FT search window doesn't go under main Calibre Window easily

[droopy]

When I click the "FT" symbol on the lefthand side of my search bar in the main Calibre GUI, it opens Full-text search dialog window.
I noticed that when I click on the main calibre window, the full-text search window does not go below it. My workaround is clicking the FT search window in the toolbar to make it minimize, or making it go to another workspace (Ctrl-Alt-Shift Right/Left arrow). I wish full-text search window is treated just like any other window.

i use Linux Mint cinnamon.

[kovidgoyal]

That's up to your window manager. The window is a non-modal child window. Most window managers, allow you to move it around freely above and below. It works fine in current GNOME, Windows, KDE and macOS.

[droopy]

Hi Kovid,
In Cinnamon desktop environment (in Linux Mint 21.2), I've disabled "Attach dialog windows to the parent window". This "disability' happily seems to be in effect in non-Calibre programs. But in Calibre, full-text search will not easily go away; I still have to tap on the FT-search tab in my taskbar to minimize it (or whisk it away to a different workspace).
Do you have any insight into this matter?

[droopy]

I have this problem with other child windows of caliber as well. For example, the preference window (control P)

[DNSB]

As far as I know, the Preferences window will stay in front of the main calibre windows. Since actions inside the main calibre window with preferences open could have unexpected actions, using a modal windows for Preferences makes sense.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As far as I know, the Preferences window will stay in front of the main calibre windows. Since actions inside the main calibre window with preferences open could have unexpected actions, using a modal windows for Preferences makes sense.

FWIW & IMO - Preferences should be a menu like the rest of calibre, albeit with nested action items - icon grids are a 30+ year old remnant of OS/2 1.0 and Windows 2.0 Presentation Managers.

BR

[DNSB]

And if I make a change in Preferences and don't commit them, the results could be interesting.

There are good reasons for using both modal and non-modal objects as long as the programmers know what they are doing.

Out of a perhaps morbid curiosity, what does an icon grid have to do with modal/non-modal dialogues?

[BetterRed]

AFAIK - changes to Preferences are committed via the OK buttons in the dialogues behind the individual icons, not by the Close button of the PM-like icon-grid.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

AFAIK - changes to Preferences are committed via the OK buttons in the dialogues behind the individual icons, not by the Close button of the PM-like icon-grid.

I take it that you mean the apply button? Since the majority of changes I make in Preferences seem require a restart, a modal dialogue is preferred. Not to mention that if, for example, an action done in the main window while in the midst of making changes to how that action is handled in Preferences could lead to "interesting" results.

[BetterRed]

There is no Apply button in the Preferences panel. The settings panels have the Apply buttons, and I am not suggesting they be made non modal for the reasons you state. Some of the panels can be accessed without going through the Preferences panel**. That suggests to me they could be in a calibre toolbar/menu like everything else.

** Look and Feel->Tag browser/Book details/Cover grid/Cover browser/Quickview, Add your own columns, Searching.

The Windows Control Panel and Settings tools are also icon grids but unlike calibres Preference icon grid they are keyboard accessible… as is calibre's cover grid, which to my mind is a far more complex object than a fixed icon grid.

BR

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

There is no Apply button in the Preferences panel. The settings panels have the Apply buttons, and I am not suggesting they be made non modal for the reasons you state. Some of the panels can be accessed without going through the Preferences panel**. That suggests to me they could be in a calibre toolbar/menu like everything else.BR

You mentioned an OK button and I was asking if this was the Apply button that most of the individual preferences have. I do know that the Preferences panel has a Close button not an Apply button.

To quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

AFAIK - changes to Preferences are committed via the OK buttons in the dialogues behind the individual icons, not by the Close button of the PM-like icon-grid.

Originally Posted by DNSB

I take it that you mean the Apply button?

[theducks]

The Preferences panel is just a 'menu'

All the real work is done from those destinations selected. Those get 'applied' (and some of the places the send you get applied per item)

[BetterRed]

I don't click the buttons. To my mind, the manner in which the 'Apply' buttons react to the Enter key means they're rebranded OK buttons. If a button branded 'Forget it' reacts to the Escape key by discarding changes then its a Cancel button.

@theducks - it's not 'just a menu'. It's a matrix of icons that must be activated with a pointing device such as a trackball, mouse, whatever. If it were a calibre toolbar/menu, I could assign keyboard shortcut to each settings panel, and discard those I don't use such as Send to device, Metadata plugboards etc. And if I put it in a context menu, then heavens above… I could drive it from the keyboard.

BR

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I don't click the buttons. To my mind, the manner in which the 'Apply' buttons react to the Enter key means they're rebranded OK buttons. If a button branded 'Forget it' reacts to the Escape key by discarding changes then its a Cancel button.BR

I spent too many years in IT where you have to make it very explicitly clear what you are telling the user to do. If I say click on the OK button and the screen shows a Save or Apply or Exit button, it does not lead to a happy conversation. As for expecting them to use keyboard shortcuts, the users who will use them are few and far between and they are, for the most part, the ones who call IT very infrequently.

I suspect this UI/UX discussion is not very relevant to the OPs question which as Kovid Goyal suggested is an issue his windows manager. Sadly a common issue with Linux where My Way seems to be the theme song of choice.

[droopy]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As far as I know, the Preferences window will stay in front of the main calibre windows. Since actions inside the main calibre window with preferences open could have unexpected actions, using a modal windows for Preferences makes sense.

I guess you're right. Kovid mentioned that "full-text search" is a non-modal child window. I believe Preferences window is a modal child window.
Why do I say that? Because FT search window will appear as its own tab in my panel, whereas Preferences window does not have its own tab in my Linux Mint panel.