<SOLVED>lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update???

[tomcloyd]

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SOLUTION: I only needed to delete the hidden file ".kde" in my user account directory (I THINK), and this would have been fixed with a reboot.
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I am no longer able to access that little window which displays icons for all active windows in a desktop, so that one can serially access them using the alt-tab keyboard sequence alone. It's more than handy - it's essential for rapid access of multiple running programs.

Without it I can only (a) cycle through the windows themselves, using the alt-tab sequence (which is visually annoying and confusing), or (b) grab the mouse and click the taskbar - not exactly fast.

I also notice that at least one other of my keyboard shortcuts has been altered. I have assigned Ctrl-Alt-s to KSnapshot. I checked and it's STILL so assigned. BUT, when I execute this sequence NOW, the frontmost window flies up out of site - but it's window caption remains visible where it was before. I've NEVER seen this behavior. I have no idea what's going on. It's like a new windows manager has taken over my machine and no one bothered to tell me. Grrrrr!

This loss of functionality occurred, I think, as a result of an automatic system update which occurred yesterday or maybe Saturday. I was very busy at the time and didn't notice what it did. The problem didn't appear until I rebooted. I have installed no new software myself other than some Wacom tablet utilities (in Adept), which so far I cannot find.

Also probably as a result of this automatic system update, I notice that windows are opening and closing differently - more quickly and smoothly. They kind of glide in and out. I mention this because it may pinpoint the nature of the update - to someone far more knowledgeable of things-Linux than am I.

So...I seem to recall that setting up this alt-tab menu thing is accessible somewhere in the control center, but I cannot find it at all. Help!

Can anyone help me get this functionality back

t.

[aged hippy]

Re: lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

I don't know if this helps, but have you looked at Kcontrol ->Regional and Accessibility ->Keyboard Shortcuts ?

[tomcloyd]

Re: lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

KControl? Yeah, first place I went. I didn't see anything changed from my previous specifications. That was last night. When I shut things down, I didn't hibernate, but went to full shut down. After rebooting this AM, I rebooted a couple of more times, with the result that now everything seems more or less OK, BUT things work differently. Alt+Tab now causes active windows to scroll past me on the screen, all reduced to about 1/16 normal size.

I'm thinking this may have to do with Compiz, about which I know very little. I like the changes, but I wish I'd been notified - somekind of system update bulletin or whatever. Clearly, a number of my previous keyboard shortcut sequences have been reassigned to functions about which I know nothing. I just get strange window behavior which I've not seen before - that thing that happens with Ctrl+Alt+S is especially perplexing - the window flies up like a window shade, and I don't know how to get it back.

Guess I'll so study the current keyboard shortcut setting and try to shed some light on the current state of things.

[tomcloyd]

Re: lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

MORE -
1. I find that Alt+Print is now assigned to KSnapshot. That'll work/
2. I also find that all window activity if simply quicker and crisper. This is very nice. For example, scrolling through OpenOffice spreadsheet is approximately 50 faster than before. Switching between windows is about 500% faster - so fast that it appears instantaneous.

This is, all in all, very impressive. Hat's off to the fine programmers behind this improvement. It distinctly improves my experience of Kubuntu, as a user. Very cool.

[aged hippy]

Re: lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

Well, i'm glad you're happy with the result, maybe i'll re-enable compiz and see if things are better here as well.

One reason i stopped using it was jittery scrolling.

[tomcloyd]

Re: lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

Sadly, there's much more to the story. I shortly found that system function degraded badly. I have 512K RAM, and watching the KDE System Guard task manager list - and especially the graphic displays offered of RAM usage, and virtual memory usage, it was clear that Compiz (I think) was hogging RAM. There was very little left for applications. Things started running very very slowly. I saw a lot of gray screens. I removed all compiz-related stuff, via Adept, and that appeared to break my system. After many hours, I've finally got it back - a full reload. BUT, windows are not working right at all. Will post separately about that. I'm NOT getting close to Compiz again, at least not without at least an additional meg. of RAM.

[aged hippy]

Re: &lt;SOLVED&gt;lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

I've been playing around with Compiz, but gone back To Kwin.

When i read your post, i re-enabled Compiz, and watched the memory meter closely (i use Gkrellm). When scrolling through this topic, usage was hopping between 45-95%, but back with Kwin it is mainly between 65-85%, not much difference, really.
At the moment - not scrolling - it is steadily between 0-3% which is exactly what it was with Compiz running.

I have 768 Mb of ram, so it's not so much more than yours.
Something else seems to be going on.

[tomcloyd]

Re: &lt;SOLVED&gt;lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

Weeeell. Interesting. Thought I'd figured it out.

Whatever it was, it absolutely brought my OS to its knees. It was just this side of a full freeze.

I'm glad to hear of your results, and hope you're more on track about this RAM usage thing than I am. A lot of Compiz I liked.

Well, I'll experiment again, when I get the chance. Not this week.

[aged hippy]

Re: &lt;SOLVED&gt;lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

My cure to every major problem is to stuff the install disc into the drive....

That cures every problem i've ever come across.

[tomcloyd]

Re: &lt;SOLVED&gt;lost access to alt-tab menu due to recent sys update

Oh OUCH...and it's true. It's good to know there's always this out.

But...it takes days of work to get things back to normal, so it's not a free ride. It's now Thursday eve - my 3rd day post reload. I'm still trying to get my ruby interpretor fully installed. I NEED it, and I don't have it, and haven't since Sunday. It's like the power went out and hasn't come on for 4 days. THIS problem the install disk cannot help with, sadly.