.

A choice should be provided as it always had been (until 6.1), and until then, we’re on our own having to patch and build C++ for every release. Here’s hoping more members of the community speak up about this!

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I wish this matched whatever my alt+tab and Task Manager are doing.

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Thanks for your reply and these links. Let me look at them more closely when I have more time.

I have not patched before. Are there instructions that you can point me to?

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Certainly! The process is distro-specific based on the package manager, for OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, this guide provides a great outline of the osc and quilt tools. Really great guide, actually.

Messaged you a quick primer, let me know there if you run into anything and I’ll be happy to help. I wish it were possible to design these features as .js KDE Store addons, but unfortunately it is impossible to modify Overview without compiling.

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