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Idea #21128: Panel comes out of autohide when unwanted

Written by jeremyafrank the 20 Aug 09 at 16:01. Related project: Gnome. Status: New
Rationale
I like to autohide my top gnome-panel, but when I go to close windows at the top of the screen I find it pops out inconveniently. It doesn't always happen, as I have increased the delay time (I know people are going to say that's a reasonable enough solution)

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Solution #1: Show auto-hidden gnome-panel ONLY on hotkey press
Written by jeremyafrank the 20 Aug 09 at 16:01.
How about making it only appear when a user-selected hotkey is pressed?
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Solution #2: Click to expand
Written by McIvor the 21 Aug 09 at 17:03.
What about showing a little handle on mouse-over instead of expanding the whole panel? You would then click on the handle to expand and collapse it.
This would be just like using the hide buttons on the sides, only vertical.
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Solution #3: Delay time in the GUI
Written by kidmodify the 21 Aug 09 at 19:33.
make it possible to set the delay time in the GUI
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Solution #4: Configurable Panel Hotspot
Written by cos the 22 Aug 09 at 13:57.
Make it possible to configure specifically which area(s) of the panel the pointer needs to enter to reveal the panel.

Since this problem occurs mostly when trying to close a window, the problem area is to the top right. If the hotspot can be set nearer the centre of the screen, this problem is resolved.
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Solution #5: Why only one approach?
Written by Aielyn the 8 Sep 09 at 12:12.
Why not have it so that the panels operate whichever way suits the user? Hotkey, click-to-expand, or expand-areas, all would likely suit certain people, all three should be options.

And to go with those options, also an option to have a "lock" mechanism would be nice - so that, with a simple click, the user can lock the bar as either expanded or hidden, and then unlock through another click. Perhaps this could be done using a panel applet, or something, that produces a small tab mark sticking out from the place the applet has been hidden from, and to expand when hidden, you click that tab mark (when locked while expanded, clicking the applet itself would unlock it).

Propose your solution

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Ssdg wrote on the 21 Aug 09 at 14:47
What's the point of using a panel if you have to touch your keyboard to access it? if the "mouse only" behavior is abandonned, let's just use a tool like deskbar or gnome do and throw our mouses away.

kidmodify wrote on the 21 Aug 09 at 19:30
I think that solution#1 would be alright so long as it was optional and not set by default.

jeremyafrank how do you increase the delay time?
I've been looking for a way to for some time and can't find it.

cos wrote on the 22 Aug 09 at 19:07
This is an interesting issue. I always have to leave the right bit of the top panel empty, because when I try to click on the X to close a window I may accidentally click on the panel instead.

I'm almost inclined to say that having a panel at the top of the screen is more trouble than it's worth! Of course, I could never suggest the panel be removed by default (and it can be rather useful at times), but I'm sure some creative solutions can be devised to improve the current situation.


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