alt-tab - cursor keys to navigate switcher are counter-intuitive

[Alan Bell]

if I have two windows of a particular application type in the alt-tab switcher displayed vertically I alt tab to the type of application I want then I want to press down to go to the lower one when focus is on the top one. I actually have to press right. If I press left (expecting right and left to be equivalent when they are supposed to mean "down") then I go to the previous kind of application. If I then realise my error and press right twice (once to undo the unintentional left, and once to go down to the application window I am aiming for) then I overshoot and go to the kind of application that is in the switcher to the right of the one I am trying to get to. Then I have to go left again, to get on the correct type of application. Down to expand the icons and right to go down to get to the window I have been trying to get to all along.

------------------------------------
Desired solution:

------

First diagram for purpose of explaining desired solution when a app has 3 windows open:

------- -------
| A | | B |
------- -------
     -------
     | C |
     -------

When a Alt+Tab or Alt+` window spread is open:

- if window A if focused pressing the UP cursor key should close the spread

- if window A if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should shift the focus to window C

- if window A if focused pressing the RIGHT cursor key should shift the focus to window B

- if window B if focused pressing the UP cursor key should shift the focus to window A

- if window B if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should shift the focus to window C

------

Second diagram for purpose of explaining desired solution when a app has 2 windows open:

-------
| A |
-------
-------
| B |
-------

When a Alt+Tab or Alt+` window spread is open:

- if window A if focused pressing the UP cursor key should close the spread

- if window A if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should shift the focus to window B

- if window A if focused pressing the RIGHT cursor key should shift the focus to window B

- if window B if focused pressing the UP cursor key should shift the focus to window A

- if window B if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should do nothing

[Alan Bell (alanbell)]

surely this is just simply wrong rather than needing design input? alt+` right can't possibly be intended to take you to the next application group?

[Brandon Schaefer (brandontschaefer)]

Well, so do you still want LEFT and RIGHT to get to the next type of application if we hit the end/beginning of the list? Or should it loop back to the end/beginning?

-------
| A |
-------
-------
| B |
-------

So is this still the wanted behaviour:

- if window A is focused and the user presses LEFT, it should go to the previous type of application, leaving spread mode?

- if window B is focused and the user presses RIGHT, it should go to the next type of application, leaving spread mode?

Overall, from what im reading we need to implement UP/DOWN to go up/down rows of the same type of application, and if we hit the edge close the spread mode. Soo im going to assume the same for LEFT/RIGHT...for now :)

[Brandon Schaefer (brandontschaefer)]

------- -------
| A | | B |
------- -------
     -------
     | C |
     -------

- if window A if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should shift the focus to window C
- if window B if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should do nothing

Those steps seem to be a contradiction...why when pressing down on A goes to C but B does nothing? I would think that pressing down on window B goes to C... I would understand that pressing down on C should do nothing.... until clarification im changing it this.

- if window B if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should shift the focus to window C

[John Lea (johnlea)]

@brandontschaefer; yes you are right, I've updated the description to say:

"- if window B if focused pressing the DOWN cursor key should shift the focus to window C"

[PS Jenkins bot (ps-jenkins)]

Fix committed into lp:unity at revision None, scheduled for release in unity, milestone 7.1.0

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package unity - 7.0.0daily13.06.19-0ubuntu1

---------------
unity (7.0.0daily13.06.19-0ubuntu1) saucy; urgency=low

  [ Michal Hruby ]
  * Bump libunity-core SONAME and adjust debian.

  [ Ted Gould ]
  * Make Unity depend on bamfdaemon.

  [ Iain Lane ]
  * Start unity-panel-service using upstart user session jobs.

  [ Brandon Schaefer ]
  * Fixes the use of Alt+` and Right arrow when in detail mode. Now it
    goes to the next window instead of closing detail mode. (LP:
    #1190798)
  * When in detail mode, you are now allowed to use UP/DOWN keys to move
    around. (LP: #1131646)

  [ Chris Townsend ]
  * Add functionality to wiggle urgent icons at certain time intervals
    when the Launcher is hidden. (LP: #893196)
  * Add support to close social previews by clicking anywhere in the
    preview bubble. (LP: #1190007)

  [ Nick Dedekind ]
  * Added check for x-unity-no-preview. Do not preview; send direct
    activation to scope. (LP: #1188705)

  [ Xiao-Long Chen ]
  * SessionView: Fix build when building without precompiled headers.
    (LP: #1191097)

  [ Andrea Azzarone ]
  * Fix failing AP test. (LP: #1191039)
  * Fix failing test. (LP: #1191059)
  * Skip tests if not in desktop mode. (LP: #1191053)

  [ Ubuntu daily release ]
  * Automatic snapshot from revision 3378
 -- Ubuntu daily release <email address hidden> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:29:36 +0000

[Stephen M. Webb (bregma)]

Fix Released in Unity Unity 7.1.0.