Search has been removed from the "Workspaces view". Was it really necessary? #95
Replies: 25 comments 51 replies
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FYI, cosmic is actually just a gnome extension which means you can disable it to get back to the old behavior. Didn't realize that until a few days ago. |
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I (and my colleagues) use Pop!_OS because it has (or had) great out-of-the-box ready-for-work environment. We use it for VMs, for example. I understand that anybody can reconfigure his setup for personal purposes. IMO this search feature must be included by default. Or there should be some quick switch for it. |
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What is missing from the launcher for you? |
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Or some reason you can't select the Applications view? |
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@mmstick, in this thread is described why. As you can see, it's not only my opinion. One-key behavior is useful. |
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It should be noted that disabling the Pop Cosmic extension makes the overview graphics very laggy, which is a nuisance for a feature used so often |
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I agree! I found that enabling the "search" shortcut gives back the old behavior (i.e. search in Workspaces view) the only thing would be to enable it to be only the "super" key (I put it as the "menu" key instead for myself but take a while to relearn the behavior) |
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Just tried "Search" shortcut - yes, it works. IMO, this would be useful (and can be the solution for our problem). But IDK what to do with this (behavior is not as before):
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Yeah indeed the clear search "erase" the possibility to type search.. No typos allowed then I guess? |
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I also found that Launchers > Search works perfectly. Is there any way to bind Search to Super only via a terminal command (also disabling the Cosmic use of Super preferably)? "gsettings get org.gnome.shell.keybindings" has "toggle-overview" but there doesn't appear to be any entry for "Search". |
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This is not the same as the previous behaviour. In the old search you could search literally anything, including files, for example. |
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"Show all applications" with default shortcut Super + A already does this. |
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Copying my comment here for discussion. Not sure about other people, but I'm not really partial to whether it is gnome search or launcher. On keystroke, instead of It would do. |
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For those that want to try, I did implement the ability to go from Workspace to Launcher On Keystroke. If you want to try, it is inside the workspace-launcher branch of both the Shell and Cosmic Extensions. Still trying to familiarize myself with the code base, so their is currently one known bug (so far). You have to wait for the workspace to finish the animation before being able to launch the launcher via keystroke. |
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@ArthurVardevanyan wrote exactly what i think. Using one key as entry for overview current windows, workspaces, and launch smth without opening search by another shortcut - that would be useful. |
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@mmstick, BTW there is no difference (not only for me), what search will be launched on typing - App view or Launcher. Both have simillar purpose. For example, if System76 want to make product that differs from GNOME, switching to Launcher on typing is good idea. |
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Please don't break people their workflow without giving them a way back. I've only just upgraded yesterday and Pop has gotten in my way. I'm for simplicity. Super was a one-stop for major actions. |
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Personally I have a ton of windows running because I am a developer with a ridiculous amount of software tools. When I press the super key it's because I am going to see if something is already open and if not open it. Now I have to do the super+d key to do my workspaces view, see if it is open, if not, press the super key and launch my app. It made my workflow much more annoying and has only slowed me down. I have been trying this combo for the last week and I honestly do not like it at all. It would be nice if just running the app would open the already open window but most of my dev tools open an entirely new window instead of just bringing the current one to the forefront. Honestly the super key doing all the things is why I love Gnome. It makes using an OS so much easier that I was surprised other operating systems didn't take the same approach. Now to see it being split into two different things makes literally no sense to me. Functionality and design must be balanced. Please make this so we can revert to the old functionality (and make it configurable from first time setup menu in the OS). |
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Hi, |
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https://blog.system76.com/post/655369419513544704/how-we-arrived-at-the-popos-cosmic-design |
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It may not be explicitly addressed in the blog, but contextually the answer is there. The search on the workspaces view, if not removed, would continue to enforce itself as a crutch towards a better paradigm. When you are opening the workspaces view, you already have a goal in mind for what you intend to do. You're not so indecisive and impulsive that you aren't sure if you want to move windows across workspaces, or open applications. So why subject yourself to a cascade of animations and blur effects that take you away from your workflow, just to launch an application? Which we have to be real, that's what most people use search for. |
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I think the concept from that post that drove these decisions is "no single component should do too much". In the "Launching Apps" section of the post, the animations for opening an application are discussed which is a fair complaint about the combined Gnome Activities. However I think a better solution than splitting it up into small pieces as has been done here would be to bind the new launcher to Super + Space (or similar) instead of the Super key. The Applications and Workspaces views are the same as the Activities just a bit worse so is worth bringing back. Personally I have switched back to Gnome Shell until this has had some more work - and I have become a supporter of Pop!_OS (you should allow for more than $1/month!) to support the continued improvement. Some more configuration options to pick and choose between the features would be the best of both worlds - but I understand the hesitation to adding more config switches |
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Re: impulsive opening of apps, I was often using Activities to simultaneously open an app and place it in a specific workspace. Now I have to open an app and then place it via Super + Shift + Arrow or open Workspaces and it do that way. I take your point, though -- most people probably use Activities to launch an app, not manage their workspace. |
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This is vastly exaggerated (and those animations look pretty good). Furthermore, good animations actually serve a purpose: to hide delays. The Launcher feels slower to me because it disappears instantly, but apps can't start that fast. The gnome animation serves as a way to hide the 100-200 millis in latency it takes for the window to appear. On a separate note, the blog post assumes that the Launcher is the best way to switch apps, but I have not found that to be the case. The bit hating on Alt + Tab was especially jarring as it shows that none of you have used that shortcut: you can use Alt + Shift + Tab to go back one entry so the "oh shoot I went too far" thing is not an issue at all. (Perhaps I'm using a different Alt + Tab than everyone else? Mine is bound to |
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I'll pile on the launcher being far from the best way to switch apps because it's my main use of the previous Workspaces view (switch to another app, already running or not).
With the Workspaces view, I can figure out the answer to any of those in a fraction of a second. |
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I use search in the overview specifically because with it I have a one stop shop for everything. |
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so no one uses workspaces to search and open a bunch of apps to then place them in different workspaces quickly? now there are more steps and there is plenty of room to keep search in the workspace view i don't get why it had to be removed, plus the new launcher search is not even the same , old one was quicker because you didn't have to spell out the whole name of the app, typing f and enter would open firefox now its firmware, vs would open vscode but now its libraoffice draw... i keep opening wrong apps because of muscle memory |
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It makes no sense to me why they changed the workspaces view. I have no problem with wanted to move to the new app launcher, but please restore the functionality of the workspaces view so those of us that are used to it don't have to switch back to Ubuntu just to get a functional workspaces view. Please, just an option to turn it back on if we wish. |
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The all-in-one, single-key launcher was one of the best features of Pop_OS over Ubuntu. I also vote to bring it back. In the meantime, here's the easy way to get it back: |
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Doing this until the Maintainers see that removing this feature seriously impairs peoples workflows. I loved the super behaviour so much that this was something I talked about most of the time when discussing Linux v Windows. because every single time I work on Pop and go back to my Windows PC I really miss this feature and constantly have to remind myself that it's not that easy on Windows. |
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same |
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@jkleint I used your solution previously, but I found that I can do get the same old behaviour without reinstalling gnome-session. See this comment of mine: #95 (reply in thread) |
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Same here! |
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This was the one thing that completely sold me, not wanting to use any other OS! Pls pls pls bring this back with the new COSMIC DE! Rust based Desktop! |
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I completely agree. The removal of search in the workspaces view have seriously impacted my workflow.
This causes my workflow to be something like this right now:
Previously it was:
Please restore functionality that so many people depend on in their workflow, or at least give us the option to re-enable it. |
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And cosmic is slow!! |
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This seems a bit harsh. I haven't experienced the same CPU load or sluggishness. A bug report seems more appropriate. |
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Lets give COSMIC a try, if the work goes further performance issues might be flattened out and if they listen to the community and integrate enough customization so the the user is not forced to certain usage and behavior it could work out well. |
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Suggestion:If you bring back the ability to see my applications as windows just like in workspaces, I for one might be tempted to give your new search a try. As others already stated, there are people rely on the "thumbnail" of the application to quickly switch between apps. Removing the possibility of identifying my applications quickly, seeing on which monitor they are and reordering them quickly seriously impares my current workflow. One of the reasons I stuck with Pop after distro hopping quite a bit was the way the super key worked. I honestly couldn't care less if it's "bad UX design" like some mentioned here. In my opinion it was "extremely good UX design" because it makes life just so much easier. to address @mmsticks point:
It's really not about being impulsive. It's about not wanting to work more than is necessary when working with multiple windows. I'm a devops engineer. Having at least 6 applications open at a time is my norm, usually it's more, often even multiple instances of one application. that means having a list of applications with icons is really not an option for me, it's just more work and takes longer to see which window I'm looking for. I also frequently need to launch new windows, so my most frequent actions are
So it makes a lot of sense to have this be one single key instead of two right? |
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For those who want to enable search in the workspaces view but want to keep other cosmic functionality (e.g. the dynamic dock), you only need to disable pop-cosmic (the first 2 lines of @jkleint 's answer). After doing this I wasn't able to see the actual search bar in the workspaces menu until after a reboot (or logout & login), although the search functionality worked. |
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With 21.10 on the horizon and the Beta now out, The Original Issue for this discussion: This New Issue for 21.10: Here is a GIF on my take. I have been using this since the 21.04 Beta.
My implementation doesn't quite match the mock-ups in the new issue, but this is what works for me. Code For It: Shell Cosmic Based on Impish (21.10) Branch for Gnome 3x & 4x Cosmic Based on Hirsute (21.04) Branch for Gnome 3x One Known Bug: |
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The single entry workflow is modern and vital to many users now, and we want more choices than GNOME. Most importantly for the repetitive task of switching anything between tasks, having 1 key and not having to know multiple multi-key shortcuts over and over reduces cognitive fatigue. When you need to shift your attention, you just do it because there is one key so your muscles can get there the same time your mind does. It doesn't matter if it's the new application launcher or GNOME's,m we just don't want to be abandoned because we like to do things simpler and faster. This is most important for the new rust desktop. There isn't any good argument for not allowing the option to launch applications from the overview, (or to launch the launcher by typing while int he overview). Need to switch windows? super This is simpler. This is faster. This is better. |
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Also check out this write up about Pop OS that praises it, and one of the main parts reviewed in detail was why the single-entry workflow is so good. |
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This is Super. |
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I'm still not fully used to the new shortcuts. I find myself goofing it up all the time :/ |
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Partially coming from MacOS I can understand the Pop devs going the same route with a separate workspaces, application dashboard and launcher. Pop now having a better launcher is great, and making them separate entities is understandable, but not being able to include the new launcher in the workplaces view is a regression in functionality that made the Gnome workflow so great. I have disabled the pop_cosmic extension for now, but I hope the new launcher gets featured on the new workplaces page, which I also find better than standard Gnome. |
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One of the devs mentions the plan is to eventually integrate the launcher (not app library) into workspace view. That satisfies me (even as an option toggle) completely and wouldn't want to disable the extension at that point. What do you all think? |
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I have been using type to launcher in workspace since the launch of 21.04, I modified the extensions to do it, (See GIF higher up for example.) My implementation isn't perfect, (I have not gotten it to look like the screenshot they have for their plan), but it gets the job done. |
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I miss being able to search for files in the super menu 😢 |
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Launcher can search files with the |
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I find launcher's file search to be rather off from what I'm looking for. For example, I might type a name of a file in my home directory, but it will instead find tens of files with that word in some obscure git repository. It does get things right sometimes, but most often than not it doesn't find what I'm looking for. My solution is the following: (Note: You need dconf-editor to be installed.) These commands disable Cosmic and re-enable some kinds of search (including files) in Gnome search. Some I keep disabled, like contacts, because I don't use them, but you can of course modify these commands as per your needs. Keep in mind, these commands are written for a basic PopOS install. If you have some extra extensions installed, you will need to add them to the relevant command, otherwise they may be disabled. |
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@sc941737 DUDE! This solution rocks thanks a ton! no really! This made my frigging week! |
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I have been using pop_os with the new behavior for over a year now, and not a day goes by that I don't miss the old behavior of being to search/launch applications from the workspace menu. @mmstick are there any plans of adding this back at some point? I am trying out the hacks from this thread now, but would it really be so bad to just have a toggle somewhere which allows the Launcher as an overlay to the workspace overview upon starting to type? |
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I too miss the old behavior, it would be really great to have it as an opt in. The hacks are not satisfying and sadly break the good experience i have with Pop! OS for me. |
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See my answer in order to return to the old behaviour: #95 (reply in thread) That said, I agree, it would be nice if we could just do this with a switch in settings instead of going down the command line. |
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+1
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I too miss the old behavior, it would be really great to have it as an opt
in. The hacks are not satisfying and sadly break the good experience i have
with Pop! OS for me.
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Just coming from using KDE for a few years, and they see the usefulness of the overview functionality now. It basically makes the SUPER key Super, a true multitasker from which I can: I really like the idea of system76 developing their own desktop and am interested that they are using Rust and getting away from gtk. All great things IMO - so I hope there will be a way to bring this functionality into the workflow, even if it is an option and not the default. And I'm not a programmer. I do a lot of research and writing, and really like the functionality of of having optional tiling as a part of the DE |
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Based on this comment I highly doubt they will go back to a truely "super" key. It sounds like they are pretty set on going this direction with things. It sort of sucks because it's not that I am indecisive but more that I hate having to remember two different keybinds to do something that I already have a strong muscle memory for. Still to this day I press the wrong key combo to display my workspace/search for an application. For me this just made my workflow more annoying. |
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Yes - that's a weird comment you quote. It has nothing to do with being indecisive. I don't want to have to twist my fingers to use a key combo (which I miss or forget) when I can hit one key to do all of the above. I prefer that to having a different key combo for each. Key combos are overrated (one of the reasons I've always preferred vi to emacs, but I don't want to start a war :D). That quote is a little worrying because it implies there is one correct way to do it, and this other way is supporting a bad habit. But I don't use my computer for programming, so maybe it won't be friendly to my kind of work. One of the reasons I moved to linux years ago was because of choice and I hated companies telling me how to use my computer, so there will always be options out there. |
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Exactly this. I am a programmer though, but still like the single entry point. |
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Same here, |
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Same here, it destroys my workflow. I always have a lot of windows/apps opened on screens, and sometimes I don't know if I have needed app running. With search I can just start typing, there is no need to use another shortcut. |
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Still hoping that this will be addressesd in a future update. I love the Cosmic workspaces and gestures, but absolutely hate the lack of search. (Side note, the |
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All they have to do is give us the option. I might actually leave pop!_OS because of this one issue. I've been using it for at least three years. 20.04 was perfect for me. I don't see how they can be so blind. They must have some serious cult behavior going on at System76. I've bought three different laptops from them, my oldest is from 2015. I like that they open up some of the firmware. I just hope they listen to us, and bring back the old behavior. |
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Or was it 21.04? All I had to do was hit the super key. |
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Agreed on 20.04 being near perfect. |
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Just upgraded from 20.04 to 22.04 and very surprised by this - strange design decision imo. Typing does nothing in workspaces view, so adding a search bar doesn't detract from it at all as far as I can see. Genuinely wondering why, years later, this decision has stuck despite apparently being almost universally disliked? @mmstick @jackpot51 Apologies for the ping - wondering whether there are any updates here? If PopOS team is adamant here, maybe the associated issue (#85) should be closed? |
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As mentioned in the mockup, this is being deferred to COSMIC DE. We probably won't have the bandwidth or interest to implement it on GNOME COSMIC. Also, saying that it's "universally disliked" is untrue (and a bit hyperbolic). Things like that really make this a frustrating conversation. |
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With Alpha 1 out, this needs to be revisited. Please considering implementing the mockup here: pop-os/shell#1186 Other quality of life consideration is to please ensure that apps can be dragged to workspaces / panel to launch on a specific workspace or add to dock/panel |
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The current issue for cosmic-epoch seems to be the below link FYI, so no need to make a new issue. If anyone is able to help develop and submit a PR, please help us. <3 |
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We started to discuss it in #85; #70; pop-os/shell#995 and some other.
As I can see, not only I was used to search for apps in "Workspaces view".
Yes, "App view", "Workspaces view" and Launcher are 3 completely different tools. But IMHO auto-switching to search on typing was really useful feature.
I propose to discuss options for a solution that will suit the majority. For example, auto-switching to launcher on typing, or adding switch for enabling old search in Workspaces view.
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