Docky

Kill unresponsive apps using docky

Bug #647238 reported by Mathijs Henquet
6
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Docky
New
Wishlist
Mathijs Henquet

Bug Description

This isn't really a bug but a feature request/implementation, also I am new to Docky so I hope I implemented it correctly.

Today I came up with the idea of using docky to kill responsive applications. It would allow for a quick, apposed to opening gnome-system-monitor, and user-friendly, apposed to xkill, way to forcefully terminate applications.

So I decided to hack the source (see added branch). My current implication works by getting the PID of each window then executing the kill command (using System.Diagnostics.Process).

A menu item is added to each WnckDockItem, but only if the modifier key ctrl is pressed while right clicking. I implemented it that way because you don't want people to generaly use this way to terminate a application. It is implemented with a extra event called GetExtaMenuItems.

As icon I used the elementary shutdown icon, resized and adapted for use with docky.

Robert Dyer (psybers)
Changed in docky:
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
Revision history for this message
Robert Dyer (psybers) wrote :

I am uncertain about how the user should access such functionality. I can however tell you, that I think ctrl+click is not a good way.

Changed in docky:
assignee: nobody → MathijsHenquet (mathijshenquet)
Revision history for this message
Mathijs Henquet (mathijshenquet) wrote :

Thanks for your reply,

Apart for the accessibly do you like the idea?

Because if you do I really think the ctrl+click is the best way to go. Docky already uses a meta key to change behavior, for example to open a new window on a already active application. Also Windows implements similar behavior in explorer, if you shift + rightclick the context menu adds the option to open CMD. And OSX actually uses ctrl+click to access context menu's.

I actually think its a great way to hide more advanced options in the context menu. This way your not tempted to activate the functionality when it not necessary, yet it is still obvious and easy triggered.

Revision history for this message
Robert Dyer (psybers) wrote :

OSX does that because (traditionally) they have 1 button mice. So it is sorta needed.

And I am not a fan of following the lead of anything Windows does. ;-)

Basically, my problem is that I do not like the idea of showing different popup menus based on a modifier. If we show a popup, it should always be the same popup. Anything else would just confuse users.

A better approach (which you can't do right now with our API) would be to add like an 'X' icon near the name of each window in the popup. This would always show. And I would want a confirmation dialog after clicking it. But as I said, you can't do that with our API (now).

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