KDE TechBase - User contributions [en]

Projects/Nepomuk/ManagingNepomukProcesses

2013-02-21T13:45:08Z

Einar: Use a simpler version

<languages />
<translate>


{{Info|1=This page contains some useful commands for managing the different Nepomuk processes}}

== Restarting Nepomuk == 
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
$ qdbus org.kde.NepomukServer /nepomukserver quit
wait for it to quit
$ nepomukserver
</syntaxhighlight>

== Restarting any service == 
If you need to restart any particular service -


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
$ qdbus org.kde.nepomuk.services.$SERVICE /servicecontrol shutdown
wait for it to quit
$ nepomukservicestub $SERVICE
</syntaxhighlight>


Just killing the service won't work, cause the 'nepomukserver' automatically restarts crashed services.

== Useful commands == 
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">

# THis function is iused to find the PID of the various nepomuk processes
function ps-nepomuk-fast() {
OUT= $(pgrep -l -u $USER '(nepomukserver|nepomukservicestub|nepomukindexer|virtuoso-t)'
echo "${OUT}"
}


#This function restarts the Nepomuk server
function nepomuk-restart() {
nepomuk-quit


ps -A | grep nepomukserver --silent
while [ $? -eq 0 ]
do
sleep 0.5
ps -A | grep nepomukserver --silent
done
cd $KDEDIR
echo "Starting Nepomuk Server ..."
nepomukserver
cd $OLDPWD
}


function nepomuk-quit() {
qdbus org.kde.NepomukServer /nepomukserver quit
return $?
}


function nepomuk-service-quit() {
SERVICE=
qdbus org.kde.nepomuk.services.$SERVICE /servicecontrol shutdown
return $?
}
function nepomuk-service-restart() {
SERVICE=
nepomuk-service-quit $SERVICE


ps-nepomuk-fast | grep --silent $SERVICE
while [ $? -eq 0 ]
do
sleep 0.25
ps-nepomuk-fast | grep --silent $SERVICE
done


nepomukservicestub $SERVICE &
}


#
# Useful aliases to control Nepomuk and its services
#
alias nepomuk-indexer-quit='nepomuk-service-quit "nepomukfileindexer"'
alias nepomuk-filewatch-quit='nepomuk-service-quit "nepomukfilewatch"'
alias nepomuk-storage-quit='nepomuk-service-quit "nepomukstorage"'


alias nepomuk-indexer-restart='nepomuk-service-restart "nepomukfileindexer"'
alias nepomuk-filewatch-restart='nepomuk-service-restart "nepomukfilewatch"'
alias nepomuk-storage-restart='nepomuk-service-restart "nepomukstorage"'


alias nepomukcmd="sopranocmd --socket `kde4-config --path socket`nepomuk-socket --model main --nrl"
</syntaxhighlight>


[[Category:Documentation]]
[[Category:Development]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]
</translate>

Projects/Nepomuk/ManagingNepomukProcesses

2013-02-21T13:34:09Z

Einar: Add missing ps-nepomuk-fast

<languages />
<translate>


{{Info|1=This page contains some useful commands for managing the different Nepomuk processes}}

== Restarting Nepomuk == 
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
$ qdbus org.kde.NepomukServer /nepomukserver quit
wait for it to quit
$ nepomukserver
</syntaxhighlight>

== Restarting any service == 
If you need to restart any particular service -


<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
$ qdbus org.kde.nepomuk.services.$SERVICE /servicecontrol shutdown
wait for it to quit
$ nepomukservicestub $SERVICE
</syntaxhighlight>


Just killing the service won't work, cause the 'nepomukserver' automatically restarts crashed services.

== Useful commands == 
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">

# THis function is iused to find the PID of the various nepomuk processes
function ps-nepomuk-fast() {
OUT=$(ps aux | grep -E '(nepomukserver|nepomukservicestub|nepomukindexer|virtuoso-t)' | grep -v "grep" | grep $USER | awk '{ print $2, $3, $4, $11, $12 }')
echo "$OUT"
}


#This function restarts the Nepomuk server
function nepomuk-restart() {
nepomuk-quit


ps -A | grep nepomukserver --silent
while [ $? -eq 0 ]
do
sleep 0.5
ps -A | grep nepomukserver --silent
done
cd $KDEDIR
echo "Starting Nepomuk Server ..."
nepomukserver
cd $OLDPWD
}


function nepomuk-quit() {
qdbus org.kde.NepomukServer /nepomukserver quit
return $?
}


function nepomuk-service-quit() {
SERVICE=
qdbus org.kde.nepomuk.services.$SERVICE /servicecontrol shutdown
return $?
}
function nepomuk-service-restart() {
SERVICE=
nepomuk-service-quit $SERVICE


ps-nepomuk-fast | grep --silent $SERVICE
while [ $? -eq 0 ]
do
sleep 0.25
ps-nepomuk-fast | grep --silent $SERVICE
done


nepomukservicestub $SERVICE &
}


#
# Useful aliases to control Nepomuk and its services
#
alias nepomuk-indexer-quit='nepomuk-service-quit "nepomukfileindexer"'
alias nepomuk-filewatch-quit='nepomuk-service-quit "nepomukfilewatch"'
alias nepomuk-storage-quit='nepomuk-service-quit "nepomukstorage"'


alias nepomuk-indexer-restart='nepomuk-service-restart "nepomukfileindexer"'
alias nepomuk-filewatch-restart='nepomuk-service-restart "nepomukfilewatch"'
alias nepomuk-storage-restart='nepomuk-service-restart "nepomukstorage"'


alias nepomukcmd="sopranocmd --socket `kde4-config --path socket`nepomuk-socket --model main --nrl"
</syntaxhighlight>


[[Category:Documentation]]
[[Category:Development]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]
</translate>

Projects/Promo/Booth and Marketing Sprint 2009

2009-11-04T10:45:41Z

Einar: Add myself here

This page is about the Booth Sprint 2009 and the Marketing Sprint 2009. We are aiming at a joint sprint location and date.

== Location ==

'''Stuttgart, Germany'''

(using http://doodle.com/kugq7vizs73uvhfw)

== Date ==

'''November 13 to November 15''' We will expect arrivals from Thursday 12th on and departures on Monday 16th. Of course this depends on convenience for each participant... (using http://doodle.com/w92mtg9z6zqngx7d)

== How-to ==

Me (jos) has prepared an approach on how to accomplish all the goals for this meeting. I think it is unrealistic to expect us to finis everything so we'll have to prioritize. The morning of the first day (Friday) will in part be spend on setting realistic goals and working out a way of accomplishing them.

== Booth Sprint ==

=== Agenda ===

In general, everything related to booths (and promo). Feel free to suggest things you'd like to do as well.

*posters and other booth artwork: how should KDE booths look like?
**art format and font requirements for ordering large banners

*booth box: what do we have, what do we need, does the booth box fulfill its purpose, what else can be improved, ...
**subset for when giving presentations that has wireless usb pointer/clicker

*discuss US boothbox with gary, blauzahl (alspehr on skype), or geiseri on skype
**we have no permanent box or monitors
***if we buy a box, we need to know if we will buy monitors or not before
**is the hardware underpowered? or a good example that kde can run on an Atom?
**issues with getting swag/etc from germany (not efficient use of postage!)

*KDE showcase: an installation medium which is dedicated to showcase KDE (this already started at openSUSE conference)

*documentation: make life easier by providing to-do lists and/or guidelines for booth setup, booth management, questions you have to answer, what to do when somebody is annoying about swag or in general...

*discuss whether it'd be nice to give some swag to KDE contributors, esp at events. Minimal boothbox for eg South americas, india? See mail by ann-marie on october 17th to kde-promo.

*stickers: have some that are easy to print for local groups, good for badges, kids, and laptops. The first two can be less durable stickers.

*swag policy: Is it needed that we have t-shirts/etc at events? production, storage, transit become issues. Do we sell them at cost or to make a profit?
*** in usa, we gave some away (contributors, prospective sponsors, "partners", starving and enthusiastic users), and sold others at "suggested retail" -alex

== Marketing sprint ==

=== Agenda ===

*Write text for a promotional booklet for FOSS.in (this is how the idea started, we need this for Praedeepto in India but these folders can/will come to Europe as well).

*Flyers: there have been some cool "get involved" flyers on the promo list lately, however, what's missing is the kind of flyer that informs about KDE, about pim, about edu, etc. Probably the booklet above.

*first content for release announcement and feature guide for 4.4 and creating a plan for the next few months to finish it properly.
** how about adding a section on non-core apps (digikam/showfoto, amarok)?

*move on rebranding:
**kde.org/whatiskde text rewritten
**about dialog for KDE (which still mentions K Desktop Environment) rewritten
**dot story about rebranding.
**we need a document to put up somewhere for people to look at now and in the future that provides the "kde is a team, it's an umbrella project, we create products, .." etc along with example phrases to use

*preparing for the marketing around next Akademy

*plan a marketing/promo track for next Akademy:
**Topics:
****a KDE booth
****a KDE local group
****quick talks from various people having represented KDE: focus on either the successes or the things that could get improved
****workshop about the local agreement and practically how to start a group, link between such a group and the whole KDE
****Marketing/promo/booth BOF's

*discuss how we can make it easier for local teams like the ones in Spain, Brazil and India to connect to the international community

*articles and procedures for the dot

*discuss the creation of a 'mean and lean release machine' (eg we start doing the release announcements for the wider KDE community, like Digikam, K3B, Amarok, KDenlive and more)

*reviving commit digest - see http://blogs.gnome.org/commitdigest/ for more minimalist commit digest example
**incorporate into bugsquad webpage

*improving kde.org/kdeslides to make it a better resource for presentations
**encourage projects to take regular screenshots after major changes and give svn location to commit them to?

*improving buzz.kde.org brainstorm

*discuss how to get ppl involved, how to improve the webpages we have to guide people to contributing (eg bugsquad, art, documentation, coding).

On a more strategical level, there are:

*entrenching and expanding the Be Free slogan as an umbrella concept that we continue to invest in and grow even further

*decide how to merge the main topics we have: social, contextual, online services, etc.. into a single coherent set of thoughts that we can create messaging around

*figure out our communication strategy / goal for 4.4 and 4.5

*figure out if gnome 3 will meet their release deadline - and how we should be positioning ourselves as gnome goes through their turn of growing pains (ie: encouraging users to stay positive - our target is not gnome, it's the guy with 90% market share...) (we should congratulate the gnomies on 3 on the dot when it comes out)

*we have to figure out how to stand out in our marketing and communication, see http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_sliced_bread.html and his other talks.

== www sprint ==

=== Agenda ===

*reworking the navigation structure of www.kde.org

*improving the contents of www.kde.org (see rebranding above). Think about kde.org/whatiskde and www.kde.org/info/. This will be a lot of work!

*moving pages from www.kde.org and *.kde.org to wikis

*working on a new start page for www.kde.org

*final content for spread.kde.org based on the content from the booklet mentioned earlier.

== Accommodation ==

Accommodation will be taken care off, the below is only for planning purposes.

There is a service for bed&breakfasts and appartments in and around Stuttgart at http://www.night-and-day.de/nightandday/en/OurRegions/Stuttgart/ The largest appartments they offer accomodate 8 people - though it seems the larger, the further outside of Stuttgart (but with decent public transportation).

== Travel ==

As soon as we know the costs for each person, we will apply for reimbursement from the e.V. Each of the participants books their flight/tickets etc and sends a reimbursement form to the e.V. (kde.org/ev)

It is usually cheaper, when flying trans-Atlantic to fly to London or Paris first and then use Ryanair or another low cost carrier to get to the final destination. The English language wikipedia page suggests that there is a direct flight Atlanta to Stuttgart via Delta Airlines if anyone is looking that route.

There is an international airport in Stuttgart. However, it doesn't look like they have direct transatlantic flights. Luckily, there is a direct train connection going from right underneath the Frankfurt airport terminal to Stuttgart main station, which is most likely the easier and cheaper route.

You can check train connections on the website of Deutsche Bahn, the German railway company, at http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml
If you are arriving at Frankfurt Airport, you can use a direct connection to Stuttgart Main station. Enter "Frankfurt(Main)Flugh" and "Stuttgart Hbf" for start and end of your journey.

== Interested in participating ==

Please add your name, whether you need accomodation and what your approximate travel costs are.

{| border="1" class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Acc. needed
! Arrival
! Departure
! Travel costs
|-
| Eckhart Wörner
| no
| colspan="2" | always there
| EUR 0
|-
| Frank Karlitschek
| no
| 
| 
| EUR 0
|-
| Frederik Gladhorn
| no
| colspan="2" | always there, except Saturday
| EUR 0
|-
| Lydia Pintscher
| yes
| Thursday evening
| Monday morning
| ~40 Euro
|-
| Valerie Hoh
| no
| 
| 
| EUR 0
|-
| Jörg Hoh
| no
| 
| 
| EUR 0
|-
| Jos Poortvliet
| Yes
| Thursday 12:08
| Monday 16:51
| EUR 104
|-
| Stuart Jarvis
| Yes
| Thurs 2030
| Monday 1550
| EUR142
|-
| Justin Kirby
| Yes
| Fri 10:40am
| Mon 11:20am
| EUR 413 
|-
| Kenny Duffus
| Yes (will arrange own for wed night)
| Wednesday 1420
| Monday 1825
| 227.59 GBP
|-
| Cornelius Schumacher
| Yes
| Friday evening
| Sunday evening
| ~ 50 EUR
|-
| Claudia Rauch
| Yes
| Thurs evening
| Sunday afternoon
| ~ 130 EUR
|-
| Rainer Endres
| Yes
| Friday
| Monday
| ~ 50 EUR
|-
| Troy
| Yes
| Frankfurt, 1320h on Thursday
| Frankfurt, 1435h on Monday
| 537 EUR (flight only)
|-
| Ingo Malchow
| Yes
| Thursday
| Monday morning
| ~ 80 EUR
|-
| Daniel Laidig
| no
| colspan="2" | always there
| EUR 0
|-
| Alex Spehr
| no - skype alspehr for discussion about USA booth box
| no
| no
| none
|-
| Luca Beltrame
| Yes
| Friday (around afternoon)
| Sunday evening
| ~ 180 EUR
|-
}

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/GettingStarted

2009-04-04T07:51:23Z

Einar: Update on the openSUSE packages

== Abstract ==

In this tutorial we'll cover setting up a very simple plasma applet in Python, and how to install it and run it, basically the edit, install, run and debug cycle. To follow this you will need to have KDE 4.2 or later installed, and also the python support for plasma and related dependencies. I'm going to assume that you are using a unix-style operating system such as Linux of *BSD and aren't adverse to the shell.

== Project Structure ==

The first step for any software project is to set up your project's directory on disk. For this tutorial we are going to create a very simple "hello-python" applet. Create a directory on somewhere called <tt>hello-python</tt> which in turn contains a <tt>contents</tt> directory which then contains a <tt>code</tt> directory. This command below will do all this.
<code bash>
mkdir -p hello-python/contents/code
</code>
This creates a simple directory structure which also matches the package structure expected by the <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command. More on this later.

== Metadata.desktop ==

In the <tt>hello-python</tt> directory create a file called <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> and open it in your text editor. Copy the following code into <tt>metadata.desktop</tt>.

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Hello Python
Name[nl]=Hallo Python
Type=Service
ServiceTypes=Plasma/Applet
Icon=chronometer
X-Plasma-API=python
X-Plasma-MainScript=code/main.py
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=hello-python
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Examples
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=GPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

This <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> file list important information needed by Plasma to load the applet, and also information about what the applet is and who created it. The <tt>Name</tt> field lists the name of the applet. This field can also be listed multiple times as different translations. Here I've just given a Dutch translation of the name. The <tt>[nl]</tt> indicates the language of the field.

The <tt>Type</tt> and <tt>ServiceType</tt> fields identify what kind of thing this desktop file is describing. Here we say that we have a plasma applet.

The <tt>Icon</tt> field gives the name of the icon to associate with this applet. The icon is typically shown in things such as the "Add widget" dialog in Plasma.

The <tt>X-Plasma-API</tt> and <tt>X-Plasma-MainScript</tt> fields are used specifically by Plasma to find the correct script-engine to use when loading and running the applet.

Most of the <tt>X-KDE-PluginInfo-*</tt> fields give extra information about who created the applet. <tt>X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category</tt> lists a category which this applet belongs to. http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Plasma/PIG has a list of acceptable category names.

== Main script ==

Create a file in the <tt>contents/code</tt> directory called <tt>main.py</tt>, open it up in your text editor and put this code in it and save it.

<code python>
# <Copyright and license information goes here.>
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloPython(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.resize(125, 125)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

def paintInterface(self, painter, option, rect):
painter.save()
painter.setPen(Qt.white)
painter.drawText(rect, Qt.AlignVCenter | Qt.AlignHCenter, "Hello Python!")
painter.restore()

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloPython(parent)
</code>

This is basically the simplest applet which actually does something. The code starts out with the usual copyright notice and license information which I've actually left out for now.

Next up is a bunch of imports. The Python support in Plasma is an extension of PyQt and PyKDE. So here we pull in a couple of PyQt and PyKDE modules which we will need. There are two plasma related modules which we use. The first, <tt>PyKDE4.plasma</tt>, are the bindings straight on top of the Plasma C++ API. This gives us access to most of the APIs we need, but not all. To create applets which can be packaged and delivered to users across the network via KDE's Get Hot New Stuff (GHNS) framework, we need to use some extra Python specific classes which are in <tt>PyKDE4.plasmascript</tt>.

Now we define our main applet class. This is our Hello Python applet and it must be a subclass of plasma.Applet. In the <tt>__init__()</tt> method we need to make sure that we give the super class constructor a chance to run. Note that it is recommended to put most of the initialisation code inside the <tt>init()</tt> method and not in the <tt>__init__()</tt>. After Plasma has constructed and initialised the applet, Plasma will call the <tt>init()</tt> method on the applet to let it continue setting itself up. Our <tt>init()</tt> method is rather short. We just tell Plasma that we don't have a configuration dialog and we set up the initial size of the applet.

The <tt>paintInterface()</tt> method is where we draw our "Hello Python" message. First we save the state / settings of the given <tt>QPainter</tt> object by calling <tt>save()</tt>. Then we set the color to white and use <tt>drawText()</tt> to draw our message. Finally we call <tt>restore()</tt> which resets the <tt>QPainter</tt> settings back to how it was when <tt>paintInterface()</tt> was called.

The <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function is needed to create an instance of our applet. When Plasma loads a Python based applet it will expect there to be a <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function which it will call. The task of the <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function is to create and instance of the applet and pass it back to Plasma.

== Packaging, installing & running ==

Plasma applets can be packaged in zip files and installed using the <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command line tool. The directory structure which we have used for our project matches that need in the zip file. All we have to do is zip it update. Run the following command from inside the hello-python directory.
<code bash>
zip -r ../hello-python.zip .
</code>
This will create the hello-python.zip file in the directory just above the hello-python directory. Go to this directory in the shell and run this <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command to install our little hello-python applet.
<code bash>
plasmapkg -i hello-python.zip
</code>
This installs the applet into your home directory. Now we can run it. When developing applets it is more convenient to use the <tt>plasmoidviewer</tt>. This is a little utility which displays an applet in a window instead of you having to use your desktop. This command below will run our applet.
<code bash>
plasmoidviewer hello-python
</code>
You should now be able to see the fruits of your labor.

To uninstall our applet we use <tt>plasmapkg</tt> again with its -r option.
<code bash>
plasmapkg -r hello-python
</code>

== Conclusion ==

This tutorial covers very basics of developing Plasma applets using Python. Most of the material discussed here is boring but important "boilerplate" stuff which stays mostly the same between every applet project. In future tutorials we can move on to move exciting things than just displaying a single line of static text.

In the next tutorial we explain how to use Plasma's specialized widgets in your applet instead of manually implementing the <tt>paintInterface()</tt> method. Find out how in the [[../Using widgets|Using widgets tutorial]].

== Troubleshooting ==

'''Error: '''
<code>plasmoidviewer(19580)/libplasma Plasma::Package::isValid: Could not find required file mainscript , look in "/home/user/.kde4/share/apps/plasma/plasmoids/kotnet-login/contents/code/main.py"</code>
'''Solution:''' check that you have those files (you need a main.py) and that you don't have any wrong names.

'''Error: '''
<code>Could not create a python scriptengine for "your package name"</code>
'''Solution:''' check if your plasma installation has the required files (plasma_importer.py, plasmascript.py) and the package python-dev is installed.

Packages for openSUSE are available in the KDE:KDE4:Factory:Desktop repository (python-kdebase4 and python-devel).

Source files: http://websvn.kde.org/trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/

'''Error: '''
<code>ImportError: /usr/lib/python2.5/lib-dynload/select.so: undefined symbol: PyExc_ValueError</code>
'''Solution:''' you probably have PyQt compiled against a different version of python than the one that is trying to run the code (python2.5 vs python2.6).

You'll need to find correct packages. Upgrade your PyQt to 2.6 (recommended) or downgrade your python installation to 2.5

'''Error: '''
<code>This object could not be created for the following reason: Could not open the hello-python package required for the Hello Python widget.</code>
'''Solution:''' Follow the Tutorial closely. You need to create the following file structure:
<code>
/hello-python/
/hello-python/metadata.desktop
/hello-python/contents/
/hello-python/contents/code/
/hello-python/contents/code/main.py
</code>

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-03-07T09:59:35Z

Einar: Crash no longer appears in KDE 4.2.1.

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>
# Continued from above
def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
# Continued from above
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

If "Local" is ''not'' the timezone supplied to <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt>, we obtain data on the timezone itself using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)</tt> and we assign it to <tt>newTz</tt>. Of course we may have supplied a non valid timezone, so we check it with <tt>newTz.isValid()</tt>, and we return False if it is not. After that, it's a matter of getting time and date relative to this timezone, through <tt>KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))</tt>. Then, we set the data into the DataEngine relative to date and time, and we assign <tt>timezone</tt> to <tt>tz</tt>.

Then, we set the timezone name (for example, "Europe/Rome") into the DataEngine. We also want to get continent and city into the DataEngine, so we split the string into a list with "/" and we check if contains two or more elements. If so, we set the first (for example "Europe") as continent and the second ("Rome") as city. Then the function returns True. <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> should return True if succesful, and False if otherwise.

<code python>
def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

The last two lines deal, in a similar manner as applets, with creating the DataEngine.

== Installing the DataEngine ==

First of all, zip the directory contents (see the [[../GettingStarted|Getting Started tutorial]]), then invoke <tt>plasmapkg</tt> like this:

plasmapkg -t dataengine -i <zip file name>

Plasma can't automatically determine the type of package you are installing (defaults to applet) so you have to manually specify the <tt>-t dataengine</tt> option.
Once installed, you will be able to use this DataEngine in your applets.

== Testing the DataEngine ==

Run the <tt>plasmaeengineexplorer</tt> application (see [[../Using DataEngines | the Using DataEngines tutorial]]) and select the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> DataEngine. If all went well, it will behave in the same manner as the <tt>time</tt> DataEngine.

== Conclusion ==

You can effectively separate presentation and data handling in your applets by creating DataEngines which deal with all the needs for data. In a few lines of code, you can set up your sources, retrieve data and then store it for applets to use.

== Problems ==

Using your own python dataengines in KDE 4.2.0 leads to a crash. The problem is fixed in KDE 4.2.1.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/PythonPlasmoid

2009-03-07T09:53:58Z

Einar: Colorize code, fix a typo. Comment lines in front of blocks of code keep the right indentation.

In this example, we're going to be writing a plasmoid that shows your laptop's battery charge in a neat graph as time goes by. Then we'll package it up and install it.

=Building=
First and foremost, make sure you have [[Getting Started/Build/KDE4/Python Support|Python support enabled]].

Next, you need to setup your plasmoid's development environment. For this example, our plasmoid will be called 'powerchart'. Make a directory to put everything in. Plasma expects a certain set of files and directories to exist when loading a plasmoid package:

* / - The root of the package
** metadata.desktop - Metadata about the plasmoid
** contents/ - The directory plasma looks in for all your resources
*** ui/ - 'ui' type resources (not covered here)
*** code/ - 'code' type resources
**** main.py - The plugin's code. You can change this in metadata.desktop.

==metadata.desktop==
metadata.desktop contains the plasmoid's metadata such as it's name, author, and scripting engine.

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8 ;Encoding of this file
Name=Battery Graph ;The name to be shown in the 'Add Widgets' dialog
ServiceTypes=Plasma/Applet ;Tells KDE this is provides the 'Plasma applet' service
Type=Service ;Tells KDE this is a service of sorts
Icon=battery ;The icon to show in the 'Add Widgets' dialog
X-Plasma-API=python ;The language your plugin is written in
X-Plasma-MainScript=code/main.py ;The main entrypoint for your plasmoid

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=John Doe
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=j.doe@example.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=powerchart ;The internal name of the plasmoid. Your plasmoid gets installed into ~/.kde/share/apps/plasma/<Name>/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=pre0.1
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Examples
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=GPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true ;Tells KDE if this plasmoid should be available by default, or if the user needs to jump through hoops to enable it.
</code>

Once you have that, you can start hacking away.

==The Code==

The first thing you do in a python file of course is import your dependencies:
<code python>
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript
</code>

The last import contains the bridge between your python code and the underlying C++ API. If you were writing this in C++, you'd inherit the Plasma::Applet class. It isn't as straightforward in Python though. There is some python wrapper code (in /usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages/PyKDE4/plasmascript.py) that needs to work some magic so your python script can access protected Plasma::Applet members.

<code python>
# Continued from above

class PowerChart(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self, parent, args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self, parent)

def init(self):
self.layout = QGraphicsGridLayout(self.applet)
self.chart = Plasma.SignalPlotter(self.applet)
self.chart.addPlot(QColor(0,255,0))
self.layout.addItem(self.chart, 0, 0)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.IgnoreAspectRatio)
self.resize(200, 150)
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.chart.setTitle("Battery Charge")
self.connectToEngine()
</code>

The init() method is where you should put the majority of your initialization code such as creating widgets and loading data engines.

self.applet is the actual C++ Applet object your PowerChart class represents. When creating widgets and similar objects, you need to pass in self.applet instead of self when the good old fashioned C++ API reference says you need a QGraphicsWidget or Applet. If not, your applet will fail to load and you'll be puzzled why.

The code above is fairly self-explainatory as well. A basic layout is created, a plotter widget is added to it, a plot is added to the plotter, and some administrivia is performed. The next step is to connect to our dataengine.

===Connecting to the engine===
<code python>
# Continued from above

def connectToEngine(self):
self.engine = self.dataEngine('soliddevice')
battery = self.engine.query('IS Battery').values()[0].toString()
print "Connecting to battery %s"%battery
self.engine.connectSource(battery, self)
</code>
As mentioned earlier, the plasmascript module contains some magic bridge code that lets you access protected members while python thinks you're outside the Applet class. With the odd exception of self.applet, everything else works like normal.

Above, we requested the soliddevice engine, used a solid predicate to search for battery devices, and told the engine we're interested in updates from that battery. When updates come along, your applet's dataUpdated method is called.

===Reading updates===

<code python>
# Continued from above

@pyqtSignature("dataUpdated(const QString &, const Plasma::DataEngine::Data &)")
def dataUpdated(self, sourceName, data):
charge = data[QString("Charge Percent")].toInt()[0]
print "Charge: %s%%"%charge
samples = [charge,]
self.chart.addSample(samples)
</code>

A problem with mixing Python with Qt's signals is the lack of type safety. To get around this, you need to manually declare the dataUpdated slot's signature with the pyqtSignature decorator. Another problem is the use of QStrings. It makes things take a little more typing but it doesn't add a whole lot more effort.

In our dataUpdated method, we find the data we want, pry it out of the Qt code, and put it in our plotter's chart. Other data can be found by poking around with plasmaengineexplorer.

==Finishing up==

Our applet class is all written. The last thing we need to do is tell plasma how to get our class. It expects our main code file to contain a CreateApplet method that returns our plasmascript.Applet class.

Two simple lines accomplish this:

<code python>
def CreateApplet(parent):
return PowerChart(parent)
</code>

=Packaging=

Plasma packages are zip files that adhere to the expected directory structure explained at the start of this tutorial. You can call your file anything you want, but a good naming scheme is <Name>-<Version>.plasmoid eg powerchart-pre0.1.plasmoid. Remember while creating it, that the root of the package structure explained earlier means the root of the zip file.

Create it, install it, and add it to your desktop. Makes you feel proud, huh?

=Complete Source=
For reference, here is the complete source of main.py:

<code python>
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PowerChart(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self, parent, args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self, parent)

def init(self):
self.layout = QGraphicsGridLayout(self.applet)
self.chart = Plasma.SignalPlotter(self.applet)
self.chart.addPlot(QColor(0,255,0))
self.layout.addItem(self.chart, 0, 0)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.IgnoreAspectRatio)
self.resize(200, 150)
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.chart.setTitle("Battery Charge")
self.connectToEngine()

def connectToEngine(self):
self.engine = self.dataEngine('soliddevice')
battery = self.engine.query('IS Battery').values()[0].toString()
print "Connecting to battery %s"%battery
self.engine.connectSource(battery, self)

@pyqtSignature("dataUpdated(const QString &, const Plasma::DataEngine::Data &)")
def dataUpdated(self, sourceName, data):
charge = data[QString("Charge Percent")].toInt()[0]
print "Charge: %s%%"%charge
samples = [charge,]
self.chart.addSample(samples)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return PowerChart(parent)
</code>

Happy hacking!

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/GettingStarted

2009-03-07T09:46:41Z

Einar: Add solution

== Abstract ==

In this tutorial we'll cover setting up a very simple plasma applet in Python, and how to install it and run it, basically the edit, install, run and debug cycle. To follow this you will need to have KDE 4.2 or later installed, and also the python support for plasma and related dependencies. I'm going to assume that you are using a unix-style operating system such as Linux of *BSD and aren't adverse to the shell.

== Project Structure ==

The first step for any software project is to set up your project's directory on disk. For this tutorial we are going to create a very simple "hello-python" applet. Create a directory on somewhere called <tt>hello-python</tt> which in turn contains a <tt>contents</tt> directory which then contains a <tt>code</tt> directory. This command below will do all this.
<code bash>
mkdir -p hello-python/contents/code
</code>
This creates a simple directory structure which also matches the package structure expect by the <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command. More on this later.

== Metadata.desktop ==

In the <tt>hello-python</tt> directory create a file called <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> and open it in your text editor. Copy the following code into <tt>metadata.desktop</tt>.

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Hello Python
Name[nl]=Hallo Python
Type=Service
ServiceTypes=Plasma/Applet
Icon=chronometer
X-Plasma-API=python
X-Plasma-MainScript=code/main.py
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=hello-python
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Examples
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=GPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

This <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> file list important information needed by Plasma to load the applet, and also information about what the applet is and who created it. The <tt>Name</tt> field lists the name of the applet. This field can also be listed multiple times as different translations. Here I've just given a Dutch translation of the name. The <tt>[nl]</tt> indicates the language of the field.

The <tt>Type</tt> and <tt>ServiceType</tt> fields identify what kind of thing this desktop file is describing. Here we say that we have a plasma applet.

The <tt>Icon</tt> field gives the name of the icon to associate with this applet. The icon is typically shown in things such as the "Add widget" dialog in Plasma.

The <tt>X-Plasma-API</tt> and <tt>X-Plasma-MainScript</tt> fields are used specifically by Plasma to find the correct script-engine to use when loading and running the applet.

Most of the <tt>X-KDE-PluginInfo-*</tt> fields give extra information about who created the applet. <tt>X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category</tt> lists a category which this applet belongs to. http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Plasma/PIG has a list of acceptable category names.

== Main script ==

Create a file in the <tt>contents/code</tt> directory called <tt>main.py</tt>, open it up in your text editor and put this code in it and save it.

<code python>
# <Copyright and license information goes here.>
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloPython(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.resize(125, 125)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

def paintInterface(self, painter, option, rect):
painter.save()
painter.setPen(Qt.white)
painter.drawText(rect, Qt.AlignVCenter | Qt.AlignHCenter, "Hello Python!")
painter.restore()

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloPython(parent)
</code>

This is basically the simplest applet which actually does something. The code starts out with the usual copyright notice and license information which I've actually left out for now.

Next up is a bunch of imports. The Python support in Plasma is an extension of PyQt and PyKDE. So here we pull in a couple of PyQt and PyKDE modules which we will need. There are two plasma related modules which we use. The first, <tt>PyKDE4.plasma</tt>, are the bindings straight on top of the Plasma C++ API. This gives us access to most of the APIs we need, but not all. To create applets which can be packaged and delivered to users across the network via KDE's Get Hot New Stuff (GHNS) framework, we need to use some extra Python specific classes which are in <tt>PyKDE4.plasmascript</tt>.

Now we define our main applet class. This is our Hello Python applet and it must be a subclass of plasma.Applet. In the <tt>__init__()</tt> method we need to make sure that we give the super class constructor a chance to run. Note that it is recommended to put most of the initialisation code inside the <tt>init()</tt> method and not in the <tt>__init__()</tt>. After Plasma has constructed and initialised the applet, Plasma will call the <tt>init()</tt> method on the applet to let it continue setting itself up. Our <tt>init()</tt> method is rather short. We just tell Plasma that we don't have a configuration dialog and we set up the initial size of the applet.

The <tt>paintInterface()</tt> method is where we draw our "Hello Python" message. First we save the state / settings of the given <tt>QPainter</tt> object by calling <tt>save()</tt>. Then we set the color to white and use <tt>drawText()</tt> to draw our message. Finally we call <tt>restore()</tt> which resets the <tt>QPainter</tt> settings back to how it was when <tt>paintInterface()</tt> was called.

The <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function is needed to create an instance of our applet. When Plasma loads a Python based applet it will expect there to be a <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function which it will call. The task of the <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function is to create and instance of the applet and pass it back to Plasma.

== Packaging, installing & running ==

Plasma applets can be packaged in zip files and installed using the <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command line tool. The directory structure which we have used for our project matches that need in the zip file. All we have to do is zip it update. Run the following command from inside the hello-python directory.
<code bash>
zip -r ../hello-python.zip .
</code>
This will create the hello-python.zip file in the directory just above the hello-python directory. Go to this directory in the shell and run this <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command to install our little hello-python applet.
<code bash>
plasmapkg -i hello-python.zip
</code>
This installs the applet into your home directory. Now we can run it. When developing applets it is more convenient to use the <tt>plasmoidviewer</tt>. This is a little utility which displays an applet in a window instead of you having to use your desktop. This command below will run our applet.
<code bash>
plasmoidviewer hello-python
</code>
You should now be able to see the fruits of your labor.

To uninstall our applet we use <tt>plasmapkg</tt> again with its -r option.
<code bash>
plasmapkg -r hello-python
</code>

== Conclusion ==

This tutorial covers very basics of developing Plasma applets using Python. Most of the material discussed here is boring but important "boilerplate" stuff which stays mostly the same between every applet project. In future tutorials we can move on to move exciting things than just displaying a single line of static text.

In the next tutorial we explain how to use Plasma's specialized widgets in your applet instead of manually implementing the <tt>paintInterface()</tt> method. Find out how in the [[../Using widgets|Using widgets tutorial]].

== Troubleshooting ==

'''Error: '''
<code>plasmoidviewer(19580)/libplasma Plasma::Package::isValid: Could not find required file mainscript , look in "/home/user/.kde4/share/apps/plasma/plasmoids/kotnet-login/contents/code/main.py"</code>
'''Solution:''' check that you have those files (you need a main.py) and that you don't have any wrong names.

'''Error: '''
<code>Could not create a python scriptengine for "your package name"</code>
'''Solution:''' check if your plasma installation has the required files (plasma_importer.py, plasmascript.py) installed.

Packages for Opensuse 11.1: http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/pantsgolem:/branches:/KDE:/KDE4:/Factory:/Desktop/openSUSE_11.1/

Source files: http://websvn.kde.org/trunk/KDE/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/

'''Error: '''
<code>ImportError: /usr/lib/python2.5/lib-dynload/select.so: undefined symbol: PyExc_ValueError</code>
'''Solution:''' you probably have PyQt compiled against a different version of python than the one that is trying to run the code (python2.5 vs python2.6).

You'll need to find correct packages. Upgrade your PyQt to 2.6 (recommended) or downgrade your python installation to 2.5

'''Error:'''
<code>Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma_scriptengine_python/pyappletscript.py", line 21, in <module>
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
ImportError: No module named PyKDE4.plasma
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 77, in apport_excepthook
pr['PythonArgs'] = '%r' % sys.argv
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'argv'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/kde4/apps/plasma_scriptengine_python/pyappletscript.py", line 21, in <module>
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
ImportError: No module named PyKDE4.plasma
</code>

'''Solution:'''
You have the Python ScriptEngine present on your system, but not the whole PyKDE4 installed, or your PyKDE4 was not installed with Plasma support. Install or compile PyKDE4 (python-kde4 on openSUSE) and the problem should be solved.

'''Error: '''
<code>This object could not be created for the following reason: Could not open the hello-python package required for the Hello Python widget.</code>
'''Solution:''' Follow the Tutorial closely. You need to create the following file structure:
<code>
/hello-python/
/hello-python/metadata.desktop
/hello-python/contents/
/hello-python/contents/code/
/hello-python/contents/code/main.py
</code>

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T14:38:05Z

Einar: Add missing ")"

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T11:04:41Z

Einar: Concluded. May need more work, of course.

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>
# Continued from above
def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
# Continued from above
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

If "Local" is ''not'' the timezone supplied to <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt>, we obtain data on the timezone itself using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)</tt> and we assign it to <tt>newTz</tt>. Of course we may have supplied a non valid timezone, so we check it with <tt>newTz.isValid()</tt>, and we return False if it is not. After that, it's a matter of getting time and date relative to this timezone, through <tt>KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))</tt>. Then, we set the data into the DataEngine relative to date and time, and we assign <tt>timezone</tt> to <tt>tz</tt>.

Then, we set the timezone name (for example, "Europe/Rome") into the DataEngine. We also want to get continent and city into the DataEngine, so we split the string into a list with "/" and we check if contains two or more elements. If so, we set the first (for example "Europe") as continent and the second ("Rome") as city. Then the function returns True. <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> should return True if succesful, and False if otherwise.

<code python>
def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

The last two lines deal, in a similar manner as applets, with creating the DataEngine.

== Installing the DataEngine ==

First of all, zip the directory contents (see the [[../GettingStarted|Getting Started tutorial]]), then invoke <tt>plasmapkg</tt> like this:

plasmapkg -t dataengine -i <zip file name>

Plasma can't automatically determine the type of package you are installing (defaults to applet) so you have to manually specify the <tt>-t dataengine</tt> option.
Once installed, you will be able to use this DataEngine in your applets.

== Testing the DataEngine ==

Run the <tt>plasmaeengineexplorer</tt> application (see [[../Using DataEngines | the Using DataEngines tutorial]] and select the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> DataEngine. If all went well, it will behave in the same manner as the <tt>time</tt> DataEngine.

== Conclusion ==

You can effectively separate presentation and data handling in your applets by creating DataEngines which deal with all the needs for data. In a few lines of code, you can set up your sources, retrieve data and then store it for applets to use.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T11:02:23Z

Einar: Add hashes to make sure the functions are properly indented (the first line can't be indented, apparently)

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>
# Continued from above
def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
# Continued from above
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

If "Local" is ''not'' the timezone supplied to <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt>, we obtain data on the timezone itself using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)</tt> and we assign it to <tt>newTz</tt>. Of course we may have supplied a non valid timezone, so we check it with <tt>newTz.isValid()</tt>, and we return False if it is not. After that, it's a matter of getting time and date relative to this timezone, through <tt>KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))</tt>. Then, we set the data into the DataEngine relative to date and time, and we assign <tt>timezone</tt> to <tt>tz</tt>.

Then, we set the timezone name (for example, "Europe/Rome") into the DataEngine. We also want to get continent and city into the DataEngine, so we split the string into a list with "/" and we check if contains two or more elements. If so, we set the first (for example "Europe") as continent and the second ("Rome") as city. Then the function returns True. <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> should return True if succesful, and False if otherwise.

<code python>
def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

The last two lines deal, in a similar manner as applets, with creating the DataEngine.

== Installing the DataEngine ==

First of all, zip the directory contents (see the [[../GettingStarted|Getting Started tutorial]]), then invoke <tt>plasmapkg</tt> like this:

plasmapkg -t dataengine -i <zip file name>

Plasma can't automatically determine the type of package you are installing (defaults to applet) so you have to manually specify the <tt>-t dataengine</tt> option.
Once installed, you will be able to use this DataEngine in your applets.

== Testing the DataEngine ==

Run the <tt>plasmaeengineexplorer</tt> application (see [[../Using DataEngines | the Using DataEngines tutorial]] and select the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> DataEngine. If all went well, it will behave in the same manner as the <tt>time</tt> DataEngine.

== Conclusion ==

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T10:59:00Z

Einar: Blah, whitespace getting lost

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>

def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

If "Local" is ''not'' the timezone supplied to <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt>, we obtain data on the timezone itself using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)</tt> and we assign it to <tt>newTz</tt>. Of course we may have supplied a non valid timezone, so we check it with <tt>newTz.isValid()</tt>, and we return False if it is not. After that, it's a matter of getting time and date relative to this timezone, through <tt>KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))</tt>. Then, we set the data into the DataEngine relative to date and time, and we assign <tt>timezone</tt> to <tt>tz</tt>.

Then, we set the timezone name (for example, "Europe/Rome") into the DataEngine. We also want to get continent and city into the DataEngine, so we split the string into a list with "/" and we check if contains two or more elements. If so, we set the first (for example "Europe") as continent and the second ("Rome") as city. Then the function returns True. <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> should return True if succesful, and False if otherwise.

<code python>
def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

The last two lines deal, in a similar manner as applets, with creating the DataEngine.

== Installing the DataEngine ==

First of all, zip the directory contents (see the [[../GettingStarted|Getting Started tutorial]]), then invoke <tt>plasmapkg</tt> like this:

plasmapkg -t dataengine -i <zip file name>

Plasma can't automatically determine the type of package you are installing (defaults to applet) so you have to manually specify the <tt>-t dataengine</tt> option.
Once installed, you will be able to use this DataEngine in your applets.

== Testing the DataEngine ==

Run the <tt>plasmaeengineexplorer</tt> application (see [[../Using DataEngines | the Using DataEngines tutorial]] and select the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> DataEngine. If all went well, it will behave in the same manner as the <tt>time</tt> DataEngine.

== Conclusion ==

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T10:56:35Z

Einar: Finishing touches, I hope

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>
def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True

def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

If "Local" is ''not'' the timezone supplied to <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt>, we obtain data on the timezone itself using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)</tt> and we assign it to <tt>newTz</tt>. Of course we may have supplied a non valid timezone, so we check it with <tt>newTz.isValid()</tt>, and we return False if it is not. After that, it's a matter of getting time and date relative to this timezone, through <tt>KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))</tt>. Then, we set the data into the DataEngine relative to date and time, and we assign <tt>timezone</tt> to <tt>tz</tt>.

Then, we set the timezone name (for example, "Europe/Rome") into the DataEngine. We also want to get continent and city into the DataEngine, so we split the string into a list with "/" and we check if contains two or more elements. If so, we set the first (for example "Europe") as continent and the second ("Rome") as city. Then the function returns True. <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> should return True if succesful, and False if otherwise.

The last two lines deal, in a similar manner as applets, with creating the DataEngine.

== Installing the DataEngine ==

First of all, zip the directory contents (see the [[../GettingStarted|Getting Started tutorial]]), then invoke <tt>plasmapkg</tt> like this:

plasmapkg -t dataengine -i <zip file name>

Plasma can't automatically determine the type of package you are installing (defaults to applet) so you have to manually specify the <tt>-t dataengine</tt> option.
Once installed, you will be able to use this DataEngine in your applets.

== Testing the DataEngine ==

Run the <tt>plasmaeengineexplorer</tt> application (see [[../Using DataEngines | the Using DataEngines tutorial]] and select the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> DataEngine. If all went well, it will behave in the same manner as the <tt>time</tt> DataEngine.

== Conclusion ==

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T10:51:25Z

Einar: Main code discussion finished

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>
def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True

def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

If "Local" is ''not'' the timezone supplied to <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt>, we obtain data on the timezone itself using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)</tt> and we assign it to <tt>newTz</tt>. Of course we may have supplied a non valid timezone, so we check it with <tt>newTz.isValid()</tt>, and we return False if it is not. After that, it's a matter of getting time and date relative to this timezone, through <tt>KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))</tt>. Then, we set the data into the DataEngine relative to date and time, and we assign <tt>timezone</tt> to <tt>tz</tt>.

Then, we set the timezone name (for example, "Europe/Rome") into the DataEngine. We also want to get continent and city into the DataEngine, so we split the string into a list with "/" and we check if contains two or more elements. If so, we set the first (for example "Europe") as continent and the second ("Rome") as city. Then the function returns True. <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> should return True if succesful, and False if otherwise.

The last two lines deal, in a similar manner as applets, with creating the DataEngine.

== Installing the DataEngine ==

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T09:20:34Z

Einar: Still a long way to go

== Abstract ==

As you have seen in the [[../Using DataEngines | using DataEngines]] tutorial, Plasma applets can make use of DataEngines to visualize data of many different kinds. In fact, the already available DataEngines offer many options for your applets. But what if you have a specific need, not covered by those?

The problem is easily solved by writing your own Plasma DataEngine, and this tutorial will show you how to create one.

== Prerequisites ==

As with applets, DataEngines need the same directory structure (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), so the first step is to create the appropriate directories. The difference with respect to applets lies in the metadata.desktop file:

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Python Date and Time
Comment=Python Time data for Plasmoids
Type=Service
Icon=preferences-system-time
ServiceTypes=Plasma/DataEngine
X-Plasma-API=python

X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=plasma-dataengine-pytime
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category=Python Date and Time
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE-PluginInfo-License=LGPL
X-KDE-PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

Take a look at the ServiceType line. When using applets, it was "Plasma/Applet", but since now we're dealing with DataEngines, its value is "Plasma/DataEngine".

== Main script ==

For this tutorial we'll use the <tt>plasma-dataengine-pytime</tt> code, which is available on KDE's SVN. This DataEngine is an equivalent to the C++ time DataEngine we connected to in the [[../Using DataEngines|using DataEngines tutorial]]. Its function is to display time and date with respect to the current timezone. You can view [http://websvn.kde.org/branches/KDE/4.2/kdebase/workspace/plasma/scriptengines/python/examples/dataengines/pytime/contents/code/main.py?revision=906699&view=markup the main.py file online]. As the file is rather long, we'll take a look at it in sections.

<code python>
# Copyright stuff

from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyKDE4.kdecore import *
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class PyTimeEngine(plasmascript.DataEngine):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.DataEngine.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setMinimumPollingInterval(333)
</code>

We start with the copyright information, followed by importing the required modules (<tt>PyQt4.QtCore</tt> and <tt>plasmascript</tt>). Since we're dealing with time and timezones, we also import <tt>kdecore</tt> to make use of what KDE offers.

In <tt>__init__</tt> we just initialize the class. In <tt>init()</tt> instead, we set the minimum polling interval, that is the minimum time (in milliseconds) that needs to pass between one data request (from an applet, for example) and another.

<code python>
def sources(self):
sources = ["Local"]
sources.extend(KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys())
return sources

def sourceRequestEvent(self, name):
return self.updateSourceEvent(name)
</code>

The <tt>sources()</tt> function is called from applets to request what data sources a DataEngine has (for example, if your applet needs to connect to an online service, the DataEngine could offer a list of suitable services). In this case we first create a list with the "Local" name (which refers to the local time on your computer) and then we extend the list using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.zones().keys()</tt>. This adds the time zones known to KDE to the sources. As a final step, we return this list.

<tt>sourceRequestEvent</tt> is a function that is called when the applet accesses the DataEngine and requests a specific source (<tt>name</tt>). This function is usually used to make preparations (for example, setting up a connection) before the data can be received. In this case, we simply return <tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> with the source name.

<code python>
def updateSourceEvent(self, tz):
localName = "Local"
if tz == localName:
self.setData(localName, "Time", QVariant(QTime.currentTime()))
self.setData(localName, "Date", QVariant(QDate.currentDate()))
# this is relatively cheap - KSTZ::local() is cached
timezone = KSystemTimeZones.local().name()
else:
newTz = KSystemTimeZones.zone(tz)
if not newTz.isValid():
return False
dt = KDateTime.currentDateTime(KDateTime.Spec(newTz))
self.setData(tz, "Time", QVariant(dt.time()))
self.setData(tz, "Date", QVariant(dt.date()))
timezone = tz

trTimezone = timezone
self.setData(tz, "Timezone", QVariant(trTimezone));
tzParts = str(trTimezone).split("/")
if len(tzParts)>=2:
self.setData(tz, "Timezone Continent", QVariant(tzParts[0]))
self.setData(tz, "Timezone City", QVariant(tzParts[1]))

return True

def CreateDataEngine(parent):
return PyTimeEngine(parent)
</code>

<tt>updateSourceEvent</tt> is the main function needed for a DataEngine, as it takes care of updating and storing the data from a specific source (in our case, <tt>tz</tt>, a timezone). As a first step, we set <tt>localName</tt> to be "Local", and we compare the timezone supplied to the function to it. If they're the same, i.e. local time on the computer, we set the data to current time and date (<tt>QTime.currentTime()</tt> and <tt>QDate.currentDate()</tt>), and then we get the name of the timezone using <tt>KSystemTimeZones.local().name()</tt>.

The important part here is <tt>setData</tt>. That is how we put data inside a DataEngine. <tt>setData</tt> accepts a source name, a key which will be used to look up the information, and the actual information, stored as a <tt>QVariant</tt>.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T09:08:50Z

Einar: Last code block

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T09:05:49Z

Einar: Second block done

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T08:59:20Z

Einar: Building blocks for the tutorial

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T08:48:13Z

Einar: Reword, add section

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T08:46:10Z

Einar: Metadata.desktop

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Writing DataEngines

2009-01-24T08:37:59Z

Einar: First draft, abstract only

Development/Tutorials/Plasma

2009-01-24T08:32:11Z

Einar: Add links for the (not yet written) DataEngine tutorial

== Plasma Programming with C++ ==

;[[/GettingStarted|Getting Started With Plasmoids]]
:''Creating your first plasmoid in C++ with SVG background, icon and text''

;[[/DataEngines|Writing a DataEngine]]
:''DataEngines provide a standardized interface to various data sources for visualizations to use. Learn what a DataEngine is and how to write one of your own.''

;[http://www.kdedevelopers.org/node/3247 Video tutorial]
:Video and slides from a presentation on libplasma (link to Slides broken)

;[[/UsingExtenders|How to use extenders in your Plasmoid]]
:''A simple example that shows how to use extenders in a Plasmoid.''

== Plasma Programming with Python ==

;[[/Python/GettingStarted|Getting Started]]
:''Creating and running your first plasmoid in Python''

;[[/Python/Using widgets|Using widgets]]
:''Introduction to using Plasma widgets''

;[[/Python/Using DataEngines|Using DataEngines]]
:''How to use DataEngines from a plasmoid''

;[[/Python/Writing DataEngines|Writing DataEngines]]
:''How to write your own Plasma DataEngine''

== Plasma Programming with Ruby ==

[http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Tutorials/Plasma/RubyApplet Creating a Plasma Widget in Ruby]
:''Tutorial that shows how to create your first Plasma Applet using the Ruby language. Following these instructions precisely however leads to the error "Could not find requested component: plasma-ruby-web-applet" on OpenSUSE 11.1 KDE 4.2RC1.''

== Theme development ==

;[[/Theme|Creating a Plasma Theme]]
:''Guide to creating your first Plasma theme''

Resources:

* http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Plasma
* [http://api.kde.org/4.x-api/kdelibs-apidocs/plasma/html/index.html Plasma api documentation]
* The [https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/plasma-devel plasma-devel mailing list] and #plasma on IRC (irc.freenode.org).

TODO:

* '''tutorials for other languages''' (JavaScript, Ruby, etc...)

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-19T20:38:17Z

Einar: Add setLayout in the code and in the explanation

== Abstract ==

Using the <tt>paintInterface()</tt> method to display applets is a powerful, and sometimes even necessary way of working. For example, when you want to display a SVG graphic. But it is not the only method available to create a Plasmoid, however. Plasma comes with a number of widgets "tailored" for use in Plasmoids. In this tutorial we will create a very simple "Hello, world!" Plasmoid using Plasma widgets.

== Prerequisites ==

Set up your applet directory and create a <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> file as described in the [[../GettingStarted | Getting Started tutorial]].

== The 'main.py' file ==

Here is how our main.py file will look like:

<code python>
# Copyright stuff
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloWorldApplet(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

self.theme = Plasma.Svg(self)
self.theme.setImagePath("widgets/background")
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground)

self.layout = QGraphicsLinearLayout(Qt.Horizontal, self.applet)
label = Plasma.Label(self.applet)
label.setText("Hello world!")
self.layout.addItem(label)
self.setLayout(self.layout)
self.resize(125,125)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloWorldApplet(parent)

</code>

Let's take a deeper look at it. As in the main tutorial, we create our class by deriving from the <tt>plasmascript.Applet</tt> class. In <tt>__init__()</tt>, we quickly initialize the class. We use the <tt>init()</tt> method instead to do all the dirty work of creating the applet and adding the widget needed to display the text.

First of all we tell Plasma that this applet does not have a configuration dialog (<tt>self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)</tt>). We then set the aspect ratio mode to a square (<tt>Plasma.Square</tt>). This is taken into account when someone resizes the applet. Next, we add a background to the applet using a SVG image provided by the standard Plasma theme. We do so by creating an instance of <tt>Plasma.Svg</tt>, assigning it to <tt>self.theme</tt>, and then specifying the SVG graphic we want to use via <tt>self.setImagePath()</tt>. This way the applet will use the standard "background" SVG provided by the "widgets" directory of our current Plasma theme. We can also use relative paths or absolute paths to SVGs of our choice, should we need to. The <tt>setBackgroundHints()</tt> method sets the Plasmoid's background to the default Plasma background (<tt>Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground</tt>) saving us from having to manually draw the background ourselves.

The third and most important step deals with creating a layout. It is a bit different than the standard <tt>QLinearLayout</tt> seen in Qt and PyQt, because it is done inside a <tt>QGraphicsView</tt> used by Plasma. We want a simple, linear layout, and so we use a QGraphicsLinearLayout, setting it to be horizontal (Qt.Horizontal).

Next we create a Plasma.Label. This is a widget that is Plasma aware and therefore uses all of the goodies provided by Plasma. For example, automatically changing its text color if the Plasma theme changes. We then use the <tt>setText()</tt> method (analogous to the normal <tt>QLabel.setText()</tt> method) to set our label text ("Hello, world!") and then add the label to the layout.Also, we set the applet's layout to be the one we have just defined using <tt>self.setLayout</tt>. Finally we resize the applet to 125 x 125 pixels.

Once packaged and installed (see [[../GettingStarted | the Getting Started tutorial]]), the Plasmoid will look like this:

[[Image:Helloworld.png|center]]

== Conclusion ==

This brief tutorial shows how to use Plasma widgets with your applet. Beside <tt>Plasma.Label</tt> there are many more widgets that you can use.

Notice that at the moment you can only add widgets and create layouts directly in code. This means you can't use an application like Qt Designer to design the appearance of your applet.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-17T15:19:27Z

Einar: Fix typo

== Abstract ==

Using paintInterface to display applets is powerful, and sometimes even necessary (when you want to display SVG graphics, for example). It is not the only method available to create a Plasmoid, however. Plasma comes with a number of widgets "tailored" for using in Plasmoids. This tutorial will create a very simple "Hello, world!" Plasmoid using this approach.

== Prerequisites ==

Set up your applet directory and create a metadata.desktop file as described in the [[../ | main tutorial]].

== The 'main.py' file ==

Here's how our main.py file will look like:

<code python>
# Copyright stuff
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloWorldApplet(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):

plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):

self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

self.theme = Plasma.Svg(self)
self.theme.setImagePath("widgets/background")
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground)

self.layout = QGraphicsLinearLayout(Qt.Horizontal, self.applet)
label = Plasma.Label(self.applet)
label.setText("Hello world!")
self.layout.addItem(label)
self.resize(125,125)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloWorldApplet(parent)

</code>

Let's take a deeper look at it. As in the main tutorial, we create our class by deriving from plasmascript.Applet. In __init__, we initialize the class. In init() instead, we do all the dirty work of creating the applet and adding the text to it.

First of all, we tell Plasma that this applet has not a way to be configured (self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)). We then set its aspect ratio mode, which is used with regards of resizing, and we set it to square (Plasma.Square). Then, we start adding a background to the applet, using the SVGs provided normally by the Plasma theme. We do so by creating an instance of Plasma.Svg, which we assign to self.theme, and then we set the SVGs that we will use via self.setImagePath. Written like that, it means that the applet will use the standard "background" SVG provided inside the "widgets" directory of our current Plasma theme. We can also use relative paths or absolute paths to SVGs of our choice, should we need them. The setBackgroundHints sets the Plasmoid's background using the default Plasma background (Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground), saving us the time and the effort to do it ourselves.

The third and most important step deals with creating a layout. It is a bit special, as compared to the standard QLinearLayout seen in Qt (and PyQt), because it is done inside a QGraphicsView, used by Plasma. We want a simple, linear layout, and so we use a QGraphicsLinearLayout, setting it to be horizontal (Qt.Horizontal).

Then, we create a label, a Plasma.Label to be precise. This is a widget that is Plasma-aware, as we have said, and so makes use of all the goodies provided by Plasma (for example, changing text color if we change Plasma theme). We use then the setText method (analogous to the setText method of a normal QLabel) to set our text ("Hello, world!") to the label, and we add it to the layout. Finally, we resize the applet to 125 x 125 pixels.

Once packaged and installed (see [[../ | the main tutorial]]), the Plasmoid will look like this:

[[Image:Helloworld.png|center]]

== Conclusion ==

This brief tutorial shows how to use Plasma widgets with your applet. Aside Plasma.Label, there are many more widgets you can use.

Notice that at the moment you can exclusively add widgets and create layouts "in the code": this means you can't use an application like Qt Designer to create your applet.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-17T15:12:20Z

Einar: Add the bit about layouts in the code.

== Abstract ==

Using paintInterface to display applets is powerful, and sometimes even necessary (when you want to display SVG graphics, for example). It is not the only method available to create a Plasmoid, however. Plasma comes with a number of widgets "tailored" for using in Plasmoids. This tutorial will create a very simple "Hello, world!" Plasmoid using this approach.

== Prerequisites ==

Set up your applet directory and create a metadata.desktop file as described in the [[../ | main tutorial]].

== The 'main.py' file ==

Here's how our main.py file will look like:

<code python>
# Copyright stuff
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloWorldApplet(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):

plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):

self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

self.theme = Plasma.Svg(self)
self.theme.setImagePath("widgets/background")
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground)

self.layout = QGraphicsLinearLayout(Qt.Horizontal, self.applet)
label = Plasma.Label(self.applet)
label.setText("Hello world!")
self.layout.addItem(label)
self.resize(125,125)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloWorldApplet(parent)

</code>

Let's take a deeper look at it. As in the main tutorial, we create our class by deriving from plasmascript.Applet. In __init__, we initialize the class. In init() instead, we do all the dirty work of creating the applet and adding the text to it.

First of all, we tell Plasma that this applet has not a way to be configured (self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)). We then set its aspect ratio mode, which is used with regards of resizing, and we set it to square (Plasma.Square). Then, we start adding a background to the applet, using the SVGs provided normally by the Plasma theme. We do so by creating an instance of Plasma.Svg, which we assign to self.theme, and then we set the SVGs that we will use via self.setImagePath. Written like that, it means that the applet will use the standard "background" SVG provided inside the "widgets" directory of our current Plasma theme. We can also use relative paths or absolute paths to SVGs of our choice, should we need them. The setBackgroundHints sets the Plasmoid's background using the default Plasma background (Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground), saving us the time and the effort to do it ourselves.

The third and most important steps deals with creating a layout. It is a bit special, as compared to the standard QLinearLayout seen in Qt (and PyQt), because it is done inside a QGraphicsView, used by Plasma. We want a simple, linear layout, and so we use a QGraphicsLinearLayout, setting it to be horizontal (Qt.Horizontal).

Then, we create a label, a Plasma.Label to be precise. This is a widget that is Plasma-aware, as we have said, and so makes use of all the goodies provided by Plasma (for example, changing text color if we change Plasma theme). We use then the setText method (analogous to the setText method of a normal QLabel) to set our text ("Hello, world!") to the label, and we add it to the layout. Finally, we resize the applet to 125 x 125 pixels.

Once packaged and installed (see [[../ | the main tutorial]]), the Plasmoid will look like this:

[[Image:Helloworld.png|center]]

== Conclusion ==

This brief tutorial shows how to use Plasma widgets with your applet. Aside Plasma.Label, there are many more widgets you can use.

Notice that at the moment you can exclusively add widgets and create layouts "in the code": this means you can't use an application like Qt Designer to create your applet.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/GettingStarted

2009-01-17T15:10:19Z

Einar: Put the link in a good position

== Abstract ==

In this tutorial we'll cover setting up a very simple plasma applet in Python, and how to install it and run it, basically the edit, install, run and debug cycle. To follow this you will need to have KDE 4.2 or later installed, and also the python support for plasma and related dependencies. I'm going to assume that you are using a unix-style operating system such as Linux of *BSD and aren't adverse to the shell.

== Project Structure ==

The first step for any software project is to set up your project's directory on disk. For this tutorial we are going to create a very simple "hello-python" applet. Create a directory on somewhere called <tt>hello-python</tt> which in turn contains a <tt>content</tt> directory which then contains a <tt>code</tt> directory. This command below will do all this.
<code bash>
mkdir -p hello-python/content/code
</code>
This creates a simple directory structure which also matches the package structure expect by the <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command. More on this later.

== Metadata.desktop ==

In the <tt>hello-python</tt> directory create a file called <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> and open it in your text editor. Copy the following code into <tt>metadata.desktop</tt>.

<code ini>
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Hello Python
Name[nl]=Hallo Python
Type=Service
ServiceTypes=Plasma/Applet
Icon=chronometer
X-Plasma-API=python
X-Plasma-MainScript=code/main.py
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=hello-python
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE- PluginInfo-Category=Examples
X-KDE- PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE- PluginInfo-Depends=GPL
X-KDE- PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true
</code>

This <tt>metadata.desktop</tt> file list important information needed by Plasma to load the applet, and also information about what the applet is and who created it. The <tt>Name</tt> field lists the name of the applet. This field can also be listed multiple times as different translations. Here I've just given a Dutch translation of the name. The <tt>[nl]</tt> indicates the language of the field.

The <tt>Type</tt> and <tt>ServiceType</tt> fields identify what kind of thing this desktop file is describing. Here we say that we have a plasma applet.

The <tt>Icon</tt> field gives the name of the icon to associate with this applet. The icon is typically shown in things such as the "Add widget" dialog in Plasma.

The <tt>X-Plasma-API</tt> and <tt>X-Plasma-MainScript</tt> fields are used specifically by Plasma to find the correct script-engine to use when loading and running the applet.

Most of the <tt>X-KDE-PluginInfo-*</tt> fields give extra information about who created the applet. <tt>X-KDE-PluginInfo-Category</tt> lists a category which this applet belongs to. http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Plasma/PIG has a list of acceptable category names.

== Main script ==

Create a file in the <tt>content/code</tt> directory called <tt>main.py</tt>, open it up in your text editor and put this code in it and save it.

<code python>
# <Copyright and license information goes here.>
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloPython(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.resize(125, 125)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

def paintInterface(self, painter, option, rect):
painter.save()
painter.setPen(Qt.white)
painter.drawText(rect, Qt.AlignVCenter | Qt.AlignHCenter, "Hello Python!")
painter.restore()

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloPython(parent)
</code>

This is basically the simplest applet which actually does something. The code starts out with the usual copyright notice and license information which I've actually left out for now.

Next up is a bunch of imports. The Python support in Plasma is an extension of PyQt and PyKDE. So here we pull in a couple of PyQt and PyKDE modules which we will need. There are two plasma related modules which we use. The first, <tt>PyKDE4.plasma</tt>, are the bindings straight on top of the Plasma C++ API. This gives us access to most of the APIs we need, but not all. To create applets which can be packaged and delivered to users across the network via KDE's Get Hot New Stuff (GHNS) framework, we need to use some extra Python specific classes which are in <tt>PyKDE4.plasmascript</tt>.

Now we define our main applet class. This is our Hello Python applet and it must be a subclass of plasma.Applet. In the <tt>__init__()</tt> method we need to make sure that we give the super class constructor a chance to run. Note that it is recommended to put most of the initialisation code inside the <tt>init()</tt> method and not in the <tt>__init__()</tt>. After Plasma has constructed and initialised the applet, Plasma will call the <tt>init()</tt> method on the applet to let it continue setting itself up. Our <tt>init()</tt> method is rather short. We just tell Plasma that we don't have a configuration dialog and we set up the initial size of the applet.

The <tt>paintInterface()</tt> method is where we draw our "Hello Python" message. First we save the state / settings of the given <tt>QPainter</tt> object by calling <tt>save()</tt>. Then we set the color to white and use <tt>drawText()</tt> to draw our message. Finally we call restore() which resets the <tt>QPainter</tt> settings back to how it was when <tt>paintInterface()</tt> was called.

The <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function is needed to create an instance of our applet. When Plasma loads a Python based applet it will expect there to be a <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function which it will call. The task of the <tt>CreateApplet()</tt> function is to create and instance of the applet and pass it back to Plasma.

Aside from this way, you can create applets using specialized Plasma widgets fit for the purpose. You can find how in [[/Alternate_tutorial|this tutorial]]

== Packaging, installing & running ==

Plasma applets can be packaged in zip files and installed using the <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command line tool. The directory structure which we have used for our project matches that need in the zip file. All we have to do is zip it update. Run the following command from inside the hello-python directory.
<code bash>
zip -r ../hello-python.zip .
</code>
This will create the hello-python.zip file in the directory just above the hello-python directory. Go to this directory in the shell and run this <tt>plasmapkg</tt> command to install our little hello-python applet.
<code bash>
plasmapkg -i hello-python.zip
</code>
This installs the applet into your home directory. Now we can run it. When developing applets it is more convenient to use the <tt>plasmoidviewer</tt>. This is a little utility which displays an applet in a window instead of you having to use your desktop. This command below will run our applet.
<code bash>
plasmoidviewer hello-python
</code>
You should now be able to see the fruits of your labor.

To uninstall our applet we use <tt>plasmapkg</tt> again with its -r option.
<code bash>
plasmapkg -r hello-python
</code>

== Conclusion ==

This tutorial covers very basics of developing Plasma applets using Python. Most of the material discussed here is boring but important "boilerplate" stuff which stays mostly the same between every applet project. In future tutorials we can move on to move exciting things than just displaying a single line of static text.

== An alternative approach ==

Aside from the way shown here (e.g. using paintInterface to display your applet), you can create applets using specialized Plasma widgets fit for the purpose. You can find how in [[/Alternate_tutorial|this tutorial]].

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-17T15:07:21Z

Einar: /* The 'main.py' file */

== Abstract ==

Using paintInterface to display applets is powerful, and sometimes even necessary (when you want to display SVG graphics, for example). It is not the only method available to create a Plasmoid, however. Plasma comes with a number of widgets "tailored" for using in Plasmoids. This tutorial will create a very simple "Hello, world!" Plasmoid using this approach.

== Prerequisites ==

Set up your applet directory and create a metadata.desktop file as described in the [[../ | main tutorial]].

== The 'main.py' file ==

Here's how our main.py file will look like:

<code python>
# Copyright stuff
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloWorldApplet(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):

plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):

self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

self.theme = Plasma.Svg(self)
self.theme.setImagePath("widgets/background")
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground)

self.layout = QGraphicsLinearLayout(Qt.Horizontal, self.applet)
label = Plasma.Label(self.applet)
label.setText("Hello world!")
self.layout.addItem(label)
self.resize(125,125)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloWorldApplet(parent)

</code>

Let's take a deeper look at it. As in the main tutorial, we create our class by deriving from plasmascript.Applet. In __init__, we initialize the class. In init() instead, we do all the dirty work of creating the applet and adding the text to it.

First of all, we tell Plasma that this applet has not a way to be configured (self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)). We then set its aspect ratio mode, which is used with regards of resizing, and we set it to square (Plasma.Square). Then, we start adding a background to the applet, using the SVGs provided normally by the Plasma theme. We do so by creating an instance of Plasma.Svg, which we assign to self.theme, and then we set the SVGs that we will use via self.setImagePath. Written like that, it means that the applet will use the standard "background" SVG provided inside the "widgets" directory of our current Plasma theme. We can also use relative paths or absolute paths to SVGs of our choice, should we need them. The setBackgroundHints sets the Plasmoid's background using the default Plasma background (Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground), saving us the time and the effort to do it ourselves.

The third and most important steps deals with creating a layout. It is a bit special, as compared to the standard QLinearLayout seen in Qt (and PyQt), because it is done inside a QGraphicsView, used by Plasma. We want a simple, linear layout, and so we use a QGraphicsLinearLayout, setting it to be horizontal (Qt.Horizontal).

Then, we create a label, a Plasma.Label to be precise. This is a widget that is Plasma-aware, as we have said, and so makes use of all the goodies provided by Plasma (for example, changing text color if we change Plasma theme). We use then the setText method (analogous to the setText method of a normal QLabel) to set our text ("Hello, world!") to the label, and we add it to the layout. Finally, we resize the applet to 125 x 125 pixels.

Once packaged and installed (see [[../ | the main tutorial]]), the Plasmoid will look like this:

[[Image:Helloworld.png|center]]

== Conclusion ==

This brief tutorial shows how to use Plasma widgets with your applet. Aside Plasma.Label, there are many more widgets you can use.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-17T15:06:33Z

Einar: Add conclusions, not very"conclusive", though...

== Abstract ==

Using paintInterface to display applets is powerful, and sometimes even necessary (when you want to display SVG graphics, for example). It is not the only method available to create a Plasmoid, however. Plasma comes with a number of widgets "tailored" for using in Plasmoids. This tutorial will create a very simple "Hello, world!" Plasmoid using this approach.

== Prerequisites ==

Set up your applet directory and create a metadata.desktop file as described in the [[../ | main tutorial]].

== The 'main.py' file ==

Here's how our main.py file will look like:

<code python>
# Copyright stuff
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloWorldApplet(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):

plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):

self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

self.theme = Plasma.Svg(self)
self.theme.setImagePath("widgets/background")
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground)

self.layout = QGraphicsLinearLayout(Qt.Horizontal, self.applet)
label = Plasma.Label(self.applet)
label.setText("Hello world!")
self.layout.addItem(label)
self.resize(125,125)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloWorldApplet(parent)

</code>

Let's take a deeper look at it. As in the main tutorial, we create our class by deriving from plasmascript.Applet. In __init__, we initialize the class. In init() instead, we do all the dirty work of creating the applet and adding the text to it.

First of all, we tell Plasma that this applet has not a way to be configured (self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)). We then set its aspect ratio mode, which is used with regards of resizing, and we set it to square (Plasma.Square). Then, we start adding a background to the applet, using the SVGs provided normally by the Plasma theme. We do so by creating an instance of Plasma.Svg, which we assign to self.theme, and then we set the SVGs that we will use via self.setImagePath. Written like that, it means that the applet will use the standard "background" SVG provided inside the "widgets" directory of our current Plasma theme. We can also use relative paths or absolute paths to SVGs of our choice, should we need them. The setBackgroundHints sets the Plasmoid's background using the default Plasma background (Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground), saving us the time and the effort to do it ourselves.

The third and most important steps deals with creating a layout. It is a bit special, as compared to the standard QLinearLayout seen in Qt (and PyQt), because it is done inside a QGraphicsView, used by Plasma. We want a simple, linear layout, and so we use a QGraphicsLinearLayout.

Then, we create a label, a Plasma.Label to be precise. This is a widget that is Plasma-aware, as we have said, and so makes use of all the goodies provided by Plasma (for example, changing text color if we change Plasma theme). We use then the setText method (analogous to the setText method of a normal QLabel) to set our text ("Hello, world!") to the label, and we add it to the layout. Finally, we resize the applet to 125 x 125 pixels.

Once packaged and installed (see [[../ | the main tutorial]]), the Plasmoid will look like this:

[[Image:Helloworld.png|center]]

== Conclusion ==

This brief tutorial shows how to use Plasma widgets with your applet. Aside Plasma.Label, there are many more widgets you can use.

File:Helloworld.png

2009-01-17T15:02:04Z

Einar: A Hello World plasmoid

A Hello World plasmoid

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-17T15:00:00Z

Einar: Add the bulk fo the stuff

== Abstract ==

Using paintInterface to display applets is powerful, and sometimes even necessary (when you want to display SVG graphics, for example). It is not the only method available to create a Plasmoid, however. Plasma comes with a number of widgets "tailored" for using in Plasmoids. This tutorial will create a very simple "Hello, world!" Plasmoid using this approach.

== Prerequisites ==

Set up your applet directory and create a metadata.desktop file as described in the [[../ | main tutorial]].

== The 'main.py' file ==

Here's how our main.py file will look like:

<code python>
# Copyright stuff
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloWorldApplet(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):

plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):

self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

self.theme = Plasma.Svg(self)
self.theme.setImagePath("widgets/background")
self.setBackgroundHints(Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground)

self.layout = QGraphicsLinearLayout(Qt.Horizontal, self.applet)
label = Plasma.Label(self.applet)
label.setText("Hello world!")
self.layout.addItem(label)
self.resize(125,125)

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloWorldApplet(parent)

</code>

Let's take a deeper look at it. As in the main tutorial, we create our class by deriving from plasmascript.Applet. In __init__, we initialize the class. In init() instead, we do all the dirty work of creating the applet and adding the text to it.

First of all, we tell Plasma that this applet has not a way to be configured (self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)). We then set its aspect ratio mode, which is used with regards of resizing, and we set it to square (Plasma.Square). Then, we start adding a background to the applet, using the SVGs provided normally by the Plasma theme. We do so by creating an instance of Plasma.Svg, which we assign to self.theme, and then we set the SVGs that we will use via self.setImagePath. Written like that, it means that the applet will use the standard "background" SVG provided inside the "widgets" directory of our current Plasma theme. We can also use relative paths or absolute paths to SVGs of our choice, should we need them. The setBackgroundHints sets the Plasmoid's background using the default Plasma background (Plasma.Applet.DefaultBackground), saving us the time and the effort to do it ourselves.

The third and most important steps deals with creating a layout. It is a bit special, as compared to the standard QLinearLayout seen in Qt (and PyQt), because it is done inside a QGraphicsView, used by Plasma. We want a simple, linear layout, and so we use a QGraphicsLinearLayout.

Then, we create a label, a Plasma.Label to be precise. This is a widget that is Plasma-aware, as we have said, and so makes use of all the goodies provided by Plasma (for example, changing text color if we change Plasma theme). We use then the setText method (analogous to the setText method of a normal QLabel) to set our text ("Hello, world!") to the label, and we add it to the layout. Finally, we resize the applet to 125 x 125 pixels.

Once packaged and installed (see [[../ | the main tutorial]]), the Plasmoid will look like this:

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/Using widgets

2009-01-17T14:46:53Z

Einar: First draft

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/GettingStarted

2009-01-17T14:35:49Z

Einar: Link to the alternate tutorial.

== Abstract ==

In this tutorial we'll cover setting up a very simple plasma applet in Python, and how to install it and run it, basically the edit, install, run and debug cycle. To follow this you will need to have KDE 4.2 or later installed, and also the python support for plasma and related dependencies. I'm going to assume that you are using a unix-style operating system such as Linux of *BSD and aren't adverse to the shell.

== Project Structure ==

The first step for any software project is to set up your project's directory on disk. For this tutorial we are going to create a very simple “hello-python” applet. Create a directory on somewhere called “hello-python” which in turn contains a “content” directory which then contains a “code” directory. This command below will do all this.

mkdir -p hello-python/content/code

This creates a simple directory structure which also matches the package structure expect by the “plasmapkg” command. More on this later.

== Metadata.desktop ==

In the “hello-python” directory create a file called “metadata.desktop” and open it in your text editor. Copy the following code into metadata.desktop.

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Hello Python
Name[nl]=Hallo Python
Type=Service
ServiceTypes=Plasma/Applet
Icon=chronometer
X-Plasma-API=python
X-Plasma-MainScript=code/main.py
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Author=Simon Edwards
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Email=simon@simonzone.com
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name=hello-python
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Version=1.0
X-KDE-PluginInfo-Website=http://plasma.kde.org/
X-KDE- PluginInfo-Category=Examples
X-KDE- PluginInfo-Depends=
X-KDE- PluginInfo-Depends=GPL
X-KDE- PluginInfo-EnabledByDefault=true

This “metadata.desktop” file list important information needed by Plasma to load the applet, and also information about what the applet is and who created it. The “Name” field lists the name of the applet. This field can also be listed multiple times as different translations. Here I've just given a Dutch translation of the name. The “[nl]” indicates the language of the field.

The “Type” and “ServiceType” fields identify what kind of thing this desktop file is describing. Here we say that we have a plasma applet.

The “Icon” field gives the name of the icon to associate with this applet. The icon is typically shown in things such as the “Add widget” dialog in Plasma.

The “X-Plasma-API” and “X-Plasma-MainScript” fields are used specifically by Plasma to find the correct script-engine to use when loading and running the applet.

Most of the “X-KDE-PluginInfo-*” fields give extra information about who created the applet. “X-KDE- PluginInfo-Category” lists a category which this applet belong to. http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Plasma/PIG has a list of acceptable category names.

== Main script ==

Create a file in the content/code called main.py, open it up in your text editor and put this code in it and save it.

# <Copyright and license information goes here.>
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from PyQt4.QtGui import *
from PyKDE4.plasma import Plasma
from PyKDE4 import plasmascript

class HelloPython(plasmascript.Applet):
def __init__(self,parent,args=None):
plasmascript.Applet.__init__(self,parent)

def init(self):
self.setHasConfigurationInterface(False)
self.resize(125, 125)
self.setAspectRatioMode(Plasma.Square)

def paintInterface(self, painter, option, rect):
painter.save()
painter.setPen(Qt.white)
painter.drawText(rect, Qt.AlignVCenter | Qt.AlignHCenter, "Hello Python!")
painter.restore()

def CreateApplet(parent):
return HelloPython(parent)

This is basically the simplest applet which actually does something. The code starts out with the usual copyright notice and license information which I've actually left out for now.

Next up is a bunch of imports. The Python support in Plasma is an extension of PyQt and PyKDE. So here we pull in a couple of PyQt and PyKDE modules which we will need. There are two plasma related modules which we use. The first, PyKDE4.plasma, are the bindings straight on top of the Plasma C++ API. This gives us access to most of the APIs we need, but not all. To create applets which can be packaged and delivered to users across the network via KDE's Get Hot New Stuff (GHNS) framework, we need to use some extra Python specific classes which are in PyKDE4.plasmascript.

Now we define our main applet class. This is our Hello Python applet and it must be a subclass of plasmascript.Applet. In the __init__() method we need to make sure that we give the super class constructor a chance to run. Note that it is recommended to put most of the initialisation code inside the init() method and not in the __init__(). After Plasma has constructed and initialised the applet, Plasma will call the init() method on the applet to let it continue setting itself up. Our init() method is rather short. We just tell Plasma that we don't have a configuration dialog and we set up the initial size of the applet.

The paintInterface() method is where we draw our “Hello Python” message. First we save the state / settings of the given QPainter object by calling save(). Then we set the color to white and use drawText() to draw our message. Finally we call restore() which resets the Qpainter settings back to how it was when paintInterface() was called.

The CreateApplet() function is needed to create an instance of our applet. When Plasma loads a Python based applet it will expect there to be a CreateApplet() function which it will call. The task of the CreateApplet() function is to create and instance of the applet and pass it back to Plasma.

Aside from this way, you can create applets using specialized Plasma widgets fit for the purpose. You can find how in [[/Alternate_tutorial|this tutorial]]

== Packaging, installing & running ==

Plasma applets can be packaged in zip files and installed using the “plasmapkg” command line tool. The directory structure which we have used for our project matches that need in the zip file. All we have to do is zip it update. Run the following command from inside the hello-python directory.

zip -r ../hello-python.zip .

This will create the hello-python.zip file in the directory just above the hello-python directory. Go to this directory in the shell and run this plasmapkg command to install our little hello-python applet.

plasmapkg -i hello-python.zip

This installs the applet into your home directory. Now we can run it. When developing applets it is more convenient to use the “plasmoidviewer”. This is a little utility which displays an applet in a window instead of you having to use your desktop. This command below will run our applet.

plasmoidviewer hello-python

You should now be able to see the fruits of your labor.

To uninstall our applet we use plasmapkg again with its -r option.

plasmapkg -r hello-python

== Conclusion ==

This tutorial covers very basics of developing Plasma applets using Python. Most of the material discussed here is boring but important “boilerplate” stuff which stays mostly the same between every applet project. In future tutorials we can move on to move exciting things than just displaying a single line of static text.

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/GettingStarted

2009-01-17T14:31:57Z

Einar: s/plasma.Applet/plasmascript.Applet/g

Development/Tutorials/Plasma/Python/GettingStarted

2009-01-17T14:13:05Z

Einar: Create the page

== Abstract ==

This tutorial will show how to create a simple Plasmoid, using two different approaches:

* A simpler approach, if somewhat limited
* A more complex approach which gives more control, and is required for the use of SVG graphics in your Plasmoids.

To perform this tutorial, you will need KDE 4.2 or later and PyKDE.

== Approach 1: "Hello, World!" ==

Development/Tutorials/Plasma

2009-01-17T14:06:41Z

Einar: Add the link to a (future) Python scripting page

;[[/GettingStarted|Getting Started With Plasmoids]]
:''Creating your first plasmoid in C++ with SVG background, icon and text''

;[[/GettingStarted/Python|Plasma with Python: a simple Plasmoid]]
:''Creating your first plasmoid in Python''

;[[/DataEngines|Writing a DataEngine]]
:''DataEngines provide a standardized interface to various data sources for visualizations to use. Learn what a DataEngine is and how to write one of your own.''

;[http://www.kdedevelopers.org/node/3247 Video tutorial]
:Video and slides from a presentation on libplasma (link to Slides broken)

;[[/Theme|Creating a Plasma Theme]]
:''Guide to creating your first Plasma theme''

;[[/UsingExtenders|How to use extenders in your Plasmoid]]
:''A simple example that shows how to use extenders in a Plasmoid.''

Resources:

* http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Plasma
* [http://api.kde.org/4.x-api/kdelibs-apidocs/plasma/html/index.html Plasma api documentation]
* The [https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/plasma-devel plasma-devel mailing list] and #plasma on IRC (irc.freenode.org).

TODO:

* '''tutorials for other languages''' (JavaScript, Python, etc...)

Getting Started/Using Project Neon to contribute to KDE

2009-01-05T20:05:41Z

Einar: Factory does not refer to the unstable repositories in openSUSE

[https://edge.launchpad.net/project-neon Project Neon] is a nightly build of the latest KDE trunk. It is an easy way for new contributors to KDE to get started without having to build the entire KDE-SVN tree and maintain the checkout. Additionally, dependencies are automatically handled and updated. This is suitable for new developers, translators, usability designers, documenters, promoters, bug triagers etc. This process makes the steps detailed on [[Getting_Started/Build/KDE4|this page]], including changes to your [[Getting_Started/Increased_Productivity_in_KDE4_with_Scripts/.bashrc|.bashrc]] unnecessary.

However, for developers, it may at some point become necessary to build more components from SVN as you become more involved in the project. The [[Getting_Started/Build/KDE4/kdesvn-build|kdesvn-build]] script is an easy way to build all or parts of KDE SVN.

== Requirements ==

Project neon always requires the latest stable Kubuntu release. As of January 2009, that is version 8.10. Previous versions of Kubuntu are not supported. It is possible to port Project Neon to other distributions, though there are currently no maintainers for other distributions working on the project. OpenSuse provides their own weekly build of KDE trunk. Find instructions on how to use it [[Getting Started/Using OpenSuse KDE unstable packages for development|here]].

== Installing Project Neon ==

To use Project Neon, add the following PPA (Personal Package Archive) to your sources.list using your preferred method:

<code bash>
# Project neon nightly KDE4 build
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/project-neon/ubuntu intrepid main
</code>

After that, you can simply install the nightly package of whichever modules you want to work on. The following packages are available:

kde-nightly-kdebase
kde-nightly-kdeplasma-addons
kde-nightly-kdepim
kde-nightly-kdeedu
kde-nightly-kdenetwork
kde-nightly-kdeutils
kde-nightly-kdegraphics
kde-nightly-kdemultimedia

You can install all of the packages or just the ones you are interested in, depending on what you want to use them for. For example if you want to install the latest KDE Workspace (plasma, kwin etc), install the kde-nightly-kdebase package and kde-nightly-kdeplasma-addons package for extra plasmoids.

<code bash>
sudo aptitude install kde-nightly-kdebase kde-nightly-kdeplasma-addons
</code>

If you are only interested in application development in another module, you can install just the module package.

<code bash>
sudo aptitude install kde-nightly-kdepim
</code>

That command will also install the kdelibs, kdepimlibs and other dependencies too. In your regular (stable) kde session you can then run the nightly version of your chosen application by using the full path from the command line.

<code bash>
/opt/kde-nightly/bin/kmail
</code>

This will correctly use the nightly version of libraries instead of using the stable versions, so no other changes are necessary to your library path etc.

Alternatively, instead of using the full path to the executable, you could add the following to your .bashrc

<code bash>
_STABLE_PATH=$PATH
function switchtonightly {
export PATH=/opt/kde-nightly/bin:$_STABLE_PATH
}

function switchtostable {
export PATH=$_STABLE_PATH
}
</code>

This will allow you to optionally run unstable applications when you choose to in your session.

<code bash>
# Runs the stable version of kmail
kmail
switchtonightly
# runs the nightly version of kmail
kmail
# runs the nightly version of knode
knode
switchtostable
# runs the stable version of kmail
kmail
</code>

Note that settings for applications that you run from project neon do not conflict with your regular application settings and data. <tt>.kde-neon/</tt> is used instead of <tt>.kde/</tt>

== Using Project Neon for development ==

If you are joining one of the development teams in KDE, you will need a real svn checkout in order to contribute your code back to the project and create patches easily.

Some extra tools (neonmake) are provided for this purpose in the package amarok-nightly-tools. The packages come with development headers and debugging symbols built in.

<code bash>
sudo aptitude install amarok-nightly-tools
</code>

If you are already using a nightly package of the module you want to develop for, you should remove that, and checkout the development version. For example:

<code bash>
# Remove the packaged nightly version
sudo aptitude purge kde-nightly-kdepim
# Get the dependencies for building kdepim
sudo apt-get build-deps kde-nightly-kdepim
cd ~
# You may choose to do your development in a different folder.
cd Development
# Gets the latest version of the kdepim module.
svn co svn://anonsvn.kde.org/home/kde/trunk/KDE/kdepim
# Shortcut provided by Project Neon to make the module
# and install it to the prefix /opt/kde-nightly/
neonmake
</code>

Note that you should usually checkout a module from kde, not an application. Most modules contain libraries shared within the module and which are necessary to build the applications in the module.

Also of note is the neonmake command. This is a shortcut which temporarily sets some environment variables like the LD_LIBRARY_PATH, the install prefix etc, then runs the equivalent of <tt>cmake && make && make install</tt>. It also runs rpath to configure the executable file to use the nightly libraries.

== Using Project Neon for translation ==

The Project Neon nightly packages include English language strings only. Translated packages are not available. However, if you are translating KDE applications, you can install the translations from KDE SVN in your normal workflow.

<code bash>
cd ~
cd Translations
# The -N switch checks out only the top level directory from svn.
svn co -N svn://anonsvn.kde.org/home/kde/trunk/l10n-kde4
cd l10n-kde4
# scripts neccessary to build translations.
svn co scripts
# Get the german translations
svn up de
# Generate the build files for the German language pack
./scripts/autogen.sh de
neonmake
</code>

After building the translations it is possible to either change the language in system settings, or run applications in another language using the environment variable KDE_LANG.

<code bash>
switchtonightly
KDE_LANG=de kmail
switchtostable
</code>

== Using Project Neon for documentation ==

The Project Neon nightly source packages include the offical KDE User Documentation in English.

TODO: How to build user docs from svn.

== Using Project Neon for promotion ==

If you are creating screenshots or screencasts of the latest version of KDE, project Neon is a simple and fast way of getting a default KDE4 session.

The KDE Promotion team recommends using the default background, theme, icons etc when preparing offical promotional materials (unless the feature you are showing is related to configuring KDE artwork). Project Neon uses the default artwork that comes with KDE4, so it is useful for creating promo materials.

Here is a shortcut to get all available modules from the PPA:

<code bash>
sudo aptitude install kde-nightly-kdebase kde-nightly-kdeplasma-addons \
kde-nightly-kdepim kde-nightly-kdeedu kde-nightly-kdenetwork \
kde-nightly-kdeutils kde-nightly-kdegraphics kde-nightly-kdemultimedia
</code>

The application [http://ariya.blogspot.com/2008/06/creating-fancy-screenshots-with.html screenie] is provided in Kubuntu 8.10 as <tt>screenie-qt</tt>.

<code bash>
sudo aptitude install screenie-qt
</code>

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:21:52Z

Einar: Kickoff/classic switching

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog]. Aikurn has also made [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrouuYxGu3E an annotated video.]

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X on the applet handle will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How do I switch between Kickoff and the old style menu?====

Right click on the menu icon and select "Switch to Classic Menu Style" (if using Kickoff) or "Switch to Kickoff Menu Style" (if using the classic menu). Alternatively, you can add either type of menu using the Add Applets dialog.

Aikurn has [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6X50EwaFe8 a video] showing how to switch between the different styles.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to add activities and move between them.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!
* '''Aikurn''' - Excellent videos!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:17:37Z

Einar: /* Thanks */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog]. Aikurn has also made [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrouuYxGu3E an annotated video.]

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X on the applet handle will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to add activities and move between them.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!
* '''Aikurn''' - Excellent videos!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:14:13Z

Einar: Videos!

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog]. Aikurn has also made [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrouuYxGu3E an annotated video.]

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X on the applet handle will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to add activities and move between them.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:11:08Z

Einar: More video linkage

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog]. Aikurn has also made [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrouuYxGu3E an annotated video.]

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X on the applet handle will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:06:57Z

Einar: Naming consistency

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X on the applet handle will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:06:02Z

Einar: /* How can I change the height and the size of the panel? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-20T09:05:38Z

Einar: Add video link

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA This video] shows how to configure and move a panel.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-19T20:25:12Z

Einar: /* How does the ZUI work? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img28.picoodle.com/img/img28/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_31fc46d.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-19T20:16:41Z

Einar: Credit where it's due

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img26.picoodle.com/img/img26/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_c0b65ca.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!
* '''Half-Left''' - great example of ZUI usage!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-19T20:14:47Z

Einar: Add image, thanks Half-Left

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

A very good example of this behavior is shown [http://img26.picoodle.com/img/img26/4/7/19/f_DesktopZoomm_c0b65ca.png by this image] courtesy of Half-Left from #kde on freenode.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-18T20:15:19Z

Einar: /* How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-18T20:11:49Z

Einar: Add information on moving, rotating and resizing applets

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How do I move, rotate or resize an applet on the desktop?====

First of all, hover over the applet you want to resize. The ''applet handle'' will appear.

[[Image:handle.png|left|Example of applet handle]]

The applet handle takes care of resize, rotate and move.

* ''To move an applet'': Click on the handle, then drag the applet around.
* ''To rotate an applet'': Click on the curved arrow then drag to rotate
* ''To resize an applet'': Click on the square icon and then drag to resize the applet. You can constrain the resize operation to the applet's aspect ratio by holding down the Ctrl key.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

File:Handle.png

2008-07-18T20:06:13Z

Einar:

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-16T10:13:36Z

Einar: Add information on workarounds for NVIDIA

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA. [[User:Lemma/GPU-Performance | This page]] contains a few suggestions on how to improve performance until an updated driver is released.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-14T17:23:51Z

Einar: Radeon and EXA

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

====Folder View and other plasmoids look badly rendered with an ATI video card and the open source radeon driver. ====

To work around this issue, you have to change the 2D acceleration method from XAA (X Acceleration Architecture) to the newer EXA. As this involves editing your xorg.conf file, bear in mind that such a modification may damage your system. ''Do it at your own risk.''

To make the switch, edit your xorg.conf file (make a backup just in case) and locate the Device section for your graphics card. Add the line

Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"

before the "EndSection" line. If there is already a line with AccelMethod, change it from XAA to EXA. Save the file and restart the X server.

Notice that EXA is still marked as unstable, and that some other applications such as some KDE3 programs may render incorrectly.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

User:Aikurn/Screencast coordination

2008-07-13T18:05:30Z

Einar: /* Planned */

This is a list of existing and planned videos for KDE 4. Feel free to edit it.

== Published ==

This videos are available at the link provided.

==== How to change Plasma Theme ====
Changing your Plasma Theme and getting new themes from the Internet using the Get Hot New Stuff feature.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1269897 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Switching between Kickoff and Classic Menu ====
A simple video showing how to switch from Kickoff to the Classic Menu style, and a brief look at Launcher Settings.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Original Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1310200 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Plasma ZUI ====
A small video showing off how (in principle) the ZUI can be used.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

==== Populating a sidebar panel ====
A small video showing how a side bar panel can be created and populated with some applets.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPeFSDdt2PY YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

==== Moving and resizing panels ====

A screencast showing how to resize the panel and how to move it around the screen.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmpv-S5JJI4 YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

== Planned ==

* Creating a folderview and editing a document (also showing network resources in this folderview maybe)
**Working on it. [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* Switching on Composite, showing some effects
* Using krunner for different jobs
* Using kickoff (favorites, frequently used files)
* Adding applets (both methods from the FAQ) and moving them on the panel. Also remove applets
* Show special features of Plasma like dragging images and have them become Photo Frames

User:Aikurn/Screencast coordination

2008-07-13T18:05:07Z

Einar: More movies

This is a list of existing and planned videos for KDE 4. Feel free to edit it.

== Published ==

This videos are available at the link provided.

==== How to change Plasma Theme ====
Changing your Plasma Theme and getting new themes from the Internet using the Get Hot New Stuff feature.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1269897 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Switching between Kickoff and Classic Menu ====
A simple video showing how to switch from Kickoff to the Classic Menu style, and a brief look at Launcher Settings.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Original Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1310200 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Plasma ZUI ====
A small video showing off how (in principle) the ZUI can be used.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

==== Populating a sidebar panel ====
A small video showing how a side bar panel can be created and populated with some applets.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPeFSDdt2PY YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

==== Moving and resizing panels ====

A screencast showing how to resize the panel and how to move it around the screen.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmpv-S5JJI4 YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

== Planned ==

* Creating a folderview and editing a document (also showing network resources in this folderview maybe)
**Working on it. [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* Switching on Composite, showing some effects
* Using krunner for different jobs
* Using kickoff (favorites, frequently used files)
* Resizing the panel
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Adding applets (both methods from the FAQ) and moving them on the panel. Also remove applets
* Moving panel to different locations
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Show special features of Plasma like dragging images and have them become Photo Frames

User:Aikurn/Screencast coordination

2008-07-13T11:11:35Z

Einar: /* Planned */

This is a list of existing and planned videos for KDE 4. Feel free to edit it.

== Published ==

This videos are available at the link provided.

==== How to change Plasma Theme ====
Changing your Plasma Theme and getting new themes from the Internet using the Get Hot New Stuff feature.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1269897 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Switching between Kickoff and Classic Menu ====
A simple video showing how to switch from Kickoff to the Classic Menu style, and a brief look at Launcher Settings.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Original Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1310200 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Plasma ZUI ====
A small video showing off how (in principle) the ZUI can be used.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

==== Populating a sidebar panel ====
A small video showing how a side bar panel can be created and populated with some applets.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPeFSDdt2PY YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

== Planned ==

* Creating a folderview and editing a document (also showing network resources in this folderview maybe)
**Working on it. [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* Switching on Composite, showing some effects
* Using krunner for different jobs
* Using kickoff (favorites, frequently used files)
* Resizing the panel
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Adding applets (both methods from the FAQ) and moving them on the panel. Also remove applets
* Moving panel to different locations
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Show special features of Plasma like dragging images and have them become Photo Frames

User:Aikurn/Screencast coordination

2008-07-13T11:11:12Z

Einar: New movie!

This is a list of existing and planned videos for KDE 4. Feel free to edit it.

== Published ==

This videos are available at the link provided.

==== How to change Plasma Theme ====
Changing your Plasma Theme and getting new themes from the Internet using the Get Hot New Stuff feature.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1269897 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Switching between Kickoff and Classic Menu ====
A simple video showing how to switch from Kickoff to the Classic Menu style, and a brief look at Launcher Settings.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Original Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1310200 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Plasma ZUI ====
A small video showing off how (in principle) the ZUI can be used.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

==== Populating a sidebar panel ====
A small video showing how a side bar panel can be created and populated with some applets.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPeFSDdt2PY YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

== Planned ==

* Creating a folderview and editing a document (also showing network resources in this folderview maybe)
**Working on it. [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* Creating and filling a sidebar panel with applets
** Attempting, need to find a PC without NVIDIA card. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Switching on Composite, showing some effects
* Using krunner for different jobs
* Using kickoff (favorites, frequently used files)
* Resizing the panel
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Adding applets (both methods from the FAQ) and moving them on the panel. Also remove applets
* Moving panel to different locations
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Show special features of Plasma like dragging images and have them become Photo Frames

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-12T17:01:26Z

Einar: Forgot the panel controller for locking widgets, whoops

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner or from the panel controller.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-12T16:49:44Z

Einar: /* What are the "cashews"? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====Please provide an option to disable the upper right cashew. ====

Although putting an option to disable the cashew for desktops sounds reasonable, from a coding point of view it would introduce unnecessary complexity and would break the design. What has been suggested is, since the destkop itself (a containment) is handled by plugins, to write a plugin that would draw the desktop without the cashew itself. Currently some work ("blank desktop" plugin) is already present in KDE SVN. With containment type switching expected by KDE 4.2, it is not unreasonable to see alternative desktop types developed by then.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Settings") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

User:Aikurn/Screencast coordination

2008-07-12T16:31:35Z

Einar: Add my stuff.

This is a list of existing and planned videos for KDE 4. Feel free to edit it.

== Published ==

This videos are available at the link provided.

==== How to change Plasma Theme ====
Changing your Plasma Theme and getting new themes from the Internet using the Get Hot New Stuff feature.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1269897 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Switching between Kickoff and Classic Menu ====
A simple video showing how to switch from Kickoff to the Classic Menu style, and a brief look at Launcher Settings.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Original Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* '''Link:''' [http://www.vimeo.com/1310200 Vimeo (Flash)]

==== Plasma ZUI ====
A small video showing off how (in principle) the ZUI can be used.

* '''Version:''' 4.1
* '''Format:''' OGG
* '''Author:''' Luca Beltrame
* '''Link:''' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhODrJkoidA YouTube (with annotations) (Flash)]

== Planned ==

* Creating a folderview and editing a document (also showing network resources in this folderview maybe)
**Working on it. [[User:Aikurn|Aikurn]]
* Creating and filling a sidebar panel with applets
** Attempting, need to find a PC without NVIDIA card. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Switching on Composite, showing some effects
* Using krunner for different jobs
* Using kickoff (favorites, frequently used files)
* Resizing the panel
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Adding applets (both methods from the FAQ) and moving them on the panel. Also remove applets
* Moving panel to different locations
** Planned. [[User:Einar|Einar]]
* Show special features of Plasma like dragging images and have them become Photo Frames

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-07T07:02:32Z

Einar: Clarification on icons on desktop

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. Notice that dragging on the desktop will not actually create a file there, just a link to it.

To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Options") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-07T07:00:29Z

Einar: More linkies

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Options") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action]. Another one is available [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/its-confirmed-widgets-can-be-moved/ on Aikurn's blog].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-07T06:58:14Z

Einar: Add a link to show how to modify a theme

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Options") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

Step by step instructions (including screenshots) [http://aikurn.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/itty-bitty-tip-how-to-change-the-plasma-theme/ are available on Aikurn's blog].

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-06T21:14:58Z

Einar: Updated for video link

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel. This is also shown briefly on a video on [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ Lydia Pintscher's blog].

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Options") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-07-06T21:13:57Z

Einar: Updated for applet moving

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Just before KDE 4.1 RC1, a change has been introduced in Plasma to allow movement of the applets on the panel. To do so, open up the panel controller (by clicking on the cashew or by right clicking on the panel and selecting "Panel Options") and hover the mouse cursor over the applets. Its shape will turn into four arrows, and you'll be able to rearrange the applets as you wish.

Lydia Pintscher's blog has a [http://blog.lydiapintscher.de/2008/07/05/move-your-applets-freely/ video showing movement in action].

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Talk:Schedules/Is KDE 4.1 for you?

2008-06-29T10:02:04Z

Einar:

It appears to me that some of what was said is too political.

The simple truth is that the Plasma project is late, very late. I presume that users know that this happens with software projects and would understand this explanation much easier than political rhetoric that tries to put the best face on a bad situation.

--[[User:JRT|JRT]] 00:51, 29 June 2008 (CEST)

>KDE 4.2 is currently scheduled for release in February 2009.

My first thought is whether any of these missing features are going to be added before then.

--[[User:JRT|JRT]] 00:57, 29 June 2008 (CEST)

Hello! Since I've been working on [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ|the Plasma FAQ]], which covers more or less part of what it's being written here, I think that the content of this page should be somehow merged (or made complementary) to the FAQ, so that we avoid duplication of effort. Opinions?

--[[User:Einar|Einar]] 12:01, 29 June 2008 (CEST)

Talk:Schedules/Is KDE 4.1 for you?

2008-06-29T10:01:45Z

Einar: These information should be integrated/complemented with the Plasma FAQ

It appears to me that some of what was said is too political.

The simple truth is that the Plasma project is late, very late. I presume that users know that this happens with software projects and would understand this explanation much easier than political rhetoric that tries to put the best face on a bad situation.

--[[User:JRT|JRT]] 00:51, 29 June 2008 (CEST)

>KDE 4.2 is currently scheduled for release in February 2009.

My first thought is whether any of these missing features are going to be added before then.

--[[User:JRT|JRT]] 00:57, 29 June 2008 (CEST)

Hello! Since I've been working on [Projects/Plasma/FAQ|the Plasma FAQ]], which covers more or less part of what it's being written here, I think that the content of this page should be somehow merged (or made complementary) to the FAQ, so that we avoid duplication of effort. Opinions?

--[[User:Einar|Einar]] 12:01, 29 June 2008 (CEST)

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:58:19Z

Einar: /* Thanks */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

* '''Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James''' - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
* '''Marco Martin''' - thanks for the information on panels!
* '''Sebas''' - thanks for letting me use information from your blog entries!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:55:23Z

Einar: Add KRunner explanation

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

KRunner is the versatile mini-command line you can activate by pushing "Alt-F2" or by selecting "Run Command" from the desktop contextual menu. It can search for applications, bookmarks, even sessions basing on your input, show system activity and even do simple arithmetic calculations.

KRunner's functionality can be extended through the use of plugins ("runners").

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:46:58Z

Einar: /* How can I change the height and the size of the panel? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew (or on the red X) to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:46:29Z

Einar: /* How can I remove a panel? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel". Alternatively you can right click on the panel itself and choose "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:45:52Z

Einar: Update more stuff

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

''Method 1'': Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets". The same option is available if you right-click on the panel.

''Method 2'': Select "Lock Widgets" from the Plasma cashew on the upper right corner.

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:44:18Z

Einar: /* How can I add applets to the panel? */

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma cashew (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:43:38Z

Einar: Folder view applet description

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

The Folder View applet, like its name says, is used to display items (folders, files) from a directory. Such a directory can be either a local one residing on your computer, but also a remote FTP, SSH, or SMB share. In the future, it will even contain results from Nepomuk searches and tagging.

You can choose to view either all files, or filter for specific patterns using regular expressions (there is discussion on using filters based on file types for future versions of KDE).

This applet also supports basic file management properties (moving, copying, cutting and pasting for example), and you can have as many as you want on your desktop.

In KDE 4.2 you will be also able to use the Folder View as your desktop, replicating the "old style" paradigm.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:37:28Z

Einar: Add folder view question

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What is the Folder View applet?====

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:35:34Z

Einar: Update NVIDIA slowness issue

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I experience extreme slowness when using Plasma with the NVIDIA binary driver. ====

This is NVIDIA's fault entirely, due to their driver not supporting correctly the XRender X11 extension, and it also affects other parts of KDE such as Konsole. See [http://vizzzion.org/?blogentry=820 this blog entry] on how to report issues upstream to NVIDIA.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:31:17Z

Einar: Old issue, get in a new one

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications show wrong system tray icon sizes. ====

That is unfortunately a problem in the Freedesktop.org system tray specification, which does not define the sizes for system tray icons properly.

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:26:29Z

Einar: One-word answers are BAD, BAD I tell you!

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes. Right click on your current desktop, select "Desktop Settings" and you will find an option to change the theme in the dialog that will appear. You can also download new themes directly from there.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-29T08:23:47Z

Einar: Update shortcuts

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl- -
* Zoom in: Ctrl- = or Ctrl-+
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-P
* Add activity: Shift-Ctrl-A
* Next activity: Shift-Ctrl-N
* Previous activity: Shift-Ctrl-P
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-01T10:36:56Z

Einar: Add more stuff

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

''Note: The information presented here covers Plasma in KDE 4.1. For older versions you can turn to the [[Projects/Plasma/FAQ/4.0|KDE 4.0 specific page]]''

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar: basically, they are small applications that live on the desktop. Plasmoids can be grouped together in "containers" called containments. On a default desktop, there are two main elements: the Panel and the desktop itself. Both are containments in the Plasma sense.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in heavy development and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma is much younger. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function.

====I heard there are no more icons on the desktop in KDE 4.1...====

That is not entirely correct. You can have icons and launchers (shortcuts) by dragging them from Dolphin or the K-menu. What has changed is that the desktop will no longer display the contents of the Desktop folder.
However, you can show an arbitrary number of folders (local or remote) on your desktop view, instead of being forced to display only the contents of the "Desktop" folder. To do so, a new applet has been introduced, the Folder View applet.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu.
If you don't like it, the traditional K-menu is available as well. Also, some alternative menu systems have been announced (Lancelot, Raptor), but at the time of writing they're still in development.

====What is KRunner?====

TODO

====What are the "cashews"?====

What is commonly referred as "cashew" is the Plasma logo you can find on the default desktop, on the upper right corner, and on the panel, on the right hand side. By clicking on them, you can access other configuration options, such as panel configuration and the Zooming User Interface (ZUI).
Some of these, like the panel cashew, only appear if the widgets aren't locked (see below).

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time, although significant improvements have been made in KDE 4.1, this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. To display the contents of your Desktop folder, or any other folder, use the Folder View applet.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

''Method 1'': Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel.

''Method 2'': Drag an applet from the desktop to the panel.

====Can I move the applets on the panel?====

Due to time constraints, it was not possible to add support for moving applets on the panel. It almost certainly will be in for KDE 4.2.

====How can I change the height and the size of the panel?====

Click on the panel cashew (the small icon on the right side of the panel), then click and drag, adjusting panel size and position to your choosing. Click again on the cashew to close the panel configuration interface.

====How can I remove a panel?====

Click on the panel cashew and select "Remove this Panel".

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====

Yes, Plasma can use OS X's widgets, but only the HTML ones.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I add/remove an activity?====

''Adding an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view by clicking on the desktop view cashew (the icon in the top right corner) and selecting ''Zoom out''. Hovering again on the cashew will show a new button, "Add Activity". Click on it to create a new desktop view.

''Removing an activity'': Zoom out from your current desktop view, make sure it's not the current activity (otherwise select another one), then right-click on the activity you want to remove and choose the appropriate option.

====Are there any keyboard shortcuts for Plasma?====

In addition to the mouse, there is a number of shortcuts available:

* Add widgets: Ctrl-A
* Lock widgets: Ctrl-L
* Zoom out: Ctrl--
* Zoom in: Ctrl-=
* Next applet: Ctrl-N
* Previous applet: Ctrl-p
* Next containment: Ctrl-]
* Previous containment: Ctrl-[
* Applet settings: Ctrl-S
* Containment settings: Shift-Ctrl-S
* Remove applet: Ctrl-R

Unfortunately, changing these shortcuts is not possible in KDE 4.1, but it is planned for KDE 4.2.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Yes.

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.
* '''Activity''': An organized group of widgets and an associated desktop view. Users can have an arbitrary number of activities.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!
Marco Martin - thanks for the information on panels!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-06-01T10:31:36Z

Einar: Start the integration of information from sebas' blog entry

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-05-24T07:48:05Z

Einar: Large rework and update for KDE 4.1. Old 4.0 page is still available.

Talk:Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-05-22T06:43:29Z

Einar: /* Moving plasmoids on panel */

"Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the user interface;"

this statement is misleading. it makes it sound like plasma controls the windows too. perhaps s/user/desktop/ ?

--[[User:Chani|Chani]] 07:55, 15 January 2008 (CET)

You are probably right. I will fix it after I get home from work.

--[[User:Einar|Einar]] 08:56, 15 January 2008 (CET)

also, the plasmoid/widget/applet terminology could be confusing. maybe we could clean this up, as well as mentioning superkaramba widgets, not just osx ones.

oh, and does that TODO stuff on the page belong in this discussion page? I'm not very familiar with wiki conventions.

--[[User:Chani|Chani]] 09:42, 15 January 2008 (CET)

I put in the TODOs because I didn't expect this page to get linked in the Visual Guide from the 4.0 announcement. I was planning to insert the details in but I had a lot of commitments in the way. Now that I have some time, I think I'll rework the questions, perhaps adding specific ones for the terminology. And on that aspect, what is your (and other people who work on Plasma) on this? Which term do you often use for those? I'd like to use a "developer-approved" term. Perhaps I'll ping Aaron after the release party...

--[[User:Einar|Einar]] 10:40, 15 January 2008 (CET)

eep! I didn't know it was linked to from anywhere. *hides*
I was thinking of reorganising the 'general' questions a bit more: maybe one section for philsophical questions and 'this sucks' rebuttals, a different section for 'how do I...' type questions.

as for terminology: 'applet' is the name of a class, and mostly a developer term. 'plasmoid' is a native plasma widget. 'widget' is something that can be added to plasma (hence the appletbrowser being renamed 'add widgets'): it could be a plasmoid *or* something from superkaramba or osx. I think we're going to need a glossary :P remember that most users often get mixed up just by the terms "panel", "taskbar" and "systray". I couldn't keep them straight myself until I started working on plasma.

--[[User:Chani|Chani]] 11:04, 15 January 2008 (CET)

I did a bunch of changes trying to improve the questions and removed some FIXMEs. However in some places it shows that English is not my primary language - some help in rewording would be appreciated.

--[[User:Einar|Einar]] 12:13, 17 January 2008 (CET)

== Moving plasmoids on panel ==

How can I move plasmoids which are inside a panel? And can I move them at all?..
I have googled this, but there was nothing meaningful...

AFAIK, this is not yet possible, and this is a good question, I'll turn it to the Plasma developers and collect their input, and put the results on the FAQ

--[[User:Einar|Einar]] 08:43, 22 May 2008 (CEST)

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-02-21T11:33:55Z

Einar: Remove the Improve template, now the document is in pretty good shape

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar. Widgets can be grouped together in "containers" called containments.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in its infancy (it's brand new, after all) and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma had about 18 months to get to its current status. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function. That said, you can have icons on the desktop in Plasma.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu in KDE 4.0. However, this does not mean that there aren't alternatives: projects such as the aforementioned Raptor or Lancelot are being actively developed. There is also a "traditional" K-menu available.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time of writing this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. There is also legacy support for the existing Desktop folders, which means that the contents of your existing Desktop folder will be automatically displayed.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel. It should embed gracefully. If it doesn't, there is probably some bug in the widget itself.

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====
There is some code in place already, however as widgets rely on WebKit, it won't be available until Qt 4.4 (which incorporates it), and therefore unlikely before KDE 4.1.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I change the height of the panel?====

In KDE 4.1 and later you just need to right-click on the Panel, select "Panel Settings" and then choose whatever size you would like to have.

In KDE 4.0.2 you are able to change the height by editing a configuration file by hand. A graphical option could not be introduced due to some restrictions in effect for 4.0.x releases (namely, the feature freeze and the string freeze, the latter not allowing new translatable strings to be added).

''Notice'': Plasma must not be running when you attempt this, otherwise it will overwrite your settings. So, first of all, quit plasma:

kquitapp plasma

As a second step, open $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc with a text editor of your choice. Locate the line which says "plugin=panel" and add a line with the preferred height of the panel in pixels (e.g., size=24 will give a panel 24 pixels high). Save the modified file and start Plasma again.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Not yet, but it is planned for the future.

====I still want to change the theme! What do I do?====

First of all, obtain a theme (kde-look.org is a good place to look). The second, important point is that Plasma '''must not be running''' when you make the modifications or they will be overwritten. So you must quit it before with:

kquitapp plasma

Notice that doing so will also kill the desktop until Plasma is restarted, so keep a terminal window (for example Konsole) open while you do the editing in order to restart Plasma after you're done. Then, create the $KDEHOME/share/apps/desktoptheme (where $KDEHOME is the name of your .kde or .kde4 directory, depending on your installation) directory and unpack the theme there. After that is done, edit $KDEHOME/share/config/plasmarc (make a backup copy just in case) and locate the section named "[Theme]". Change "default" to the name of your downloaded theme (see instructions from the theme's author) and then start Plasma:

plasma

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

=== TODO ===

* Write a glossary
* Better grouping for the questions

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-02-07T20:44:14Z

Einar: Themes can only be modified when Plasma is not running (thanks Jeremy for the comment)

{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Projects/Plasma/FAQ}}

{{improve|}}

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar. Widgets can be grouped together in "containers" called containments.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in its infancy (it's brand new, after all) and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma had about 18 months to get to its current status. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function. That said, you can have icons on the desktop in Plasma.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu in KDE 4.0. However, this does not mean that there aren't alternatives: projects such as the aforementioned Raptor or Lancelot are being actively developed. There is also a "traditional" K-menu available.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time of writing this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. There is also legacy support for the existing Desktop folders, which means that the contents of your existing Desktop folder will be automatically displayed.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel. It should embed gracefully. If it doesn't, there is probably some bug in the widget itself.

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====
There is some code in place already, however as widgets rely on WebKit, it won't be available until Qt 4.4 (which incorporates it), and therefore unlikely before KDE 4.1.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I change the height of the panel?====

In KDE 4.1 and later you just need to right-click on the Panel, select "Panel Settings" and then choose whatever size you would like to have.

In KDE 4.0.2 you are able to change the height by editing a configuration file by hand. A graphical option could not be introduced due to some restrictions in effect for 4.0.x releases (namely, the feature freeze and the string freeze, the latter not allowing new translatable strings to be added).

''Notice'': Plasma must not be running when you attempt this, otherwise it will overwrite your settings. So, first of all, quit plasma:

kquitapp plasma

As a second step, open $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc with a text editor of your choice. Locate the line which says "plugin=panel" and add a line with the preferred height of the panel in pixels (e.g., size=24 will give a panel 24 pixels high). Save the modified file and start Plasma again.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Not yet, but it is planned for the future.

====I still want to change the theme! What do I do?====

First of all, obtain a theme (kde-look.org is a good place to look). The second, important point is that Plasma '''must not be running''' when you make the modifications or they will be overwritten. So you must quit it before with:

kquitapp plasma

Notice that doing so will also kill the desktop until Plasma is restarted, so keep a terminal window (for example Konsole) open while you do the editing in order to restart Plasma after you're done. Then, create the $KDEHOME/share/apps/desktoptheme (where $KDEHOME is the name of your .kde or .kde4 directory, depending on your installation) directory and unpack the theme there. After that is done, edit $KDEHOME/share/config/plasmarc (make a backup copy just in case) and locate the section named "[Theme]". Change "default" to the name of your downloaded theme (see instructions from the theme's author) and then restart Plasma:

plasma

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

=== TODO ===

* Write a glossary
* Better grouping for the questions

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-02-02T09:05:15Z

Einar: Credit where it's due!

{{improve|}}

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar. Widgets can be grouped together in "containers" called containments.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in its infancy (it's brand new, after all) and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma had about 18 months to get to its current status. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function. That said, you can have icons on the desktop in Plasma.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu in KDE 4.0. However, this does not mean that there aren't alternatives: projects such as the aforementioned Raptor or Lancelot are being actively developed. There is also a "traditional" K-menu available.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time of writing this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. There is also legacy support for the existing Desktop folders, which means that the contents of your existing Desktop folder will be automatically displayed.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel. It should embed gracefully. If it doesn't, there is probably some bug in the widget itself.

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====
There is some code in place already, however as widgets rely on WebKit, it won't be available until Qt 4.4 (which incorporates it), and therefore unlikely before KDE 4.1.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I change the height of the panel?====

In KDE 4.1 and later you just need to right-click on the Panel, select "Configure Panel..." and then choose whatever size you would like to have.

In KDE 4.0.2 you are able to change the height by editing a configuration file by hand. A graphical option could not be introduced due to some restrictions in effect for 4.0.x releases (namely, the feature freeze and the string freeze, the latter not allowing new translatable strings to be added).

''Notice'': Plasma must not be running when you attempt this, otherwise it will overwrite your settings. So, first of all, quit plasma:

kquitapp plasma

As a second step, open $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc with a text editor of your choice. Locate the line which says "plugin=panel" and add a line with the preferred height of the panel in pixels (e.g., size=24 will give a panel 24 pixels high). Save the modified file and start Plasma again.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Not yet, but it is planned for the future.

====I still want to change the theme! What do I do?====

First of all, obtain a theme (kde-look.org is a good place to look). Then, create the $KDEHOME/share/apps/desktoptheme (where $KDEHOME is the name of your .kde or .kde4 directory, depending on your installation) directory and unpack the theme there. After that is done, edit $KDEHOME/share/config/plasmarc (make a backup copy just in case) and locate the section named "[Theme]". Change "default" to the name of your downloaded theme (see instructions from the theme's author) and then restart Plasma:

kquitapp plasma; plasma

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar|Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* [[User:Chani|Chani]]
* [[User:Dipesh|Dipesh]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

=== TODO ===

* Write a glossary
* Better grouping for the questions

Projects/Plasma/FAQ

2008-02-02T09:03:18Z

Einar: Reword the question

{{improve|}}

=== Introduction ===

Plasma is one of the key technologies of KDE 4 (also known as the "Pillars of KDE"), and one of the most visible to users. As Plasma treats the user interface differently than a traditional desktop, there may be confusion on what Plasma is, what it does, and how to perform common tasks.

This document attempts to address these problems by providing answers to the most common questions.

=== General Questions ===

====What does Plasma do?====

Plasma is the component that is "in charge" of the desktop interface; the desktop, panel (often referred simply as the task bar), and related elements. However, Plasma goes a bit further than these common pieces to the interface puzzle. The "Desktop" has not changed much since originally conceived; it typically consists of shortcuts, a panel, and icons for currently running applications. Plasma aims to change that, incorporating semantic application elements, and bringing cooperating technologies to the user's fingertips in a way that is visually appealing while easing work flow.

====What is wrong with the current desktop technology?====

Today's desktops are static. Typically they are tied to a folder in which one can find icons (application launchers), or user-placed documents and folders. Along with pictures and images as backgrounds, the current desktop doesn't go any further, or work for the user. Plasma takes a different approach, engaging the user by creating a dynamic and highly customizable environment.

====I don't think it's such a good idea...====

With Plasma, you can let your desktop (and accompanying support elements) act like it always did. You can have a task bar, a background image, shortcuts, etc. If you want to, however, you can use tools provided by Plasma to take your experience further, letting your desktop take shape based on what you want and need.

====How does Plasma work?====

Plasma's components are widgets called ''Plasmoids''. Plasmoids can take on a variety of functions, ranging from displaying your desktop and associated wallpaper, showing your laptop's battery level, displaying your plugged in devices, and drawing the taskbar. Widgets can be grouped together in "containers" called containments.

====It doesn't sound too new... other operating systems have done that.====

The key difference here is that plasmoids can ''interact'' together. You want a better view of your laptop battery in order to find out when you are running low? You just drag it away from the taskbar and put it on the desktop. Also, applets can be resized and rotated at will, thanks to the use of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). As you can see, the desktop not only interacts with you, as the user, but also with itself in new and interesting ways. You are now able to control how your workspace behaves and what it displays, in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner. Since Plasma is the sum of its plasmoids, every element, even the desktop itself, is a widget. This allows you to move your desktop anywhere with respect to the windows (back and forward). It is no longer rooted behind everything and becomes instead another element of real interaction.

====Kicker and Kdesktop were working fine in KDE 3! Why did you have to change that?====

Especially regarding kicker, there was the important issue of maintainability. The code was in place since the KDE 2 days, and it was difficult to add new features without breaking others. In the end, to proceed forward the only viable option was to start anew from scratch.

====I can't find my favorite <insert feature here>!====

Don't forget that Plasma is still in its infancy (it's brand new, after all) and that KDE 3 was an extremely polished codebase: it took seven years to get to that, while Plasma had about 18 months to get to its current status. With time, the Plasma developers plan on reintroducing features that are missing and fix regressions. As KDE progresses through the KDE4 cycle, Plasma will improve with it.

====Why on earth did you decide to change the way the desktop operates?====

The idea of a Desktop folder is fundamentally a broken concept. It assumes that everything you will access there resides on a single physical directory on your disk. It may be convenient, but at the same time it greatly limits what you can do. For example, you can't use custom layouts for different desktops, as everything would be read from the directory. Also, quite often a desktop structured like that becomes a dumping ground for files and folders, without any other function. That said, you can have icons on the desktop in Plasma.

====What's the deal with the K menu? It's big and ugly!====

During the development of KDE 4.0, different approaches for a K menu (application launcher) were tried. Some projects, like Raptor, were ambitious but there was no way they could be completed on time. At the time, one developer ported SUSE Linux's application launcher (Kickoff) to the new KDE architecture. As it was the most ready and feature complete (not to mention the product of usability testing) it was chosen to be the default menu in KDE 4.0. However, this does not mean that there aren't alternatives: projects such as the aforementioned Raptor or Lancelot are being actively developed. There is also a "traditional" K-menu available.

====What is the Zooming User Interface (ZUI)?====

The Zooming User Interface, or ZUI, is another component of Plasma. It enables the user to group different groups of plasmoids together, and to quickly switch between one and another using a zoom-and-pan approach. Notice that at the time of writing this feature is still under heavy development and may be fully functional only with later KDE 4.x releases.

====How does the ZUI work?====

Suppose you have three groups of plasmoids (such as widgets, application launchers, etc.) which you want arranged in specific combinations depending on what you want to do. You first group them according to your tastes, then you can switch between them by zooming out (getting a preview of all the groups) and then back in on the specific group you want to use.
Notice that it is different from traditional X11 virtual desktop switching, as there is a higher degree of flexibility by using this approach, as the groups can be totally different from each other.

===Configuration===

====Can I place icons on the desktop?====

Of course you can. Dragging an icon from Dolphin or Konqueror to the desktop will work. There is also legacy support for the existing Desktop folders, which means that the contents of your existing Desktop folder will be automatically displayed.

====I am using two screens, and I used to have kicker over the two displays. Can I do that with Plasma?====

No. The reason is that having a panel over two displays adds a great deal of complexity, especially when the two displays have different resolution. As a result of this added complexity, this feature would not be guaranteed to work in all cases. As a result it was not implemented.

====How can I add applets to the panel?====

Open the Add Widgets dialog in the Plasma toolbox (upper right corner of the screen) then select the widget of your liking and '''drag it directly''' (don't double click or use the Add Widget button) to the panel. It should embed gracefully. If it doesn't, there is probably some bug in the widget itself.

====I heard that you can use OS X's widgets with Plasma. Is this true? ====
There is some code in place already, however as widgets rely on WebKit, it won't be available until Qt 4.4 (which incorporates it), and therefore unlikely before KDE 4.1.

====My widgets are hidden under the windows. How can I show them?====

You can bring all the widgets to the front by pushing Ctrl-F12, which will bring the Plasma Dashboard to the front.

====How can I lock the positions of the widgets?====

Right click on an empty area of the desktop and select "Lock Widgets" from the contextual menu. If you want to reverse that, right click again and select "Unlock Widgets".

====How do I remove widgets?====

If they're on the panel, right click on the widget and select "Remove this...". If the widgets are on the desktop, you have different options:

* If you hover over them, clicking the red X will remove them;
* If you use the Add Widget dialog, you can click on the minus symbol icon next to the widget name to remove it.

====How can I change the height of the panel?====

In KDE 4.1 and later you just need to right-click on the Panel, select "Configure Panel..." and then choose whatever size you would like to have.

In KDE 4.0.2 you are able to change the height by editing a configuration file by hand. A graphical option could not be introduced due to some restrictions in effect for 4.0.x releases (namely, the feature freeze and the string freeze, the latter not allowing new translatable strings to be added).

''Notice'': Plasma must not be running when you attempt this, otherwise it will overwrite your settings. So, first of all, quit plasma:

kquitapp plasma

As a second step, open $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc with a text editor of your choice. Locate the line which says "plugin=panel" and add a line with the preferred height of the panel in pixels (e.g., size=24 will give a panel 24 pixels high). Save the modified file and start Plasma again.

===Theming===

====I don't like the default look of the panel and other Plasma components. Can I change that?====

Yes, the ability to change the look of Plasma was planned since the beginning. Plasma can use "themes", which are essentially a number of SVG images and files specifying the colors, to change its appearance. Some themes have already appeared on popular sites like kde-look.org.

====Is there a GUI option available to change the theme?====

Not yet, but it is planned for the future.

====I still want to change the theme! What do I do?====

First of all, obtain a theme (kde-look.org is a good place to look). Then, create the $KDEHOME/share/apps/desktoptheme (where $KDEHOME is the name of your .kde or .kde4 directory, depending on your installation) directory and unpack the theme there. After that is done, edit $KDEHOME/share/config/plasmarc (make a backup copy just in case) and locate the section named "[Theme]". Change "default" to the name of your downloaded theme (see instructions from the theme's author) and then restart Plasma:

kquitapp plasma; plasma

===Troubleshooting===

====My panel is gone, how do I get it back?====
kquitapp plasma; rm $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-appletsrc; plasma

This deletes your plasma settings, so you'll get the default configuration back. The panel-vanishing-on-crash issue was fixed just after 4.0.0's release.
If running all the 3 commands at once doesn't work, try typing them in manually and wait a few seconds before running the next command.

====Some GTK+ applications (such as the IM client Pidgin) do not behave well in Plasma.====

That is unfortunately a bug in the GTK+ graphics toolkit which is exposed by the way Plasma operates. A [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=501842 bug report] has been opened in the GTK+ bug tracker. Recently, a patch for Plasma (KDE 4.0.0) has been posted in [http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=153193 KDE bug tracker] and it has also been incorporated in the 4.0 branch (meaning it will be present in KDE 4.0.1).

====I use the NVIDIA binary driver on Linux and scrolling is really slow! Is it a fault of Plasma?====

No, it is a bug in the NVIDIA binary driver. Update the driver to version 169.07 or newer and the problem should be solved.

=== Glossary ===

* '''Containment''': A container for different plasmoids. The desktop and the panel are examples of containments.
* '''Panel''': The place where the K-menu, taskbar, system tray and other componenents reside. Often called taskbar.
* '''Plasmoid''': A component of Plasma. Often referred as widget, or applet.

=== Thanks ===

Daniel Laidig & Simon St.James - thanks for the umeet IRC logs!

=== Contributors ===

* [[User:Einar| Luca Beltrame]]
* [[User:JosephMGaffney|Joseph M. Gaffney]]
* All the anyonymous contributors

=== TODO ===

* Write a glossary
* Better grouping for the questions