Panel Launchers in KDE?

JMS · 2011-01-27 21:23:52

One of the new features that I read about for KDE 4.6 is Windows 7-like launchers. I found that I can right click on a program in the task bar and choose "Show A Launcher for *Application* When It Is Not Running", and if I choose that then I get something similar to Windows 7, but when I click on the launcher, then it pops up just like it used to, with the text next to the name instead of just the icon. Am I doing something wrong or is that the extent of this feature?

Viper_Scull · 2011-01-27 21:49:02

JMS wrote:

One of the new features that I read about for KDE 4.6 is Windows 7-like launchers. I found that I can right click on a program in the task bar and choose "Show A Launcher for *Application* When It Is Not Running", and if I choose that then I get something similar to Windows 7, but when I click on the launcher, then it pops up just like it used to, with the text next to the name instead of just the icon. Am I doing something wrong or is that the extent of this feature?

That is how it works.

don't like it either. I'd prefer to keep the launcher and to have the menu right-cliking on it. And to be able to choose actions. for example closing the program clicking the third button of the mouse and so on.

I hate for example this behavior with the terminal. I'm used to open several, but with the launcher once one is opened, you cant open more through the launcher. DockBarX has lots of features, but is an applet for gnome.

Last edited by Viper_Scull (2011-01-27 23:11:57)

flamelab · 2011-01-27 22:54:30

Smooth tasks will do "the right thing" after it will be updated. It's maintainer, I think, is waiting for KDE 4.6 to be passed to Fedora 14.

ANOKNUSA · 2011-01-27 23:24:33

You can still install it, though it's not officially released. Follow the instructions here.

JMS · 2011-01-28 00:10:26

Unfortunately the way it works right now is very counter-intuitive and mostly useless. It works nothing like the Windows 7 taskbar, which sucks because that is really the only feature on Windows that I miss. I'll check out Smooth Tasks, but this is really something that should be fixed in KDE, the current implementation just doesn't cut it.

Edit: Oh and not to mention, you can't even make GTK apps into launchers.

Last edited by JMS (2011-01-28 00:11:12)

ANOKNUSA · 2011-01-28 01:00:36

Well, it is a new implementation, and it isn't KDE's job to mimic the every aspect of other environments everyone finds pleasing. Everyone got along fine without it for 3 years; if they're gonna do it, it'll come in time. I've been using KRunner + Smooth Tasks for quite some time now, anyway.

MadCat_X · 2011-01-28 01:04:38

You can try out this fork of Smooth Tasks which claims to have support for KDE 4.6 launchers. It compiles and installs fine with the smooth-tasks AUR package if you point it to the correct repo.

sonay · 2011-01-28 01:07:54

If you place the panel to the left or right side, text disappears however then there's a nasty bug, that is, when sorting is enabled, a taskbar entry for another application coincides with the launcher, i.e. when the application is closed. It's a really half-baked feature.

Caret · 2011-01-28 01:36:52

I noticed something weird, maybe a bug. When I close an application, which is also a launcher, then its launcher is no longer visible. One way to restore it is switching to another desktop. Anyone having the same problem?

ElderSnake · 2011-01-28 05:13:14

MadCat_X wrote:

You can try out this fork of Smooth Tasks which claims to have support for KDE 4.6 launchers. It compiles and installs fine with the smooth-tasks AUR package if you point it to the correct repo.

Cheers for this post, I have now got my smooth tasks working again AND with the new launcher functionality with this forked version. Works much better than the default task manager IMO.

devadittya · 2011-01-28 09:09:45

I second the smooth-tasks fork. Been using it since yesterday and it rocks as much as beer. Easily the best desktop I have had in a very long time. It's amazing how far KDE has come since KDE4 first came out.

EDIT: This is how cool the box looks now

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Last edited by devadittya (2011-01-28 09:15:03)

Viper_Scull · 2011-01-28 12:12:00

MadCat_X wrote:

You can try out this fork of Smooth Tasks which claims to have support for KDE 4.6 launchers. It compiles and installs fine with the smooth-tasks AUR package if you point it to the correct repo.

There is now a repo in aur:
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=45849

but how can i integrate the applet within the panel? Adding the widget generates a bar outside.
Or do i need to remove the panel and add everything to this bar?

Last edited by Viper_Scull (2011-01-28 12:24:20)

ANOKNUSA · 2011-01-28 16:20:24

If you click on the cashew on the panel itself, you should just be able to add it by double-clicking.

Banton · 2011-01-28 21:28:25

devadittya wrote:

I second the smooth-tasks fork. Been using it since yesterday and it rocks as much as beer. Easily the best desktop I have had in a very long time. It's amazing how far KDE has come since KDE4 first came out.

EDIT: This is how cool the box looks now

What Plasma theme are you using?

Viper_Scull · 2011-01-29 11:09:21

ANOKNUSA wrote:

If you click on the cashew on the panel itself, you should just be able to add it by double-clicking.

I could do it. thanks.

do you know why in programs like JDownloader or Matlab there is no option to show a launcher when it's not running ???

Is there any way to add the launcher for these programs to smooth tasks?

Last edited by Viper_Scull (2011-01-29 12:39:22)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-01-27 21:23:52

Panel Launchers in KDE?

#2 2011-01-27 21:49:02

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#3 2011-01-27 22:54:30

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#4 2011-01-27 23:24:33

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#5 2011-01-28 00:10:26

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#6 2011-01-28 01:00:36

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#7 2011-01-28 01:04:38

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#8 2011-01-28 01:07:54

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#9 2011-01-28 01:36:52

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#10 2011-01-28 05:13:14

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#11 2011-01-28 09:09:45

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#12 2011-01-28 12:12:00

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#13 2011-01-28 16:20:24

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#14 2011-01-28 21:28:25

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

#15 2011-01-29 11:09:21

Re: Panel Launchers in KDE?

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