Using keyboard with Kickoff App Launcher.

[enginemusic]

I know Alt-F1 brings up Kickoff, but is there a way to use the keyboard to scroll through the search results? Seems silly to have a hotkey for something when you then have to use the mouse to make a final choice.

Example,
If I type "Lib" in the window it offers up the options of all the programs in the LibreOffice Suite. If I want Writer, the final option on the list, I have to mouse and click on it. There's no way of arrowing down to it. In fact, if I type "libreoffice w" into Kickoff, the first option it gives is "Run LibreOffice w" which will then tell me that LibreOffice can't find the file "W".

This really confounds me as if you just pop open Kickoff you can navigate with the keyboard UNTIL you try a search, then you're stuck using the mouse. Yet Krunner works as I expect.

Is this just my machine or is everyone like this?

I know I should just man up and train myself to use Krunner instead but the "Start menu" paradigm is well entrenched....

[OneLine]

Regression

The keyboard navigation is:

- working with the KDE 4.7
- broken with the KDE 4.8
- fixed /1/ with the KDE 4.9: broken with the 4.9.2 will be fixed with the 4.9.3

Note ! The KDE 4.9.3 and later may or may not backported to the Precise through the PPA /3/. In the past the backporting has been stopped to the version X.X.2.

You could file a bug report to the launchpad and ask the fix to the 4.8 or/and wish the backporting of the 4.9.3.

There are lot of application launchers /4/...


Links

1. https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=307823
(Well, it is marked "Version Fixed In : 4.9.3 - The KDE 4.9.3 will be released /2/ : "Tuesday, November 6, 2012")
2. http://techbase.kde.org/Schedules/KD...lease_Schedule
3. http://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthr...tandard-repos)
4. http://www.kubuntuforums.net/showthr...tion-Launchers

[Snowhog]

It works here on my 12.04 64-bit running KDE 4.9.2.

[vinnywright]

ya I can alt F1 it and use the arrow key's to navigate the entire menu ?

12.04 KDE-4.9.2

VINNY

[Snowhog]

For me it's Alt+F2

[vinnywright]

@hear and you to I bet alt+F2 is Krunner not Kickoff?

VINNY

[Snowhog]

Hmm. Yes, Krunner (Alt+F2). I don't get anything with Alt+F1.

[vinnywright]

Humm alt+F1 gives me Kickoff ,,,,,and unlike the OP I CAN navigate it with the arrow key's

VINNY

[Snowhog]

Hehe. Here, the shortcut is Alt+F5, and navigation with the keyboard arrow keys works also.

[vinnywright]

well you have been changing your default key bindings haven’t you ,,,,,,@hear alt+F5 gives me my lancelot launcher

VINNY

[Snowhog]

Not changing key bindings, but the Lancelot Launcher is one of the first things I install, replacing the K Menu Launcher.

[vinnywright]

Not changing key bindings,

yes sorry wrong terminology ,,,,,tired on a train half way between NY and NC ,,,well wear in NC now but still have 4 hours before my destination


VINNY

[enginemusic]

The keyboard navigation is:

<as reliable as a '79 Lada.>

Thanks Oneline, that lets me know that A: they know it's busted and B: they occasionally fix it.

Vinny - just to confirm, you can type "lib" into the search bar and then keyboard scroll through results?

[Snowhog]

Although I use the Lancelot Launcher which uses Alt+F5, the behavior is the same as using the K Menu Launcher and accessing it with Alt+F1, and here, keyboard navigation works just fine.

I just installed the Standard Application Launcher and tried the search. You are partly correct. I typed lib and was presented with all the installed LibreOffice applications, but using the up/down arrow keys did nothing. But, if you press the Tab key once, you are taken to the first entry in the list of matching applications, and then the arrow keys work.

[vinnywright]

Aaa yes same as @Snowhog if I type in something first , the thing is once you type in something the text box has focus so you must get focus back to the menu with the tab key first to navigate the list in the menu

VINNY