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Using arrow keys with alt-tab to change windows?

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mountaindrummer

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Location: Glenwood Springs, CO

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Friday, June 2nd 2006, 5:34pm

Using arrow keys with alt-tab to change windows?

Hi,
I am a recent convert to kde using the kubuntu release. I really like the mouse functionality in the alt-tab window for selecting a different window, although my preference is to not use the mouse at all. BTW - what is the official name for the window list dialog that appears when you press the alt-tab key?

I think there would be merit to being able to press the 'up arrow' key while the alt-tab window list dialog is displayed so that you can cycle up the list of windows, similar to cycling down the list each time you press the tab key today.

Is this a possible addition? Are there key event complexities here that would prevent this from being possible? Where in the code could such a change be made?

Ryan

jucato

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Saturday, June 3rd 2006, 2:04pm

1. The official name is: window list :D

2. In Kubuntu, pressing Alt+F5 will show the window list, where you can use the cursor keys to cycle through the windows. The down side to this is that it will list all windows on all desktops grouped together. While it may not mean much if you only have 2-4 virtual desktops, having 6 or more will be confusing. Also, you can change the default keyboard shortcut for showing the window list in System Settings > Regional and Accesibility > Keyboard Shortcuts > Global Shortcuts tab > Desktop group (or type in show window list in the search bar on top).

3. It's a possible addition. I know of know key event complexities involved. No need to change any code.

Hope that's what you are looking for.:D
OS: Kubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake) | KDE 3.5.3
Computer Specs: AMD Sempron 2200 1.5Ghz | VIA KM266 Pro 8235 chipset | nVidia GeForce MX 4000 128MB DDR-RAM 32-bit AGP 8x

mountaindrummer

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Sunday, June 4th 2006, 6:48pm

Hi Jacato,
Thanks for the reply.
I was not aware of the window list that pops up when you press Alt+F5. This seems like a different popup from the one when you press Alt+Tab. I like the Alt+Tab key sequence better because I don't have to move my finger up to the function row.

When you say that my idea is a possible addition with no need to change any code, I am intrigued. Is there a way to change the behavior of the alt-tab window through a configuration file?

Thanks,

:]

jucato

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Monday, June 5th 2006, 1:28am

You don't change the behavior of the Alt+Tab window (a.k.a. Walk Through Windows). Instead you change the keyboard shorcuts. You can change Alt+Tab to trigger Show Window List, instead of the usual Walk Through Windows popup.

Here's how to do it:
1. Open up KControl. Go to Regional and Accessibility and click on Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. Shortcut Schemes tab > Global Shorcuts tab. You will see a long list of available shortcuts for desktop/window switching. Look for Walk Through Windows (it's the first on the list) and click on it. Then at the bottom, there's a section called Shortcut for Selected Action. Choose the "None" radio button and it will remove the shortcut binding for Walk Through Windows (which is, by default, Alt+Tab).
3. Now look for Show Window List (you can type it in the search bar at the top). The default shortcut for this is Alt+F5. When you have seen it, click on it so it will be highlighted/selected. In the Shortcut for Selected Action section, this time click on the box that says Alt+Tab. A dialog box will appear, and you can press the shortcut keys that you want (In your case, that would be Alt+Tab, right?).
4. Click OK, then click Apply. Then try it out.

You can always change it to some other key combo that you want later on. You can also give the Walk Through Windows a different hotkey.

Hope that helps.
OS: Kubuntu 6.06 LTS (Dapper Drake) | KDE 3.5.3
Computer Specs: AMD Sempron 2200 1.5Ghz | VIA KM266 Pro 8235 chipset | nVidia GeForce MX 4000 128MB DDR-RAM 32-bit AGP 8x

mountaindrummer

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Monday, June 5th 2006, 5:48pm

thanks for the excellent description of the solution. I did not know about kontrol. It showed me that by default, you can walk in reverse through the windows by pressing the Alt+shift+tab keys.