Widgets moved by the OS

[skint]

12.04, fully updated, 64bit. I always have several desktop widgets across the top of the screen. I think I'd forgotten to Lock Widgets before shutting down one day and the next time I saw my desktop everything which was at the top had a large gap above. I put them all carefully back - Lock Widgets and reboot and they are all moved down again. I move everything away from the top, Lock Widgets and reboot and they're all where I put them. Move them back where I want them and sure enough, next time I boot they are all moved down again.

I decided to get a diff of the file for before and after comparisons. Put the 5 widgets and Desktop View at the top, rebooted expecting them to have moved, but they didn't and it was fine through 4 or 5 reboots and then, without anything being changed on the desktop, they were all shifted down again.

I tried locking down ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc with [$i] at the top of the file (from the sticky thread), but still it seems the OS chooses to re-write the file. Here's the diff where you can see the value 35 added to some values:

--- plasma-desktop-appletsrc-after-OK 2012-07-01 23:36:34.218909810 +0100
+++ plasma-desktop-appletsrc-after-NOT-OK 2012-07-02 19:08:05.705046533 +0100
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
zvalue=0

[Containments][1][Applets][13]
-geometry=34,0,263,389
+geometry=34,35,263,389
immutability=2
plugin=system-monitor_applet
zvalue=372
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
filter=0
filterFiles=*
flow=0
-geometry=318,0,1285,175
+geometry=318,35,1285,175
iconsLocked=false
immutability=2
mimeFilter=
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
Share=false

[Containments][1][Applets][41]
-geometry=1606,0,314,157
+geometry=1606,35,314,157
immutability=2
plugin=digital-clock
zvalue=361
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
DialogWidth=490

[Containments][1][Applets][55]
-geometry=34,31,146,273
+geometry=34,66,146,273
immutability=2
plugin=sm_temperature
zvalue=370

[whatthefunk]

Do you run Wine? Wine always moves my widgets around.

[skint]

Indeed I do, or did. I had Wine run a program at start up, which put an icon in the System Tray. Since not doing that everything has stayed where put through about 4 reboots and it sure feels like the answer, so thank you very much whatthe.

Weirdly though; I had an almost identical desktop layout in 11.10, with the same Windows app. started the same way and didn't have the problem. May have been a different Wine version though...

[skint]

Widgets moved by the OS NOT SOLVED

Well someone was very fast to mark my previous thread Solved and close it, so I have little alternative than to start a new thread.

The problem still occurs without Wine running. It'll boot just fine for several reboots, but then put 2 widgets lower than they should be again. Also, as I previously mentioned, this didn't happen with 11.10.

May I respectfully ask whoever closed the previous thread to re-open it and merge this post there and then delete this one.

Thanks.

[SteveRiley]

Merged per request.

Marking threads as "solved" has the unfortunate side-effect of closing them, too. I should investigate how to fix that. I'm generally not a fan of closing threads.

[Snowhog]

Fixed. Admin CP > Options > Mark Thread As 'Solved' Options > Close thread on solved? to No.

[skint]

Excellent adminning. Thanks both.

[whatthefunk]

I was wondering about that quick Solved marking...

At least on my system, I know that only Wine moves widgets around. I would really like to know why....

Have you searched KDE bug reports?

[skint]

Just having a look through KDE bug reports now. Trouble is they are all quite interesting and I get distracted.

As the amount my widgets move is about the same as the height of the 'New Activity' one, is there any way to remove that one from the desktop? I never use activities and would prefer it gone.

[added] Doesn't seem to be anything to do with the New Activity widget. I moved it to bottom right, put the moved one back where I want it (only the clock at top right corner had moved last time), rebooted and 5 of the buggers had moved. It just seems completely random.

I guess plasma-desktop-appletsrc is sanity checked at some stage. Don't suppose anyone knows by what?

[later] Just tried positioning all widgets along the top slightly lower than usual, so they weren't automatically moved slightly from the top edge when dropped. A different 2 of the 7 moved down on next reboot. I'll probably try asking on KDE forums as I presume it would affect all KDE distros. I'll report back if I find a solution of course.

[later later] Well something strange just happened. I have a thin, full height panel at screen left and I tried shortening it at the top and all the misplaced widgets jumped back to where they should be! Got to be a clue, so after a bit more messing I've ended up with the New Activity thing at extreme top left (where it turns into just a large cashew) and the top of my LHS panel a good inch lower than the bottom of it. Everything else exactly where I want them. Has survived about 4 reboots so far, but still too soon to say for sure.

[K-Project]

Have you sorted this OK then OP? I reckon it could be worth your time filing it as a KDE bug. Hope it's sorted for you anyway.

[skint]

Well nothing has moved since, but I haven't rebooted so often today. I'll do some testing on a VM when I get time, see if I can make it always happen on a fresh install. Could help (KDE devs) locate the bug if I can.

I've attached a screen shot of my top left corner to show what I mean and show off some layered plasmoids.

[skint]

Not much success recreating the problem on a VM yet, but I haven't used Wine on it and I think that could be what sort of initialises the problem. I ran the dreaded Windows .exe which is the main culprit, I think, and forgot to close it before shutting down. Sure enough my plasmoids were displaced and there's nothing worse than a case of displaced plasmoids in the morning

I think what's happening is that the root top left corner of the desktop, the place where new windows appear, is relocated by a panel occupying the place, which is good. It means anything opening in a default location doesn't cover the panel, but Wine (or whatever deals with Wine requirements) ignores that and puts a small box containing the app's icon at extreme top left during shut down. Then a random number of sensibly positioned plasmoids along the desktop top are shifted down on its next showing.

If it happens to anyone else, there seems to be two working workarounds.

If you must have a panel at the left extending right to the top, then if you find stuff has moved down you can make them all snap back again by simply unlocking and dropping the top of the LH panel slightly. Loads quicker than moving them back manually.

Or just don't have a panel extending to top left corner. Seems to have worked for me through several reboots (I've said that before) and running my program in Wine the usual way.

Hoping it helps someone...