Add "Configure Displays" context menu entry on the desktop
AbandonedPublic

Authored by broulik on Aug 14 2018, 1:04 PM.

Details

Reviewers
fischbach
harmathy
davidedmundson
Group Reviewers
Plasma
VDG
Summary

BUG: 355679

One of LiMux client's requirements is for display configuration to be easily accessible.
Adding a "Configure Displays..." context menu entry which is widely known by being present on another operating system aids in users finding those settings.
It also gets asked for occasionally by users on the internet.
Since this has been quite a controversial topic coming up every couple of years, the entry is off by default but can be enabled by the user if so desired or by system administrators using desktop scripting.

Test Plan
  • Only shows up if kscreen is installed
  • Doesn't show up if restricted by KIOSK
  • Enabling and disabling works
  • Clicking it opens the screen settings

Context Menu


Menu Settings (Configure Desktop → Mouse Actions → Standard Menu → [Settings button])

Diff Detail

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broulik created this revision.Aug 14 2018, 1:04 PM
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broulik requested review of this revision.Aug 14 2018, 1:04 PM

The text needs to start with a verb and end with an ellipsis, E.g. "Configure Display Settings..." or even "Configure Displays..."

("Configure Desktop" should also have an ellipsis)

FWIW, I would be in favor of having this on by default. The context menu is an accelerator for experts, and I don't see the harm in putting this in there.

The text needs to start with a verb and end with an ellipsis, E.g. "Configure Display Settings..." or even "Configure Displays..."

According to HIG:

Do not use an ellipsis for selections which […] do not require user input (such as configuration dialogs).
[…]
Do not use an ellipsis for the following menu items and buttons:
[…]
Preferences

I would be in favor of having this on by default.

I don't really care either, I just want to avoid a stupid exhausting pointless discussion about how having this option is stupid and doesn't fit in here and bla bla that always emerges when this entry is proposed or talked about.

The text needs to start with a verb and end with an ellipsis, E.g. "Configure Display Settings..." or even "Configure Displays..."

According to HIG:

Do not use an ellipsis for selections which […] do not require user input (such as configuration dialogs).
[…]
Do not use an ellipsis for the following menu items and buttons:
[…]
Preferences

In that case, we're seemingly violating this literally everywhere. :p I'll talk to @romangg and @fabianr and @abetts about this guideline, considering that it's totally ignored.

about how having this option is stupid and doesn't fit in here and bla bla that always emerges when this entry is proposed or talked about.

Being off by default does not replace code always needing a justification behind it. I've still to hear a valid one.

Note also that feedback comes from before the osd and the upcoming applet that you've written.

about how having this option is stupid and doesn't fit in here and bla bla that always emerges when this entry is proposed or talked about.

Being off by default does not replace code always needing a justification behind it. I've still to hear a valid one.

Note also that feedback comes from before the osd and the upcoming applet that you've written.

This could be good whenever we have situations where the desktop locks and your remaining options to work on your screen are to launch it using right click. Interestingly enough, this category is also something that the other major OSs also provide. I see the value.

This could be good whenever we have situations where the desktop locks

If the desktop locks then the one thing you can't do is right click on the desktop

This could be good whenever we have situations where the desktop locks

If the desktop locks then the one thing you can't do is right click on the desktop

Odd, I have had instances (not in a very long time) when my bars have locked up and then only option has been right click.

The text needs to start with a verb and end with an ellipsis, E.g. "Configure Display Settings..." or even "Configure Displays..."

According to HIG:

Do not use an ellipsis for selections which […] do not require user input (such as configuration dialogs).
[…]
Do not use an ellipsis for the following menu items and buttons:
[…]
Preferences

In that case, we're seemingly violating this literally everywhere. :p I'll talk to @romangg and @fabianr and @abetts about this guideline, considering that it's totally ignored.

We all got together and agreed to change this HIG on this to reflect the fact that "Configure" is an action verb, and that configuring something always requires user intervention and has a definite end. As such, an ellipsis is appropriate. See https://hig.kde.org/style/writing/labels.html#using-ellipses-in-labels

mart added a subscriber: mart.Aug 20 2018, 12:11 PM

the silliness of this extra actions i tought was mostly for deployments, in which i think can make sense, where it holds the arguments of plasma being put in front of users used only to windows
off by defaults as our main user demographics does not require that.

as for having ... or not: this discussion is to be had in the hig project and only there. here is offtopic.
then this will adapt itself to whatever is decided there. but for now it should just conform to whatever the hig is saying now.
If the hig needs update, is a different story.

We did update the HIG. :) So now, yes, this needs to conform to https://hig.kde.org/style/writing/labels.html#using-ellipses-in-labels

mart added a comment.Aug 20 2018, 12:14 PM

We did update the HIG. :) So now, yes, this needs to conform to https://hig.kde.org/style/writing/labels.html#using-ellipses-in-labels

ok, awesome then :)

broulik updated this revision to Diff 40085.Aug 20 2018, 8:39 PM
broulik edited the summary of this revision. (Show Details)
  • Update wording
broulik retitled this revision from Add "Display Configuration" context menu entry on the desktop to Add "Configure Displays" context menu entry on the desktop.Aug 20 2018, 9:39 PM
davidedmundson requested changes to this revision.Aug 22 2018, 8:03 PM

I am still waiting for a single justification.

This revision now requires changes to proceed.Aug 22 2018, 8:03 PM

I am still waiting for a single justification.

I think some were provided in the description:

One of LiMux client's requirements is for display configuration to be easily accessible. Adding a "Configure Displays..." context menu entry which is widely known by being present on another operating system aids in users finding those settings.

It also gets asked for occasionally by users on the internet.

IMHO, "a major institutional user wants it" is a pretty fair justification all by itself.

I am still waiting for a single justification.

In https://phabricator.kde.org/T6875, under "Who should be our primary target groups?" we have "Windows 7 Power Users". Those users will benefit from this change (because there, the well-known way to reach the configure screens dialog is to right click on the desktop).

Note that Microsoft removed that option in Vista in favor of a "Personalize" option but brought a dedicated Screen configuration entry back in Windows 7 which has remained to this very day.

Note that Microsoft removed that option in Vista in favor of a "Personalize" option but brought a dedicated Screen configuration entry back in Windows 7 which has remained to this very day.

"back in Windows 7": you mean Windows 10?

"back in Windows 7": you mean Windows 10?

No, Windows 7. To quote from my favorite OS review page on Windows 7 [1] "The desktop right-click context menu also now contains a "Screen Resolution" option. […] I wonder if MS actually listened to consumers on this one or if it was just to stop the chair throwing when Balmer tried to use his laptop with the projector in meetings."

[1] http://toastytech.com/guis/win7.html

mart added a comment.May 30 2019, 3:09 PM

if this would be done, i would prefer for the kcm once ported to qml to be embedded in the desktop settings window

GB_2 added a subscriber: GB_2.EditedAug 13 2019, 3:14 PM

I think we should definitely add this shortcut, because it is very useful for the people mentioned and for other situations. I agree that it should be on by default, then it's already there when you need it.

In D14830#472177, @mart wrote:

if this would be done, i would prefer for the kcm once ported to qml to be embedded in the desktop settings window

D22468 ports the KCM to QML, but it doesn't integrate it into the desktop settings. Just having this shortcut is fine IMO, the desktop settings already have a lot of categories and configuring the desktop does not mean managing displays.

GB_2 added inline comments.Aug 13 2019, 3:16 PM
containmentactions/contextmenu/menu.cpp
117

I'd change it to "Manage Displays..." to make the differentiate the name even more from the "Configure Desktop..." menu entry.

117

*to differentiate

GB_2 edited the summary of this revision. (Show Details)Aug 13 2019, 3:24 PM
broulik abandoned this revision.Sep 16 2019, 10:28 AM
GB_2 added a comment.Oct 4 2019, 9:52 AM

Is there a reason this got abandoned? :/

nstefanov added a subscriber: nstefanov.EditedJan 20 2020, 9:53 PM
In D14830#541878, @GB_2 wrote:

Is there a reason this got abandoned? :/

I wonder too. This feature will be a great improvement. Many Windows users I migrate to Linux first ask where are the Display Settings. Is that much one context menu entry? Furthermore it's also far more convenient for us, Linux users. I'm tired to go to App Launcher and seek for Display Settings. Yeah, I know there's a widget but I don't like many icons in the system tray. There's such an option in Deepen and it's very handy. They say KDE is the Swiss knife of Linux DEs. Let it be it :)

Out of curiosity is there an easy way for us, simple users, to enable it?