running multiple instances of apps across activities

[dbaker]

A few days ago I decided to give KDE activities another chance. I've just started studying full time, and the more organised I can be, the better! So I made three activities, 1 for each of the subjects I'm taking and a "home" activity where I do anything not related to study.

I'm not sure how long I'll be able to tolerate it though, for the following reason...

Say I have a browser window open in activity A, but not in any of the other activities. I click on a web link, maybe from an email, in activity B. What I want it to do then is to open the link in a new instance of the browser in activity B, but instead it SWITCHES TO ACTIVITY A and the link is opened as a tab in the existing instance of the browser.
The same thing happens with Okular, kmail, etc. It's extremely frustrating.

On top of that, some apps simply won't let you have multiple instances at all. For example, I'd like to have korganizer open in every activity, but if I open it in activity A then try to open it again it activity B, it just switches back to the existing instance in activity A.

Activities have so much potential but this single-instance thing kind of defeats the purpose imo (but perhaps I'm just using activities the "wrong way").

I very much doubt that there's a solution, but I thought I'd try asking anyway. Someone might know a trick!

[SteveRiley]

I'll hazard a guess that most of us here don't use activities. But -- your question seems to be an ideal one for the KDE Forum, workspace subforum. Perhaps someone there might have a suggestion.

[otisklt]

All depends...
Some apps don't support it in some weird way, like Steam just stays put.
Some apps need configured to allow multiple instances.
Some apps need another tool to allow multiple instances.

At this stage the activities seem built for using different widgets across them and anything else is secondary.
I like to use a combination of activities and virtual desktops but I think I am using a different strategy than you.

[claydoh]

I usually have only 2 activities, usually I turn one off, but not always.
Kontact is one program that gives me fits when I forget that I opened it in a different one.

It was easy to solve, as I just had to set a window rule to force it to be open in all activities.

Right-click on the titlebar of the application >> Select "More Actions" >> Select "Special Application Settings.
Under "Size and Position", check the "Activity" box, Select "Force" and "All Activities", Now, whenever I click my systray icon, it opens the window in any Activity.
I can't guarantee all programs will work using this, especially non-KDE ones. I don't have this problem with Okular - it opens a new window in whichever one I am currently in.

I run Plama 5, cannot recall if there would be any difference in KDE 4

[GreyGeek]

I have an old solution that I used a lot in the past because of limited screen real estate and switching between tasks.

Its the old fashion multiple desktops which you can establish by installing the "Pager" onto your panel. I set mine for four desktops with widgets specific to each. If you have an Active Desktop (accelerated) you can use the Cube to switch, but I just click on the desired desktop showing in the pager icon.

[woodsmoke]

I agree some apps play nice having multiple iterations open, and others do not.

I SOMETIMES find that FF will open with multiple tabs on one activity and one tab on another, and sometimes not. Probably a settings thing that is my problem and not that of FF.

woodsmoke