I'm using Linux Mint KDE 16 with KDE 4.11.3. All updates are applied. The standard Air theme is being used supplied by Mint on its installation DVD. I've used Linux on and off for six years.

Seemingly at random my plasma widgets including the standard application menu are appearing in the wrong places and the wrong sizes, sometimes half off-screen making use impossible. I thought if I deleted all the files in /home aside from my music and video data that things would be reset but that hasn't happened. Even Dolphin opened up the next time in a tiny window about 2cm by 3cm. This seems strange as both plasma widgets and program windows have been affected.

I can't think what I can have done to cause this. The last thing i installed, yesterday was Wine and Gecko. The widgets only went awry about an hour ago.

What's happened and how do I reset things like this? Was there a buggy update? After getting tired of Windows 8 I'd come to see that KDE was really looking and behaving well now so I hope this is a simple and non-recurring issue I've encountered.

Thanks.

If it helps with diagnosis, if I click the volume icon on the panel the applet opens in the right place, just above. The calendar and Network and usb applets open in the near the top in the middle of the screen, as does he application menu. The old style menu which i'm about to temporarily revert to open in the right place, above its icon on the panel.

Can you please try to reproduce under a new user?
Also, have you started using any new software recently, or otherwise changed your KWin (Window Manager) settings?

I do set window rules using the options after clicking on the top left corner window icon and More Actions > Special Application Settings > Size and Position > and then setting position and size to Remember. I've done this for a while without it affecting plasma widgets.

I have been able to reset the widget placing by deleting all the window rules and begining to set them again. The widgets have not been affected yet but I'd like to know why they would be when they're separate from program windows.

I did first try to create a new user but could not at the time see where I'd set 'his' password in order to log in. I see the option now but trying to recreate the issue could go nowhere for a long time and by having reset window rules I am effectively now carrying out the same experiment.

This is solved for now but I'd need to know why this happened so that I don't go round in circles while setting window rules, if at some point doing so will trigger the widget issue again. The window rules facilities seem generally buggy still - the ticks do not always consistently show in the boxes where they've been selected, that is, if you look after closing a window and opening it again.

Thanks for any further ideas.

Please note that the "buggy" behaviour you are seeing is because some applications are very inconsistent, or deliberately attempt to thwart window managers such as KWin by changing certain identifiers. As such, different windows within the application may not have the rules applied to them.

In terms of why KWin rules managed to affect Plasma widgets, this is because popups and tooltips (as well as application menus) are actually special kinds of windows - and thus can be manipulated by KWin. In most cases however, it will not interfere with their placement.

I do set window rules using the options after clicking on the top left corner window icon and More Actions > Special Application Settings > Size and Position > and then setting position and size to Remember. I've done this for a while without it affecting plasma widgets.

Bad idea.
The rule will then apply to _all_ windows of an application and the last window to change its size will determine the size of all new windows for that application.
If you did that for any window of the plasma-desktop process, that will hit the desktop itself as well. Thus your trouble.

Could you also check if your KDE is all of the same version?

"Bad idea.
The rule will then apply to _all_ windows of an application and the last window to change its size will determine the size of all new windows for that application.
If you did that for any window of the plasma-desktop process, that will hit the desktop itself as well. Thus your trouble. "

So it should be Special Window Settings that I use rather than Special Application Settings?

Some of the KDE elements as listed in Synaptic seem to be 4.11.2 rather than 4.11.3. I have done all the Mint updates but maybe if i'd been using Kubuntu everything would be 4.11.3, perhaps, with the different rigour of updating with Mint the explanation? I think i'll probably use Kubuntu 14.04 as of April anyway if there are no graphics issues as there are for me with 13.10.

Thanks.

Okay, if you are on Mint no wonder - LMDE or Ubuntu-derivative?

Whatever, both have problems with KDE

I'm on LMDE and have had to play around with the repos to get KDE working...

So it should be Special Window Settings that I use rather than Special Application Settings?

Both entries link into the same rule config, just with different presets for the matching.
You should _always_ adjust the matching strategy to your specific needs, esp. if you're using rules extensively.
The rules exist to
a) Fix broken clients
b) Force a specific setup

Eg. you should not generally have to memorize window positions, since the clients usually do that themself (and better, because they have advanced internal information about the client)
If you do, you should seek to match the window in a sane way (eg. with or without the title, depending on whether it's static and determining etc.)
Catching all windows of a class with the same geometry rememberng rule is in 99.9999% of all cases NOT what you want, no.

I'm using the KDE version of Mint based on Ubuntu, yes.

So I'm not using the Window rules function right or optimumly then? I like to be able to set the terminal and Dolphin to appear almost bottom left and firefox and Calligra Word to appear almost maximised but with about 4mm border. sounds fussy but I have to have things looking neat to concentrate on the work/leisure. If I don't set the window rules as I have everything appears top left. I can't see how else to set things how I like. I've been using Linux five years and have some technical knowledge but I didn't really understand the last post from luebking which uses more experienced terminology than I'm familiar with, although I appreciate the attempts to help. I suppose I've used KDe much less than other DEs though and have only delved into its workings using trial and error.

No, placing specific windows at specific locations and sizes is very well in scope of the rules.
You just have to be careful about the window matching (first tab settings in "kcmshell4 kwinrules") to prevent accidental matches, eg. some client may add a strutting docks (ie. it shrinks the space for maximized windows as well as placing etc.) which you then accidentally (nearly) maximize or move very far into the screen, what will result in a very tiny workspace.

The rules are the "I know better!" option for the user, they therefore also allow you to shoot yourself.

About placing:
"kcmshell4 kwinoptions", in the "Advnaced" tab, you can control the general placing strategy (which can be overridden by rules as well) - zero cornered is maybe not what you want.

Interesting enough this issue is still exactly the same, nearly 10 years later. Impressive.