can only really have one row in workspace switcher

[David Tansey]

Binary package hint: gnome-panel

Though the workspace switcher in the bottom right corner allows you to have multiple rows (Show all workspaces in: X rows), only one row is used. I have four workspaces and wanted to show them in two rows. All that happens is that the workspace icons/previews in the switcher become half as tall and the bottom is left empty. They are still all side-by-side.

I am using the "Normal" desktop/compiz effects.
I upgraded from feisty, so that might be a consideration. It certainly explains why I have four workspaces, since the switcher, at least in "normal" mode doesn't allow you to select how many workspaces you'd like, only if it should show the current workspace or all of them in multiple rows.

When I go back to using no visual effects, I am able to select how many workspaces I'd like and change the workspaces names (and choose whether to show those names in the switcher.) So it seems clear the problem is related to the visual effects, unless the config from feisty somehow messes up the tool's preferences when visual effects are used.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Fri Sep 28 20:25:59 2007
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 7.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/gnome-panel
NonfreeKernelModules: ath_hal
Package: gnome-panel 1:2.20.0.1-0ubuntu2
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcCmdline: gnome-panel --sm-client-id default1
ProcCwd: /home/djtansey
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gnome-panel
Uname: Linux tuxtop 2.6.22-12-386 #1 Sun Sep 23 17:37:35 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

[David Portwood (dzportwood)]

I think this is due to you using the desktop effects, as they treat individual workspaces as one workspace to gnome.
Gnome providing the workspace switcher, not compiz. Does this behavior continue when you disable desktop effects?
Thanks,
David P.

[David Tansey (djtansey)]

No, it doesn't continue. Should I file a bug with gnome? It seems confusing
that we should be allowed to select the rows in the preferences even though
it won't really work.

From my original report:
"When I go back to using no visual effects, I am able to select how many
workspaces I'd like and change the workspaces names (and choose whether
to show those names in the switcher.) So it seems clear the problem is
related to the visual effects, unless the config from feisty somehow
messes up the tool's preferences when visual effects are used."

On 9/28/07, David Portwood <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> I think this is due to you using the desktop effects, as they treat
> individual workspaces as one workspace to gnome.
> Gnome providing the workspace switcher, not compiz. Does this behavior
> continue when you disable desktop effects?
> Thanks,
> David P.
>
> ** Changed in: gnome-panel (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
> --
> can only really have one row in workspace switcher
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/146543
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Does it happen with a new user? That looks like a libwnck integration issue and should be fixed on gutsy, some old compiz configuration might create issues though. Could you try to reset the compiz configuration?

[David Tansey (djtansey)]

I just created a new user and had the same problem. I, by default, had two
workspaces. When I set the appearance/compiz setting to "normal" they were
side-by-side taking up the top half of the workspace preview area. So yes,
it still seems to happen with a new user.

-david

On 10/2/07, Sebastien Bacher <email address hidden> wrote:
>
> Does it happen with a new user? That looks like a libwnck integration
> issue and should be fixed on gutsy, some old compiz configuration might
> create issues though. Could you try to reset the compiz configuration?
>
> ** Changed in: libwnck (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: gnome-panel => libwnck
> Importance: Undecided => Low
> Assignee: (unassigned) => Ubuntu Desktop Bugs (desktop-bugs)
>
> --
> can only really have one row in workspace switcher
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/146543
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[nowashburn (nowashburn)]

Did anyone come up with a solution for this yet? I just upgraded from feisty to the official release of gutsy and am having the same exact problem. I opened a new bug because It seems as though this one may have been for a beta release. Either way, the problem is probably the same. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/154249

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

The workspace switcher now recognizes when compiz is running and offers the correct settings to get multiple rows.

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

Travis - I've just found a newly reported bug from someone exhibiting the same problem described here, and I've marked it as a duplicate of this.

I can confirm the behaviour on fully up-to-date Hardy (8.04.1). With Compiz enabled, the 'Rows' value in the workspace switcher preferences seems to be completely ignored by Compiz. If I set Columns=2,Rows=2, then the workspace switcher shows a 2x2 matrix (4 desktops), but there are still only 2 workspaces accessible (instead of 4).

When I change the row/column values in the workspace switcher, the corresponding gconf keys are correctly updated for Compiz (/apps/compiz/general/screen0/options/hsize and /apps/compiz/general/screen0/options/vsize), so there doesn't seem to be a problem with libwnck anymore. Maybe this needed a fix in both libwnck and compiz to work correctly?

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

Actually, I've just noticed that this bug report is marked as fixed for Compiz, but the vsize value number of rows) doesn't seem to have any effect (unless I'm missing something)?