Comments on: Squib of the day: speed up alt-tab under compositing http://blogs.gnome.org/metacity/2009/01/27/squib-of-the-day-speed-up-alt-tab-under-compositing/ "Many window managers are like Marshmallow Froot Loops; Metacity is like Cheerios." Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:08:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Metacity Journal: 2009-01-27 - …for the adult in you http://blogs.gnome.org/metacity/2009/01/27/squib-of-the-day-speed-up-alt-tab-under-compositing/comment-page-1/#comment-735 Metacity Journal: 2009-01-27 - …for the adult in you Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:55:54 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/metacity/?p=284#comment-735 [...] …for the adult in you “Many window managers are like Marshmallow Froot Loops; Metacity is like Cheerios.” Skip to content « Squib of the day: speed up alt-tab under compositing [...] [...] …for the adult in you “Many window managers are like Marshmallow Froot Loops; Metacity is like Cheerios.” Skip to content « Squib of the day: speed up alt-tab under compositing [...]

]]> By: Screwtape http://blogs.gnome.org/metacity/2009/01/27/squib-of-the-day-speed-up-alt-tab-under-compositing/comment-page-1/#comment-734 Screwtape Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:47:15 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/metacity/?p=284#comment-734 On my MacBook here, I have to hold down Alt-Tab for about half a second (guesstimate) for the switcher to appear, but if I just tap Alt-Tab and release the correct target window is focussed without the switcher appearing, so it seems that (1) is already within acceptable limits. If I hold down Alt and double-tap Tab before the switcher appears, then when it *does* appear the correct window is highlighted. However, if I press Alt, double-tap Tab and release Alt before the switcher appears, it behaves as though I'd only pressed Tab once. If calculating snapshots takes a while, I'd prefer the behaviour to be: 1. User holds down Alt and taps Tab. 2. Metacity displays switcher, showing the icon for each window. 3. Metacity kicks off a thread (or whatever) to calculate the thumbnail for each window. 4. As each thread completes its thumbnail, the switcher replaces the respective window icon with the thumbnail+icon we have now. 5. When the user releases Alt, any thumbnailing threads still in progress are killed and the intended window is focussed. It's not strictly necessary to kill the thumbnailing threads, I guess - I wouldn't care if they ate CPU while I was busy typing in another window, I just don't want to have to wait for them while I switch windows. If the second solution fits into the existing switcher framework, gives live thumbnails for free and makes the tab-switcher appear Fast Enough(TM), it may be worth just going for that solution and not bothering with the interim solution at all. On my MacBook here, I have to hold down Alt-Tab for about half a second (guesstimate) for the switcher to appear, but if I just tap Alt-Tab and release the correct target window is focussed without the switcher appearing, so it seems that (1) is already within acceptable limits. If I hold down Alt and double-tap Tab before the switcher appears, then when it *does* appear the correct window is highlighted. However, if I press Alt, double-tap Tab and release Alt before the switcher appears, it behaves as though I’d only pressed Tab once.

If calculating snapshots takes a while, I’d prefer the behaviour to be:
1. User holds down Alt and taps Tab.
2. Metacity displays switcher, showing the icon for each window.
3. Metacity kicks off a thread (or whatever) to calculate the thumbnail for each window.
4. As each thread completes its thumbnail, the switcher replaces the respective window icon with the thumbnail+icon we have now.
5. When the user releases Alt, any thumbnailing threads still in progress are killed and the intended window is focussed.

It’s not strictly necessary to kill the thumbnailing threads, I guess – I wouldn’t care if they ate CPU while I was busy typing in another window, I just don’t want to have to wait for them while I switch windows.

If the second solution fits into the existing switcher framework, gives live thumbnails for free and makes the tab-switcher appear Fast Enough(TM), it may be worth just going for that solution and not bothering with the interim solution at all.

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