Keyboard accelerators for window menus aren't implemented

[Alan Pope 🍺🐧🐱 🦄]

Description from duplicate bug 1725706:

Steps to reproduce:
1. Install Ubuntu 17.10
2. Login to the default Ubuntu session
3. Open any windowed application such as Nautilus or `gnome-terminal`
3. Click <Alt+Space> to show current window settings
4. Try to set "Always on Top" property with keyboard shortcut (<t>)

Expected results:
* window reacts on <t> and set on top as requested

Actual results:
* window does not react on <t>

Notes:
"Always on Top" is just an illustration. Mnemonics for other (Minimize, Maximize, Move, Resize, Always on Visible Workspace, Move to workspace down, etc) do not defined and do work too.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original description below:

Other desktop systems including Microsoft Windows and Unity have accelerator keys in the window menu. This is typically accessible via ALT_Space on any window, then pressing a key to initiate the desired function.

Typically Alt_Space can be used to bring up the menu, then use x to maximise a window, n to minimise a window, etc. GNOME Shell does not implement these accelerator keys, which seems inconsistent with other desktops, and internally inconsistent, as other menus in GNOME applications _do_ have accelerator keys.

It would be great for people coming to GNOME Shell should be able to use the familiar keyboard shortcuts they're used to.

As far as I can test (as far back as 16.04) this has always been the case.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
Package: gnome-shell 3.24.3-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.11.0-13.19-generic 4.11.12
Uname: Linux 4.11.0-13-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.6-0ubuntu5
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Sat Aug 12 22:49:46 2017
DisplayManager: gdm3
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-08-02 (10 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Alpha amd64 (20170712)
SourcePackage: gnome-shell
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[JNICH0L (jnich0l)]

Not only is this functionality useful, it is part of many people's workflows, and is expected at this point.

[Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. The issue you are reporting is an upstream one and it would be nice if somebody having it could send the bug to the developers of the software by following the instructions at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/GNOME. If you have done so, please tell us the number of the upstream bug (or the link), so we can add a bugwatch that will inform us about its status. Thanks in advance.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

It is unbelievable, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS is released with this bug.
I can't understand for whom you are designing you smart new glossy desktop.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Ubuntu did not design or write the relevant code here. It's not our choice. Just that nobody in the world has implemented it yet.

In order to get it implemented please either comment in https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=733297 or log a new issue in https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/issues

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Also worth noting: Keyboard navigation of the window menu is still possible, just slower:

1. Alt+Space
2. Up/Down arrows
3. Enter

[eksortso (eksortso)]

Not sure if this is the same bug, but recently I've lost the ability to use the Enter key on the window menu. Alt+Space works, the Up/Down arrows work on the menu, but pressing Enter does nothing. Are these things related somehow?

[Ritesh Pandey (riteshpandey)]

I am facing the same issue. Unable to use enter key to select any menu option. Moreover, enter does not work on top right menu which manages wifi, sound level, screen brightness etc. Seems like these issues are related.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

@Ritesh see the full list of alternatives in this AskUbuntu Q&A - https://askubuntu.com/a/1073932/66509 .

[Ritesh Pandey (riteshpandey)]

Thanks @nrbrtx for the link. Unfortunately, I use

```
GNOME Shell 3.28.3
```

And I miss those shortcuts. It is hard to move your hand from keyboard to mouse to click on menu item. :-(

[eksortso (eksortso)]

If @nrbrtx had offered any good advice at all, it's that someone else on the same page said that Super+H can perform the minimize (hide) action that I sought. I'll try this. It doesn't resolve the menu bug but it'll get me my missing keyboard functionality.

[thinkpad (fellowsgarden)]

On Tue, 11 Aug 2020, 11:51 Daniel van Vugt, <email address hidden>
wrote:

> ** Tags removed: eoan
>
> ** Tags added: focal
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1710421
>
> Title:
> Keyboard accelerators for window menus aren't implemented
>
> Status in GNOME Shell:
> Confirmed
> Status in gnome-shell package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> Description from duplicate bug 1725706:
>
> Steps to reproduce:
> 1. Install Ubuntu 17.10
> 2. Login to the default Ubuntu session
> 3. Open any windowed application such as Nautilus or `gnome-terminal`
> 3. Click <Alt+Space> to show current window settings
> 4. Try to set "Always on Top" property with keyboard shortcut (<t>)
>
> Expected results:
> * window reacts on <t> and set on top as requested
>
> Actual results:
> * window does not react on <t>
>
> Notes:
> "Always on Top" is just an illustration. Mnemonics for other (Minimize,
> Maximize, Move, Resize, Always on Visible Workspace, Move to workspace
> down, etc) do not defined and do work too.
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Original description below:
>
> Other desktop systems including Microsoft Windows and Unity have
> accelerator keys in the window menu. This is typically accessible via
> ALT_Space on any window, then pressing a key to initiate the desired
> function.
>
> Typically Alt_Space can be used to bring up the menu, then use x to
> maximise a window, n to minimise a window, etc. GNOME Shell does not
> implement these accelerator keys, which seems inconsistent with other
> desktops, and internally inconsistent, as other menus in GNOME
> applications _do_ have accelerator keys.
>
> It would be great for people coming to GNOME Shell should be able to
> use the familiar keyboard shortcuts they're used to.
>
> As far as I can test (as far back as 16.04) this has always been the
> case.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
> Package: gnome-shell 3.24.3-0ubuntu1
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.11.0-13.19-generic 4.11.12
> Uname: Linux 4.11.0-13-generic x86_64
> NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl zcommon znvpair
> ApportVersion: 2.20.6-0ubuntu5
> Architecture: amd64
> CurrentDesktop: GNOME
> Date: Sat Aug 12 22:49:46 2017
> DisplayManager: gdm3
> InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-08-02 (10 days ago)
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Alpha amd64
> (20170712)
> SourcePackage: gnome-shell
> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/gnome-shell/+bug/1710421/+subscriptions
>

[Gon Solo (gonsolo)]

Bugzilla was closed. Please file a new issue on gitlab.