Plasma/shellswitching: Difference between revisions

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==definitions==
* Visual during switch
* ''shell'': the binary that loads full screen and displays desktop, panels, etc. currently those would be: plasma-desktop, plasma-netbook, plasma-device, etc.
** A kwin effect
* ''workspace'': a full arrangement of shell (+ default layout), window manager, GUI utilities (e.g. krunner) and infrastructure processes (kactivitymanagerd, e.g.)
** Full screen busy -> to black -> to back in


==Workspace definitions==
* Triggering
Workspaces should be defined by self-contained Plasma Packages, one per workspace setup, containing:
** kded module that keeps track of form factor
* processes other than the shell and window manager that are required (e.g. krunner, software keyboard)
*** right now is an envvar .. meh
* QML layout to use (perhaps also included in package?)
*** runtime platform string(s): [device], [form], [input]
* kwin configuration
** DBus signal on change
* other application configuration (krunner, e.g.?)
*** read from shell definition package
** keeps track of active shell definition package
*** default in the kded module's configuration
*** DBus API:
**** stringlist runtimePlatform
**** signal runtimePlatformChanged stringlist
**** string currentShellPackage
**** signal currentShellPackageChanged string
*** Auto-switch on hardware events
**** sources: libsolid, kscreen
**** Docking events
***** Screen plugging
***** Keyboard/mouse
** KCM switcher between desktop and netbook ported to this


==Track workspace setting in a kded module==
* On-screen keyboard
What is the current workspace will be tracked by a kded module. Features:
** Don't show when hardware keyboard available
* auto-switching based on triggers.
** screen change
** docking
** custom user signal?
* manual switching via dbus (perhaps tied to window manager; see secdtion on kwin)
* dbus signal emitted when workspace changes
** shell may load a different QML layout
** kwin may change settings
* start/stop processes according to workspace definition.
** e.g. "desktop" will want to start krunner; switching to "netbook" which does not include krunner in its definition would result in krunner being stopped
** re-use session management for this? some custom configuration system? modified startactive? systemd? or ...?


==plasma-device becomes the only shell==
* KCM
All the shells will be replaced by an upgraded plasma-device.
** Manual switch between shell types
* control UI (add widgets, e.g.) will move into the shell QML, just as it is with plasma-device now in Plasma Active.
* will listen to the workspace change signal from the kded module and possibly load a different workspace QML structure
* the following features from plasma-desktop must be ported:
* multiple panels
* multi-screen awareness
 
==kwin==
* kwin will need to be able to source different sets of configuration files and change it's configuration in response to the signal
* an elegant desktop effect to make the workspace UI reshuffle smooth
** a simple fade to black with a busy spinner , followed by a fade back in would be enough
** requires that kwin is the first process that starts switching
** requires that kwin controls when the change signal is emitted to other processes
** requires that applications provide feedback as to when they are finished transforming to trigger the fade in
 
==application integration==
would be fantastic if applications can also adjust; e.g. okular switch from desktop to touch UI on workspace change.

Latest revision as of 06:50, 21 October 2013

  • Visual during switch
    • A kwin effect
    • Full screen busy -> to black -> to back in
  • Triggering
    • kded module that keeps track of form factor
      • right now is an envvar .. meh
      • runtime platform string(s): [device], [form], [input]
    • DBus signal on change
      • read from shell definition package
    • keeps track of active shell definition package
      • default in the kded module's configuration
      • DBus API:
        • stringlist runtimePlatform
        • signal runtimePlatformChanged stringlist
        • string currentShellPackage
        • signal currentShellPackageChanged string
      • Auto-switch on hardware events
        • sources: libsolid, kscreen
        • Docking events
          • Screen plugging
          • Keyboard/mouse
    • KCM switcher between desktop and netbook ported to this
  • On-screen keyboard
    • Don't show when hardware keyboard available
  • KCM
    • Manual switch between shell types