I think KDE4 is a step backwards. Useful functionality has been removed.

Today my beef is about the Window List that used to be on the Middle Mouse button.
First, I had to find an app that someone had written and install it in KDE4. It works ok.
But now I can't find a way to bind it to the middle mouse button. That function has been removed.
It used to be under: Personal Settings->Desktop->Behaviour Why was that removed?

One of the best features of xfce was the ability to iconify a window to desktop icon.
I had my desktops completely organized. I knew where every terminal was and what I was doing with it.
With everything Iconified, a quick click on an icon and bang I was working in the directory, or app, or software.

With KDE and Gnome, the icons are in the toolbar. Reading a list of icons is a pain the tukus.
The KDE desktop is looking more and more like a Macintosh. And not in a good way.

I know it's free software. I know it's developed by volunteers.
For that very reason, shouldn't it go in a good direction?

I don't know which exact version of KDE 4.x you are talking about, but it sure is configurable as ever. So without you telling us which exact version you are talking about it is rather hard to help...

Moving this to the Desktop section where it belongs...

codetonic wrote:Today my beef is about the Window List that used to be on the Middle Mouse button.
First, I had to find an app that someone had written and install it in KDE4. It works ok.
But now I can't find a way to bind it to the middle mouse button. That function has been removed.
It used to be under: Personal Settings->Desktop->Behaviour Why was that removed?

This is still available, IIUC what you mean. And you don't have to install any additional app for that.

Just right-click on the desktop and choose "Default Desktop Settings".
Click on "Mouse Actions" there and you can bind the Window List to any mouse button/wheel you want, even in combination with Alt or similar if you prefer that.

It's kde 4.3.5.

When "Desktop Settings" comes up there is nothing about mouse actions.
It's never "just".

The only icon in the left selector box is Appearance.

codetonic wrote:It's kde 4.3.5.

codetonic wrote:When "Desktop Settings" comes up there is nothing about mouse actions.
It's never "just".

The only icon in the left selector box is Appearance.

Then upgrade to a newer KDE version.
4.3.5 is _very_ old, tomorrow 4.13 will be released.

Those mouse actions have been introduced in 4.4 IIRC.
See here f.e.: (point 8)
http://blog.hanschen.org/2010/03/04/10- ... de-sc-4-4/

This functionality is definitely available here on my KDE 4.12.4, and it works.

4.3.5 is like five years old. Upgrade.

Unfortunately, upgrading is not my choice.
This is a corporate installation and changes are in a pipe 5 years long.

Thanks for the depressing info.

Then unfortunately you have to complain to your corporation about missing functionality instead of complaining here, since upstream has added the functionality you want five years ago.

Iconify was always kind of a niche feature and I've never met anyone using it. Also KDE never supported it. So I guess if you really need that ... you will need to use a different window manager, or write a plasmoid which does that (I guess it wouldn't even be very difficult).

Good luck!

First, I had to find an app that someone had written and install it in KDE4. It works ok.

You're not seriously trying to sell that you're stuck with KDE 4.3.5 cause the company has a 5 year pipeline on new software, but you're allowed to install random 3rd party software - are you?

As it would be http://kde-apps.org/content/show.php/Wi ... tent=96486 , it should not be very hard to alter the code to intercept clicks on the desktop and trigger it - if this is really your situation.

luebking, that is the app I want to use.

My question is: somewhere, the middle mouse button is being assigned to an app that throws down a post-it note and pastes the buffer into it.
Overriding it is a solution, but I would rather customize it as it is meant to be customized.
Where is that assignment being made and how do I get to it?

That's no "app" but a plugin for plasma-desktop.
It's loaded into the process and participates in the event processing.
To a certain degree the same could be achieved from a third process, but only "flat" ie. treating the entire desktop window the same way reg. MMB clicks.

The MMB behavior is, as you've been told, configurable in somewhat recent versions of plasma-desktop.
A config option in your version of plasma-desktop did not exist. You cannot configure it. The desktop dealt it internally, no external process was called.

If updating is not an option, you need a plugin or external process to provide this. Both will require to compile and install a binary (eg. the one I linked; or write one yourself) - but I doubt your suggested über-strict company policy would allow for such.

And in that case, you're basically screwed.
You cannot magically have somthing that is not there without adding it.
So if you're not allowed to add it, you ultimately cannot have it.

leubking,

Finally, an answer, thanks.
This is not the only place I've been asking this question.
Apparently you're the only one on the planet that knows this information.