Much ado about scripting, Linux & Eclipse: card subject to change

2011-09-01

HOWTO: Move around between desktops & windows with keyboard or mouse

Recently installed Fedora 15 KDE spin, partly because the XFCE spins wouldn't boot from CD but also because I've heard less-than-favourable things about Gnome3 and because I'm addicted to Konqueror as a graphical sftp/scp/ssh viewer, so figured might as well use kdm instead of xfwm4 or gdm.

Still having some problems getting my 1600x1200 (or 1920x1200) monitor to do anything more than 1024x768 on the VGA port of the video card (works fine on the DisplayPort connector, either directly or via a DP-to-DVI cable, but not on the VGA connector, even with xorg.conf hackery). That said the options for display/monitor management under KDE are much better than under XFCE, and this is the first time I've been able to get two monitors working without HOURS of hacking away at xorg.conf scripts. So... big props for this release *almost* Just Working.

Workaround I'm trying next is to install a second video card. Will update when/if that solves the problem once it arrives.

But video resolution aside, I did recently figure out how to set keyboard bindings for moving windows between desktops (thanks to David Fisco). From the K-menu, select System Settings > Shortcuts and Gestures > Global Keyboard Shortcuts > KDE Component: KWin > "Window One Desktop To The Left/Right":

... and for switching between desktops ("Switch To Next/Previous Desktop")

Also recently discovered some fun options for switching between windows (on all desktops). From the K-menu, select System Settings > Desktop Effects > Enable desktop effects > Effect for window switching: Present Windows (or any of the other options).

There's also System Settings > Window Behavior > Task Switcher > Effect: Present Windows:

You might want to set an animation for switching between desktops, though I find with multiple monitors this can be a bit dizzying. From the K-menu, select System Settings > Workspace Behavior > Virtual Desktops > Switching > Animation: Desktop Cube Animation. For something more subtle, try "Fade Desktop".

Finally, you may want to set screen edge behaviours, such as making Present Windows appear when you cursor to the top-center of your screen. System Settings > Workspace Behavior > Screen Edges > right-click a target zone: