Fancy Tasks

Source (link to git-repo or to original if based on someone elses unmodified work): Add the source-code for this project on opencode.net

Description:

Plasmoid providing fancy visualization of tasks, launchers and jobs for those who need full power of task manager and fresh look.
Developed and tested on KDE 4.8 with Qt 4.8 (Kubuntu 12.04).

Some screen casts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5i2S1xCKPk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj4W6cqycl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfqtnncLNcQ

Milestone 1.1 (current) will be last one using libtaskamanager and hopefully will be soon replaced by currently developed data engine based version (which should lower requirements back to KDE 4.6 or maybe earlier, depending on which one shipped first functional version of tasks data engine).

Milestone 2.0 will bring new dock management library which will allow for more advanced features. There will be also new, QML based, applet interface (might be available earlier, depends on progress on library).

Note that included panel was made only for test and could make various problems, use it on your own risk (I'll focus on it later).

This applet uses standard libtaskmanager like other task managers in KDE, so before you report bug check if it also happens in other applets (for example default Tasks applet).

Tips:
- to make applet more usable you can put it on panel with enabled option "Windows can cover" or similar;
- you can use theme with panel background similar to that of dock (for example Sabre Tiger) or modify current one using Desktop Theme Details;
- you can add launchers to applet by drag and drop of URLs and desktop files when Plasma is unlocked or using configuration dialog;
- to show only launchers you need to remove tasks area item from arrangement;
- to show application jobs you need to add jobs area.

Hidden options:
You can set them in applets configuration file (usually located at ~/.kde4/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc), in group containing line plugin=fancytasks or plugin=fancypanel;
- initialZoomLevel - initial zoom level for zoom move animations (value ranging from 0 to 1, default: 0.7);
- paintBackground - decides if background should be painted or not (true or false, default: true);
- paintReflections - decides if icon reflection should be painted or not, note that it won't change icon size because of space allocation for drawing task indicators (true or false, default: true).

Features:
- manages your tasks, launchers and application jobs;
- tasks filtering, grouping (including manual) and sorting;
- keyboard navigation (Tab and Shift+Tab);
- launcher to task transition with custom connecting rules (icons of launchers with running tasks are hidden if sorting other than manual is enabled);
- tool tips with live preview of windows when KWin Taskbar Thumbnail effect is enabled;
- highlighting windows when hovering cursor over task or window preview when KWin Highlight Window effect is enabled;
- dropping files on launchers runs command with parameters or gives option to move, copy or link them (if target is directory);
- visual drop indicator that helps in manual tasks sorting and rearranging launchers;
- possibility to browse directories of directory launchers using context menu;
- possibility to add application menus;
- menu with list of all icons shown after activating keyboard shortcut;
- configurable animations (zoom, jump, bounce, highlight, etc.) and appearance (optional thumbnails and text label);
- fully animated icons (including animations of starting applications, tasks needing attention and application jobs progress).

If you have found bugs or have suggestions you can contact me via email, message or using comments, before you will vote bad.
And remember that not everybody has enough time for fast replying. ;-)

Don't be silly, don't vote bad just for fun!

Last changelog:

8 years ago

1.1.2 (10.06.2012):
- increased task light size a bit;
- fixed label position for zoom animation;
- avoid hijacking of icons with launcher connected to task group (if grouping by program);
- clear thumbnail when launcher looses connected task.

1.1.1 (01.06.2012):
- reuse launcher icons by tasks also when using manual sorting;
- let startups connect to launcher icons (when there is no sorting or it set to manual);
- do not lose connection with launcher when group is created (if grouping by program);
- enable Apply button when configuration values are changed;
- do not propose to drop icon in place which equals its current index;
- enable Add / Remove action buttons;
- many other fixes and changes.

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Comments/Ratings

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mikala
11 years ago

Hi,
I just noticed a bugs (maybe it's a misconfiguration on my part).
Regarding the applet, it's just install with favorites as mentionned in the changelog, but if i try to configure it (event without changing anything in the configuration ) it's loosing all the favorites, keeping only the current tasks.

Regarding the panel, it is normal that i can't resize it?

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Emdek
11 years ago

Thanks for reports. :-)

1. Yes, possible, I'll fix this in next release.

2. Yes, it's normal, it is only for testing purposes, to check if this is right way to go.
You can read more about Plasma limitations and problems with custom containments on previous page. ;-)

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mikala
11 years ago

1)ok
2) ok,
for the moment i put it in the same package on cooker,maybe later a create a specific package for it :)

Regards,

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Emdek
11 years ago

This fix should resolve problem with disappearing launchers from Kickoff, replace similar code from init() method in applet/FancyTasksApplet.cpp:

if (!configuration.hasKey("arrangement"))
{
KConfig kickoffConfiguration("kickoffrc", KConfig::NoGlobals);
KConfigGroup favoritesGroup(&kickoffConfiguration, "Favorites");

m_arrangement = favoritesGroup.readEntry("FavoriteURLs", QStringList());

if (m_arrangement.count())
{
m_arrangement.append("separator");
}

m_arrangement.append("tasks");

configuration.writeEntry("arrangement", m_arrangement);

emit configNeedsSaving();
}

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mikala
11 years ago

yep it's fixed :)
Thk,

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Emdek
11 years ago

I've started experimental work on containment (separated from applet, it loads applet on top at start) but I've found serious limitations in creating custom panels...
The easiest way is to use type PanelContainment that gives for free ready to use panel controller like in default panel, with all it's settings (auto hide, location, size etc.), also these not needed, like adding applets and spacers (they look bad on dock and to manage them I need to copy a whole default panel containment) and we will get containment identical to default but with custom background...
Second option is to duplicate code and lose features like "Windows go below" etc. but do not use panel controller and don't show these not needed options. But this needs much more work and results won't be as good as I want.
The problem is we can't interact with PanelView (at least after many tries I didn't find working method) that implements all these needed things, mostly auto hide, windows go below etc.

So what you think, is containment really needed if it will not help much more than showing dock background without changing theme or it's part?

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steveke
11 years ago

With the new version (0.9.4) some tasks don't display a thumbnail for me, only a "tooltip". It was working fine with the previous version.

What's quite strange is that some tasks always display a thumbnail (e.g. Firefox) and others are erratic (e.g. Opera, Dolphin, Kate, Konsole)

Using Kubuntu Jaunty, KDE 4.3. Deleted previous installation, and recompiled anew.

Just wanted to add that if I launch a new instance of the apps then the thumbnails appear ok. When I close the new instance the thumbnail remains, so it's a kind of workaround.

Cheers!

ok.. another one.. maybe implementing ghns for sharing custom backgrounds would be nice too ;)

p.s.: these are not real requests because most probably i won't use fancy tasks (i'm too addicted to stasks).. i'm just posting this for your inspiration ;)

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