Xfce Forum

MicePenguin4

Member

Registered: 2022-09-26

Posts: 2

Is the "vertical" taskbar still an option ?

Hi there,

Since long years I have been a trusted user of xfce for a simple reason.
It offers the most flexible taskbar management over all other desktops.
It is the only DE I know that offers taskbars with multiple lines.
And just for that reason I keep xfce that I set up as much as possible to make if fit my likings...

I have always considered that a computer display has more horizontal space than it has vertical space.
So I think it makes sense to put the taskbars at the left/right edges of the display instead of the conventional top/bottom edges.

And doing this was pretty nice with xfce.
WAS is the key word.

Because with every update to xfce and it's taskbar plug-ins, it seems more and more complicated to have a set-up with vertical taksbars.
It has come to a point where I am wondering if it would not make sense to consider it and simply remove the ability to set a vertical taskbar.

Here are some examples :
- clock plug-in displays date and time vertically and you can't rotate it... as you could earlier ;
- workspace changer needs to be in "vertical" mode, but will not work in "Desktop bar" ;
- System load plug-in will display correctly in "Desktop bar" mode but not in vertical mode ;
- Network monitor will work in taskbar mode but not in vertical mode...

So these are all modules that do not consider that the user can use the taskbars in vertical mode anymore.
And that is really annoying :-(

So either I am doing something completely wrong, or xfce is regretably going backwards and line up with every other DE in Linux.
I am afraid that, unless there is a trick I have overseen, the latter applies.

Regards.

Last edited by MicePenguin4 (2022-09-26 06:21:48)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,485

Re: Is the "vertical" taskbar still an option ?

Hello and welcome.

You don't mention the version of Xfce and xfce4-panel that you are running, so I'll respond based on what I see in Arch Linux (Xfce 4.16, xfce4-panel 4.16.5).

First of all, as you've probably noticed, the difference between vertical mode and deskbar mode, is that the widget contents will appear "sideways" in vertical mode, but up/down in deskbar mode.

clock plug-in displays date and time vertically and you can't rotate it... as you could earlier ;

I don't recall the previous version and clock text rotation - though I do recall the orage plugin having that option. How are you looking to rotate it? Would deskbar mode work? If you'd like the developers to consider rotation options on the clock plugin, you'll need to create a bug/enhancement request. There is work currently being done on the clock plugin.

workspace changer needs to be in "vertical" mode, but will not work in "Desktop bar"

I noticed a bug in this version of xfce4-panel (that has since been fixed) where you also have to change the Appearance from Miniature to Buttons and back again if you change the number of rows for it to take effect. Changing the rows changes the appearance of the plugin. This is found in the Workspace plugin's Properties page.

System load plug-in will display correctly in "Desktop bar" mode but not in vertical mode

Looks good to me. What exactly do you mean by not displaying correctly in vertical mode?

Network monitor will work in taskbar mode but not in vertical mode

Same as above. How is it not working properly for you?

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Skaperen

Member

From: right by Jesus, our Saviour

Registered: 2013-06-15

Posts: 862

Re: Is the "vertical" taskbar still an option ?

you can turn some monitors vertical (portrait orientation) and have more space vertical.  i think the issue is the orientation of writing.  vertical can be used, but only in a limited way, compared to many Asian languages.

MicePenguin4

Member

Registered: 2022-09-26

Posts: 2

Re: Is the "vertical" taskbar still an option ?

Hi,

Thanks for your answers.

The problem for, is, I think, that the deskbar mode is not really taken into consoderation by some plug-ins.

I solved the problem by creating two taskbars.
One on the left is a deskbar the other one, on the right is a vertical taskbar.

I've placed the applets accordingly.
Not ideal as I am accustomed to other placement.
But I'll get used to it I think...

Anyways, I always thought ergonomics was the way the tech adapts to the user.
And not the way the user adapts to tech :-)