KDE plasma bugs after each update [Stable Update] 2022-09-12

[Aragorn]

@Aragorn

@deroberts1

As KDE Plasma approaches 5.27.x “stable”, I am pondering on commenting out the ignore = plasma line from

pamac.conf

to upgrade from 5.24.7 to the latest version.

I’ve been pondering the same thing, albeit that I don’t have an ignore on Plasma. I’ve simply added the stanza to the 5.24.7 repo

Wellll… I bit the bullet today, because the Window Buttons applet from the latest Frameworks update would no longer work with Plasma 5.24.7 — it requires a newer version of a library that is only provided by the Plasma package itself.

So far I haven’t come across any stability issues yet, and I’m also still using all of my customizations as before. The trick however is to switch both the Plasma theme and the window decorations over to Breeze before running the update, and to log out of Plasma completely. Then, after the update, you can switch those two styling options back to how you like them.

The only problem I’ve come across so far is that Chromium doesn’t respect that I want new windows to open centered. It always opens in the top-left corner of the screen, regardless of whether I allow applications to remember their size and position or not.

But then again, Chromium is a gtk application, and it does appear to have a mind of its own. Even before this upgrade, while still running Plasma 5.24.7 (and even earlier), I had already noticed that typing an em-dash (“—”) — which on my system requires the use of the compose key, which I’ve set up to be the right-hand Meta key — copies the em-dash to the clipboard and makes that into the active clipboard selection. The same thing happens when I have to type a backtick (“`”), which does not require the use of the compose key, but on my Belgian keyboard layout, typing a backtick does require holding down AltGr.

This is super annoying, and other gtk-based applications don’t do this — not even Firefox — so it’s probably not a Plasma- or gtk-specific bug, even though gtk, too, has a will of its own, of course, as most KDE/Plasma fans know. Or perhaps we should say “The gtk developers have a will of their own.”

Anywho, so I’m running Plasma 5.27.3 LTS now. I did have to alter a few settings that were reverted to their default values — e.g. certain notification sounds had been made active again, and the hot corners had also slightly been altered — but so far it’s looking good. Definitely not the horror experience many of us had with 5.25.x.

[deroberts1]

A windows button applet. I figured this day would come. I don’t think I am using that applet. But the handwriting is now on the wall. Glad to hear it was not a horror story for you.

[damiank]

My update to 5.27.3 has been smooth, but I don’t have it as much customized as you.
Regards,
Damian

[Aragorn]

@deroberts1

A windows button applet. I figured this day would come. I don’t think I am using that applet.

It’s for adding (certain) window buttons to the panel, which I’ve set up on my system to only become visible when the window is maximized, because the applet also allows you to hide the window’s own title bar — and thus, its buttons — when maximized. See the two screenshots below…

[damiank]

Also, one thing you can try if Chrome does not display window decorations properly, is to force it use system settings like this:

[Aragorn]

I do have that enabled, but Chromium does not obey the system anymore.

[damiank]

Haha that is interesting. Why have an option to use system settings and then ignore them??

[Aragorn]

@damiank

Why have an option to use system settings and then ignore them??

Because Chromium is developed by Google, and they are Evil™.

[deroberts1]

Ok, I did it. Running 5.27.3-1. One glitch. I get errors trying to install the icons only task manager. I tried what I have done in the past and deleted the offending file. But that did not work this time. Hmm.

Wait! I discovered the Windows List widget is icons only when used in a vertical panel – which is how I am using it. Ok, that works.

[Aragorn]

@Aragorn

The only problem I’ve come across so far is that Chromium doesn’t respect that I want new windows to open centered. It always opens in the top-left corner of the screen, regardless of whether I allow applications to remember their size and position or not.

Hmm… Firefox also ignores the window placement settings. It opens in the right-bottom corner of the screen.

So maybe it is a gtk thing. And come to think of it, I had a window rule for Chromium because it was already doing this a long time ago. I have now revised that rule and made it stricter, but it’s still ignoring the settings. I’ve created a duplicate rule for Firefox, but Firefox does obey the rule now.

So it really is Chromium that’s somehow refusing to play ball.

[omano]

I know it is annoying but did you try a new user, to test if all issue are reproducible on a fresh user too? I know how it is, I have a Plasmashell recurrent crash every week and I need to do that to troubleshoot the origin of the issue with my widgets and all customization, but I’m too lazy to… but it is a good way to discard config files corruption/weirdness, and a motivation to sometimes restart fresh and reconfigure everything.

[Aragorn]

@omano

I know it is annoying but did you try a new user, to test if all issue are reproducible on a fresh user too?

No, I haven’t tried that yet. But my current issues are not important, and considering that Chromium has always behaved quite self-righteously, I think it’s just more of the same.

On the other hand, if it were to turn out a window manager bug, then I’m sure it’ll get fixed at some point. It is after all an LTS release.

[deroberts1]

Installed the windows button applet. Very nice. I had not heard of this one before, so I thank you for tipping me off to it.

[Frenchy]

Well, no hiccups on my side either. Plasma 5.27.x. seems to be as stable as 5.26.x. for now, albeit mine’s in almost stock configuration to be honest.