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hi,

We can configure the number of rows. This is cool. The problem is that when you are using pager on a vertical panel you may want to set the number of columns instead so you can have your pager configured the way you like even if you add a desktop. At the moment I'm using 4 desktops http://wstaw.org/m/2013/03/07/zrzut_ekranu31.png

Adding another one gives me:
http://wstaw.org/m/2013/03/07/zrzut_ekranu32.png

What is worse there is a (?) bug that prevents me from going back to 4 row/1 column layout when i remove the last desktop:
http://wstaw.org/m/2013/03/07/zrzut_ekranu33.png

If eventually KDE will go for GNOME style dynamic VD this could become really nasty problem.

I'd nearly say that this is a pager issue (and that actually nothing should care about the netwm setting and reflect the VD amount to its own needs, eg. the cube cannot reflect any grid layout)

To gain this you could obviously define rows XOR cols (or you just defined the amount of VDs - no more dynamics...) - what is why i believe the approach to define the layout other than in the pager representation is stupid in the first place
(What if you were using eg. OpenBox and had no way to configure the layout at all - but likely get a grid)

What if you were using eg. OpenBox and had no way to configure the layout at all - but likely get a grid

Actually you will get single row. I'm using openbox with kde on my netbook.

To gain this you could obviously define rows XOR cols

Or both. Two options: Limit number of rows, limit number of columns that can be configured to any number or setted to "no limit".

or you just defined the amount of VDs - no more dynamics...

But it is cool! One of the most cool features of gnome shell for sure. I really hope that someday KDE can get something simmilar to this.

nothing should care about the netwm setting and reflect the VD amount to its own needs

But then shortcuts to move on desktops dependending of it placement will stop making any sense.

sir_herrbatka wrote:Or both. Two options: Limit number of rows, limit number of columns that can be configured to any number or setted to "no limit".

Limit being upper limit or lower limit? If you (only) add a limit of two columns, when should that hit? For two VDs? Or for eight? Sixteen?
And what would you do if your (upper, i assume) limits of rows and cols would be exceeded?

But it is cool!

Leaving aside that this is no argument nor that i personally like the behavior of gnome shell at all (i'd like my stuff on a VD where i know it is, no matter whether the VDs in between contain any windows or not) it's completely unrelated. If you specify #rows AND #cols you specified the maximum amount of VDs for sure (#rows*#cols) and for less VDs need a preference strategy.

But then shortcuts to move on desktops dependending of it placement will stop making any sense.

Doesn't make as of now, resp. would be just another representation of VDs.
If you use the cube or desktop grid, you cannot (cube) or will not (grid, would waste to much space) reflect an arbitrary layout anyway.

Altogether i frankly do not think that a central definition of the layout of VDs makes any sense and it's broken even inside KWin by some effect plugins.
If you add a panel and pager to eg. the bottom, you would no longer want a vertical strip and then have to seek for where to adjust that while the pager already knows that 20 desktop rows on 32 px height are most likely stupid and could offer you a matching setup in the context menu (w/o having to worry about breaking other things)

The VD setup stuff is designed to the legacy setup where you had a square pager and 4 virtual desktops in a static grid.
If that assumption is void, you cannot keep defining the representation in a central position.

Limit being upper limit or lower limit? If you (only) add a limit of two columns, when should that hit? For two VDs? Or for eight? Sixteen?
And what would you do if your (upper, i assume) limits of rows and cols would be exceeded?

Good point, mostly. I think that it should add column if column limit is higher then row limit and row when the row limit is higher. If both row and column limit is hited no new VD can be added.

But it really makes no sense if we get rid of connection between pager and VD layout and after reading your argument I think that this the way to go, even for just for the sake of simplicity.

In other words I think you are right.