KDE 4.8.4 UI causing me headaches

EPS · 12-16-2012, 11:34 AM

I have just 'upgraded' to Suse 12.2 and am going mad with the new KDE desktop.

Everytime I minimise a window it disappears.
I know that the application is still running somewhere in the background but I don't know where. I cannot get it back.
Before, when I minimised a window it went down onto the toolbar, to bring it back to life I would just click the toolbar icon.

I am now thoroughly confused with applets and such things that I no longer know what is going on.
Can somebody please enlighten me a bit ?

GlennsPref · 12-16-2012, 05:03 PM

Hi, quick answer....

alt tab

keys for kwin. (? may be out dated, kde3)

Code:

 "Ctrl+F8" for "kwin" : "ShowDesktopGrid"
 "Ctrl+F9" for "kwin" : "Expose"
 "Ctrl+F10" for "kwin" : "ExposeAll"
 "Ctrl+F7" for "kwin" : "ExposeClass"
 "Ctrl+F12" for "plasma-desktop" : "Show Dashboard"

 "Alt+Tab" for "kwin" : "Walk Through Windows"
 "Alt+Shift+Backtab" for "kwin" : "Walk Through Windows (Reverse)"
 "Alt+F3" for "kwin" : "Window Operations Menu"
 "Alt+F4" for "kwin" : "Window Close"
 "Ctrl+Alt+A" for "kwin" : "Activate Window Demanding Attention"
 "Meta+Alt+Up" for "kwin" : "Switch Window Up"
 "Meta+Alt+Down" for "kwin" : "Switch Window Down"
 "Meta+Alt+Right" for "kwin" : "Switch Window Right"
 "Meta+Alt+Left" for "kwin" : "Switch Window Left"
 "Ctrl+F1" for "kwin" : "Switch to Desktop 1"
 "Ctrl+F2" for "kwin" : "Switch to Desktop 2"
 "Ctrl+F3" for "kwin" : "Switch to Desktop 3"
 "Ctrl+F4" for "kwin" : "Switch to Desktop 4"
 "Alt+F12" for "kwin" : "Mouse Emulation"
 "Ctrl+Alt+Esc" for "kwin" : "Kill Window"
 "Alt+Print" for "kwin" : "Window Screenshot to Clipboard"
 "Ctrl+Print" for "kwin" : "Desktop Screenshot to Clipboard"
 "Alt+Shift+F12" for "kwin" : "Suspend Compositing"

 "Alt+F2" for "krunner" : "Run Command"
 "Alt+Shift+F2" for "krunner" : "Run Command on clipboard contents"
 "Ctrl+Esc" for "krunner" : "Show System Activity"
 "Ctrl+Alt+Ins" for "krunner" : "Switch User"
 "Ctrl+Alt+L" for "krunner" : "Lock Session"
 "Ctrl+Alt+Del" for "krunner" : "Log Out"
 "Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Del" for "krunner" : "Log Out Without Confirmation"
 "Ctrl+Alt+Shift+PgDown" for "krunner" : "Halt Without Confirmation"
 "Ctrl+Alt+Shift+PgUp" for "krunner" : "Reboot Without Confirmation"

Knightron · 12-16-2012, 05:46 PM

Hey mate, out of curiosity, which version of Opensuse were you previously running?
I know what you're problem is, you've simply lost your task manager from your panel. Here's what you need to do.

On your desktop, right click.
In the context menu, there will be the option to unlock widgets. Click that.
(If that option is not there, but 'lock widgets is, then the widgets are already unlocked and you don't have to do that step, just click the desktop again to make the context menu go away.)
Once the widgets are unlocked, right click the panel, and select panel options> add widgets.
A sliding menu thing will pop up.
In the sliding menu, there's a search box to the top left; type 'task' in it.
It'll now show two widgets available, double click the one that says task manager, and your task manager will now be back in your panel.

EPS · 12-17-2012, 03:23 AM

Hello Knightron,

thanks for the walk-through.
I have everything back to where it should be and I can now stop banging my head off the wall.
Previously I was running Suse 11.4
I was quite happy with it, and really just wanted to get the latest version of Libre-Office which came with the new 12.2 Suse.
Terms like Widgets and Applets were confusing me a bit, because I don't know what they really are.

I appreciate your help.

Thanks too to Glennspref, Alt+tab worked also.

Knightron · 12-18-2012, 12:14 AM

No worries mate, glad i could help. Just for the record, Opensuse 11.4 ran kde 4.6, while Opensuse 12.2 runs kde 4.8. They're both good releases of kde in my opinion, and in my opinion you upgraded to the right release, i didn't think Opensuse 12.1 was as good as 11.4, but 12.2 is right up there.
kde 4.6 and 4.8 aren't that different, the features an steps i described are exactly the same in both version. Either way, hope you learnt something new. Good luck