[gentoo-user] Switching from desktop to desktop without function keys.

[Dale]

Howdy,

I've googled for this several times when I got a few minutes.  So far, I
don't see a way to do this.  As some know, I'm on the path to building a
new rig.  Some of you are about to see why that is.  I have 18 virtual
desktop thingys here.  Sadly, quite often something is on all of them. 
That and the age of my current system is why I want to build a new rig. 
Anyway, I sometimes need to switch to another desktop but the plasma
thingy at the bottom is slow or not responding.  I can switch with the
function keys up until about 10.  After that, those keys seems to be
used for something else or I just run out of function keys.  There's
only 12 of them on my keyboard anyway.  I'm six short.  

Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10?  Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work.  Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc.  Eventually, I get to the one I want. 

Ideas?  Is this possible? 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

P. S. Dug out my older Gigabyte 770T mobo.  Found the CPU that used to
be on it and installed it and a OEM cooler.  Got a new power supply
too.  It seems the video card is bad that used to be on it.  New one on
the way.  This could be a new torrent box and/or NAS box.  Maybe. 

[Alan McKinnon]

Hi Dale,

Click the Plasma widget for your virtual desktops, go into Settings, see if
the keystrokes are listed there.
If not, in your settings app there is somewhere an applet for assigning
keystrokes to actions. It tends to be hidden so you gonna have to search
for it.
There you can assign any keystroke you want to an action. I like
Ctrl-Alt-arrow to virtual desktop up/down/left/right.
Setting the wrap function to true in virtual desktop settings helps with
this.

You might want to take a long look into your soul and examine why exactly
you want 18 virtual desktops. I have 4 and sometimes that is excessive :-)


Alan

Post by Dale
Howdy,
I've googled for this several times when I got a few minutes. So far, I
don't see a way to do this. As some know, I'm on the path to building a
new rig. Some of you are about to see why that is. I have 18 virtual
desktop thingys here. Sadly, quite often something is on all of them.
That and the age of my current system is why I want to build a new rig.
Anyway, I sometimes need to switch to another desktop but the plasma
thingy at the bottom is slow or not responding. I can switch with the
function keys up until about 10. After that, those keys seems to be
used for something else or I just run out of function keys. There's
only 12 of them on my keyboard anyway. I'm six short.
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.
Ideas? Is this possible?
Dale
:-) :-)
P. S. Dug out my older Gigabyte 770T mobo. Found the CPU that used to
be on it and installed it and a OEM cooler. Got a new power supply
too. It seems the video card is bad that used to be on it. New one on
the way. This could be a new torrent box and/or NAS box. Maybe.

[Dale]

In plasma, under system settings > shortcuts > kwin, there are hotkeys
- Switch to desktop 1 to 20
- Switch one desktop Right, Left, Up, Down.
You can also arrange your desktops in multiple rows, which looks nicer
when you do "Show All Desktops.
 

That's it.  Dang, they hid that thing good.  Now to pick some shortcuts,
that aren't in use by something else already.  lol 

Thanks much.  Alan was on the right idea but it didn't hit me that kwin
did that. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

[Dale]

Post by Alan McKinnon
Hi Dale,
Click the Plasma widget for your virtual desktops, go into Settings,
see if the keystrokes are listed there.
If not, in your settings app there is somewhere an applet for
assigning keystrokes to actions. It tends to be hidden so you gonna
have to search for it.
There you can assign any keystroke you want to an action. I like
Ctrl-Alt-arrow to virtual desktop up/down/left/right.
Setting the wrap function to true in virtual desktop settings helps
with this.
You might want to take a long look into your soul and examine why
exactly you want 18 virtual desktops. I have 4 and sometimes that is
excessive :-)
Alan

I've looked through there before.  I just looked again.  I found
keyboard shortcuts for basically everything else.  Nothing about virtual
desktops tho.  I can't even find where the current keys, F3 etc, are
defined.  You said it is likely hidden, I believe it.  I've looked
through everything that might have keyboard shortcuts in it and clicked
every icon and tab under each icon, nothing.  I started by right
clicking the virtual desktop thingy, I went from there and pretty much
looked through everything.  Right clicking the virtual desktop is a sub
menu of system settings.  Still, I went through it pretty good.  I did
find where one can switch through applications but I'm not sure if that
will do what I need. 

Right now, 13 of the 18 virtual desktops are in use.  For some things, I
have a sequence I go through and each desktop is used for a particular
thing. I also have different profiles of Firefox that have certain
add-ons installed.  I've found that having to many add-ons installed
tends to cause problems with Firefox.  Either they clash or it just bogs
Firefox down.  It is a lot of desktops but there is method to it. 
Generally, I can click on a virtual desktop and know exactly what is on
it and vice versa. 

I also looked for the wrap thing.  I don't see it either.  Maybe I'm
missing a USE flag or something??? 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

[Igor Semyonov]

In plasma, under system settings > shortcuts > kwin, there are hotkeys for
the following:
- Switch to desktop 1 to 20
- Switch one desktop Right, Left, Up, Down.

You can also arrange your desktops in multiple rows, which looks nicer when
you do "Show All Desktops.

Post by Alan McKinnon
Hi Dale,
Click the Plasma widget for your virtual desktops, go into Settings, see
if the keystrokes are listed there.
If not, in your settings app there is somewhere an applet for assigning
keystrokes to actions. It tends to be hidden so you gonna have to search
for it.
There you can assign any keystroke you want to an action. I like
Ctrl-Alt-arrow to virtual desktop up/down/left/right.
Setting the wrap function to true in virtual desktop settings helps with
this.
You might want to take a long look into your soul and examine why exactly
you want 18 virtual desktops. I have 4 and sometimes that is excessive :-)
Alan

Post by Dale
Howdy,
I've googled for this several times when I got a few minutes. So far, I
don't see a way to do this. As some know, I'm on the path to building a
new rig. Some of you are about to see why that is. I have 18 virtual
desktop thingys here. Sadly, quite often something is on all of them.
That and the age of my current system is why I want to build a new rig.
Anyway, I sometimes need to switch to another desktop but the plasma
thingy at the bottom is slow or not responding. I can switch with the
function keys up until about 10. After that, those keys seems to be
used for something else or I just run out of function keys. There's
only 12 of them on my keyboard anyway. I'm six short.
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.
Ideas? Is this possible?
Dale
:-) :-)
P. S. Dug out my older Gigabyte 770T mobo. Found the CPU that used to
be on it and installed it and a OEM cooler. Got a new power supply
too. It seems the video card is bad that used to be on it. New one on
the way. This could be a new torrent box and/or NAS box. Maybe.

--
Alan McKinnon
alan dot mckinnon at gmail dot com

[Mark Knecht]

Post by Dale
Howdy,
I've googled for this several times when I got a few minutes. So far, I
don't see a way to do this. As some know, I'm on the path to building a
new rig. Some of you are about to see why that is. I have 18 virtual
desktop thingys here. Sadly, quite often something is on all of them.
That and the age of my current system is why I want to build a new rig.
Anyway, I sometimes need to switch to another desktop but the plasma
thingy at the bottom is slow or not responding. I can switch with the
function keys up until about 10. After that, those keys seems to be
used for something else or I just run out of function keys. There's
only 12 of them on my keyboard anyway. I'm six short.
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.
Ideas? Is this possible?
Dale
:-) :-)
P. S. Dug out my older Gigabyte 770T mobo. Found the CPU that used to
be on it and installed it and a OEM cooler. Got a new power supply
too. It seems the video card is bad that used to be on it. New one on
the way. This could be a new torrent box and/or NAS box. Maybe.

I know it doesn't answer your question the way you'd like but I'm set up so
that my mouse touching the upper left corner of my left-hand monitor shows
all
apps on all desktops. I have 3 monitors and 6 desktops and often have 8-10
apps
running, sometimes more, and showing them all just allows me to get to the
app I'm looking for without having to remember which desktop they are on.

Hope you find the answer you're looking for.

Mark

[Dale]

Post by Mark Knecht

Post by Dale
Howdy,
I've googled for this several times when I got a few minutes.  So far, I
don't see a way to do this.  As some know, I'm on the path to building a
new rig.  Some of you are about to see why that is.  I have 18 virtual
desktop thingys here.  Sadly, quite often something is on all of them.
That and the age of my current system is why I want to build a new rig.
Anyway, I sometimes need to switch to another desktop but the plasma
thingy at the bottom is slow or not responding.  I can switch with the
function keys up until about 10.  After that, those keys seems to be
used for something else or I just run out of function keys.  There's
only 12 of them on my keyboard anyway.  I'm six short.  
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10?  Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work.  Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc.  Eventually, I get to the one I want.
Ideas?  Is this possible?
Dale
:-)  :-)
P. S. Dug out my older Gigabyte 770T mobo.  Found the CPU that used to
be on it and installed it and a OEM cooler.  Got a new power supply
too.  It seems the video card is bad that used to be on it.  New one on
the way.  This could be a new torrent box and/or NAS box.  Maybe.

I know it doesn't answer your question the way you'd like but I'm set up so
that my mouse touching the upper left corner of my left-hand monitor
shows all
apps on all desktops. I have 3 monitors and 6 desktops and often have
8-10 apps
running, sometimes more, and showing them all just allows me to get to
the 
app I'm looking for without having to remember which desktop they are on.
Hope you find the answer you're looking for.
Mark

I did that at one time.  At the time, my video card was a bit to slow
for that.  I kinda liked it and would likely get used to it if I used it
enough.  I'd forgot about it tho.  My current video card may can handle
all that better tho.  May think on that.  I seem to recall it can be
done with the keyboard as well. 

My real problem, the little plasma thing at the bottom sometimes hangs. 
It eventually starts working again but if I need to be on another
desktop, it doesn't work.  I can tell when it is hung, the clock stops
changing the seconds.  Sometimes it hangs for a minute or two.  Annoying
as heck.  Thinking about renaming the kde directory and starting with
fresh config files.  It's been a while since I did that and it tends to
help with weird stuff like that. 

Thanks for reminding me.  May look into that again. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Dale
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.

You can set up a key combination to switch one desktop to the right and
another to switch one to the left. It's under Shortcuts, where you select
KWin, then scroll the right-hand panel down to Walk through Desktop List,
where I've put what used to be the default value: CTRL-ALT-right. Then down
one to the next entry and enter CTRL-ALT-left. The defaults are left blank
nowadays.

Then, under Virtual Desktops set Navigation Wraps Around.

HTH. :)

[Dale]

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Dale
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.

You can set up a key combination to switch one desktop to the right and
another to switch one to the left. It's under Shortcuts, where you select
KWin, then scroll the right-hand panel down to Walk through Desktop List,
where I've put what used to be the default value: CTRL-ALT-right. Then down
one to the next entry and enter CTRL-ALT-left. The defaults are left blank
nowadays.
Then, under Virtual Desktops set Navigation Wraps Around.
HTH. :)

I found it.  Kwin was the key I was missing.  I did check the wrap
around, it was already set to wrap.  Still, now I know it will since I
checked it. 

This is going to help a lot when the plasma thing decides to take a
short nap.  I suspect that if I reset to a blank KDE config and started
over, it would work like it should.  It's been a few years since I did
that and I really need to give it a fresh start.  To be honest, it might
fix a few quirks I'm seeing at times. 

Thanks much. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

[Peter Humphrey]

I found it. Kwin was the key I was missing.

Yes, I had to search for it too.

I did check the wrap around, it was already set to wrap. Still, now I know
it will since I checked it.
This is going to help a lot when the plasma thing decides to take a
short nap. I suspect that if I reset to a blank KDE config and started
over, it would work like it should. It's been a few years since I did
that and I really need to give it a fresh start. To be honest, it might
fix a few quirks I'm seeing at times.

Well, what with switching between stable and testing systems from time to
time, I do it fairly often - create a new user account, that is. The process
has become much easier since I started using my LAN server as an IMAP host,
the way it's meant to be. It saves a lot of work in recovering my email
history.

Thanks much.

Pleasure. It's a nice change not being the one asking for help. :)

[Frank Steinmetzger]

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Dale
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.

You can set up a key combination to switch one desktop to the right and
another to switch one to the left. It's under Shortcuts, where you select
KWin, then scroll the right-hand panel down to Walk through Desktop List,
where I've put what used to be the default value: CTRL-ALT-right. Then down
one to the next entry and enter CTRL-ALT-left. The defaults are left blank
nowadays.

Also note that a good while ago Plasma switched from using the Alt key to
the Super key for everything Window-managerial. So these days, if you create
a new user from scratch, it’s Ctrl+Super instead of Ctrl+Alt.

[Dale]

Post by Frank Steinmetzger

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Dale
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.

You can set up a key combination to switch one desktop to the right and
another to switch one to the left. It's under Shortcuts, where you select
KWin, then scroll the right-hand panel down to Walk through Desktop List,
where I've put what used to be the default value: CTRL-ALT-right. Then down
one to the next entry and enter CTRL-ALT-left. The defaults are left blank
nowadays.

Also note that a good while ago Plasma switched from using the Alt key to
the Super key for everything Window-managerial. So these days, if you create
a new user from scratch, it’s Ctrl+Super instead of Ctrl+Alt.

Looking at my keyboard, I have a key that looks like a Microsoft thing. 
It looks like a window that is moving and I think is sometimes called a
Microsoft key and might be called the meta key in Linux.  I have that
key on both sides of my keyboard space bar.  I have another key only on
the right side between the Ctrl and the flying window key that looks
like a document with a mouse pointer on it.  What are these keys called
nowadays?  Is one of those the super key you mention?  What is that key
with the mouse pointer on it called?  I don't recall ever using that key
for anything.  Don't know if it does anything either but it might. 

Thanks.

Dale

:-)  :-) 

[Frank Steinmetzger]

Post by Frank Steinmetzger

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Dale
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.

You can set up a key combination to switch one desktop to the right and
another to switch one to the left. It's under Shortcuts, where you select
KWin, then scroll the right-hand panel down to Walk through Desktop List,
where I've put what used to be the default value: CTRL-ALT-right. Then down
one to the next entry and enter CTRL-ALT-left. The defaults are left blank
nowadays.

Also note that a good while ago Plasma switched from using the Alt key to
the Super key for everything Window-managerial. So these days, if you create
a new user from scratch, it’s Ctrl+Super instead of Ctrl+Alt.

Looking at my keyboard, I have a key that looks like a Microsoft thing. 
It looks like a window that is moving and I think is sometimes called a
Microsoft key and might be called the meta key in Linux.

Well, you see a window on it. It is the Windows key. ;-)
The Linux world uses the more general term Super key. I think some also use
Meta, but AFAIR there was also a Meta key on Solaris keyboards (labeled with
a diamond shape).

I have another key only on
the right side between the Ctrl and the flying window key that looks
like a document with a mouse pointer on it.

That’s the menu key. It calls up the context menu as if you clicked the
right mouse button. It seems to have gone out of fashion with some
manufacturers, especially on laptops and keyboards with a Fn key. Which is a
bummer, because it forced me to assign a key combo in X11 to emulate it
(Shift+Ctrl in my case). And this doesn’t work in Wayland.

[Dale]

Post by Frank Steinmetzger

Post by Dale

Post by Frank Steinmetzger

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Dale
Is there a way with the keyboard to switch to a desktop above 10? Even
if it just switches up one at a time, that would work. Say switch to 10
and then keep hitting a set of keys to go to 11, then 12, then 13 etc
etc. Eventually, I get to the one I want.

You can set up a key combination to switch one desktop to the right and
another to switch one to the left. It's under Shortcuts, where you select
KWin, then scroll the right-hand panel down to Walk through Desktop List,
where I've put what used to be the default value: CTRL-ALT-right. Then down
one to the next entry and enter CTRL-ALT-left. The defaults are left blank
nowadays.

Also note that a good while ago Plasma switched from using the Alt key to
the Super key for everything Window-managerial. So these days, if you create
a new user from scratch, it’s Ctrl+Super instead of Ctrl+Alt.

Looking at my keyboard, I have a key that looks like a Microsoft thing. 
It looks like a window that is moving and I think is sometimes called a
Microsoft key and might be called the meta key in Linux.

Well, you see a window on it. It is the Windows key. ;-)
The Linux world uses the more general term Super key. I think some also use
Meta, but AFAIR there was also a Meta key on Solaris keyboards (labeled with
a diamond shape).

I was thinking that and the meta was the same key,  Now it seems the
super key is the same thing too.  Can't someone just pick one name
instead of causing all the confusion???

Post by Frank Steinmetzger

Post by Dale
I have another key only on
the right side between the Ctrl and the flying window key that looks
like a document with a mouse pointer on it.

That’s the menu key. It calls up the context menu as if you clicked the
right mouse button. It seems to have gone out of fashion with some
manufacturers, especially on laptops and keyboards with a Fn key. Which is a
bummer, because it forced me to assign a key combo in X11 to emulate it
(Shift+Ctrl in my case). And this doesn’t work in Wayland.

Since you said what it did, I hit it.  Sure enough, it popped up the
right click menu.  Nothing blew up or anything.  ROFL  Always wondered
about that key.  ;-)

Thanks.  Now I know.  Remembering it is a different thing tho. 

Dale

:-)  :-)