Better viewport and taskbar intergration

[Porch]

Compiz has come a long way. I originally had it install when it first started to be stable and got it customized just how I liked it. However, the laptop I was using at the time did not have the power to really handle it well, so I gave up. I now have a fast MacBook running 64bit Ubuntu 7.10 and I am ready to try Compiz again. I found it much improved, but I am having issues getting it customized to the way I work. I work with 8 workspaces and a good 20+ windows so window management is important.

I had my old system, I could "expose" all my current workspace windows by moving my mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, and expose all windows by using the bottom right. Clicking on any application would take me to that application and workspace.

Well, it sort of works with the Scale plugin. But the scale plugin does not seem to work with the Ubuntu workplace switcher. The workplace switcher no longer shows icons of the applications running in any of the other workspaces. They are just blank.
Also, the Scale plugin only works in the current workplace. Right now, I am in workplace 2 with only Firefox open. But if I hit the hotkey to tell Scale to show all windows, it will only show Firefox. If I switch to workplace 1, it will shows all the windows open in it, but not Firefox. It's like Scale does not support workplaces or is confused by them.

It used to if I remember correctly. I could hit F12 or whatever hot corner I had assigned, and see all the windows in every workspace, and click on the one I wanted. Maybe their is a different way to handle this now? I really loved this feature and would like to have it back.

I tried using the cube, but I found that it showed every application I had open on the taskbar in viewport, not just the current side of the cube. Having 20 things on the taskbar is pointless if they are so small only an icon can be seen.

Thanks for any help.

[Deciare]

The Scale plugin still has separate key/mouse/edge bindings for showing windows from only the current workspace and showing windows from every workspace. The first is labeled Initiate Window Picker, the latter is Initiate Window Picker For All Windows. Depending on your version of ccsm, both bindings may be found in either the Scale->Actions or Scale->Bindings.

The issue you're having with the workspace switcher's preview and taskbar shouldn't be present with GNOME on Ubuntu since they patched all that for Compiz compatibility... I'm not sure what's going on there.

Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you. How are you adjusting the number of viewports you have? The correct way to do so with Compiz is to adjust the values at ccsm->General Options->Desktop Size->Horizontal Virtual Size and Vertical Virtual Size. The Number of Desktops setting should be kept at 1, and the GNOME workspace switcher, if it's giving you trouble, should also be told to use 1 workspace.

If you were trying to use the Scale plugin in combination with multiple "workspaces" or "desktops", then you are correct in saying that Compiz does not support them; it supports only viewports.

[Porch]

Ya, I am confused too. But you figured it out.


Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you. How are you adjusting the number of viewports you have? The correct way to do so with Compiz is to adjust the values at ccsm->General Options->Desktop Size->Horizontal Virtual Size and Vertical Virtual Size. The Number of Desktops setting should be kept at 1, and the GNOME workspace switcher, if it's giving you trouble, should also be told to use 1 workspace.


I had the number of Desktops set at 8. I put it to 1, the workspace switcher to 1, and Horizontal Virtual Size to 8. I had messed with all the settings before, but I guess I didn't hit on the right combination. It works as expected now. I love compiz, but it's hard to figure out what all the settings do.

Thanks for the help.

[delfick]

Ya, I am confused too. But you figured it out.

so your issues in first post are solved ?
if so, you can go into advanced edit of the first post and change the tag to "solved"

thnx

but it's hard to figure out what all the settings do.

it's a bit like that sometimes :D
that's why we made this subforum :)