solved - KDE 4.3.2 minimized apps hide where?

julian516 · Last edited by julian516 on Tue Oct 27, 2025 8:15 pm; edited 1 time in total

Odd problem has emerged as I explore KDE 4.3.2 on sidux 2025-2. If I minimize an application, for example Iceweasel, it seems to disappear into the center of my screen. I do not show an icon for that minimized app anywhere at the top or on the bottom of the screen. If I open another instance of Iceweasel and again minimize it, the same thing will happen. So I sit there figuring out how to restore the minimized application.

Now, if I log out and log back into my xfce desktop, both of those minimized Iceweasel applications will be showing on the top bar on the xfce desktop! So plainly I am minimizing them under kde and not closing them.

Strange, in my estimation.

Can anybody explain the behavior of minimized applications under kde 4.3? Do I have some sort of malfunction or - well, am I missing something?

_________________
Ubuntu 9.10
Mandriva 2025 KDE
siduxKDE/antiX

melloe · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2025 3:20 pm Post subject:

That is a new one on me. Might try update and check if packages are up to date.

But mainly I just wanted to say welcome.

_________________
mell0: 1. Kubuntu, XP, Sabayon 2. Mandriva,Mint, Mephis
Thor: 1. VISTA, Fedora 2. Chakra, Debian
Sam:XP, SuSE Zues: win7, SuSE testing

Lord.DragonFly.of.Dawn · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2025 2:33 am Post subject:

perhaps it's a pannep applet that you have to add. I know in Gnome it is....

_________________
ArchLinux x86_64 - Custom Built Desktop
ArchLinux x86_64 - Compaq CQ50 Laptop
ArchLinux i686 - Acer Aspire One Netbook
ArchLinux i686 - Dell Presario ze2000 (w/ shattered LCD)

PuppyLinux, CloneZilla, PartedMagic, DBAN - rescue thumbdrives
Windows 7 (x86_64 desktop alternate boot)

crouse · Site Admin Joined: 17 Apr 2025 Posts: 11833 Location: Iowa

I think you just need to add the taskbar to your panel..... or alternatively maybe the system tray... one of those.

_________________
Veronica - Arch Linux 64-bit -- Kernel 2.6.33.4-1
Archie/Jughead - Arch Linux 32-bit -- Kernel 2.6.33.4-1
Betty/Reggie - Arch Linux (VBox) 32-bit -- Kernel 2.6.33.4-1
BumbleBee - OpenSolaris-SunOS 5.11

julian516 · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2025 5:43 am Post subject:

Thanks to one and all! Melloe I appreciated your greeting. I am in xfce at the moment, but I will switch desktops in a moment and see about the taskbar. I think I have one there, but asking about it is in the same category with "Did you turn off the coffee pot?"

I'll readily admit to being a KDE klutz. I have not done a great deal with the KDE 4 series, but I decided to try it with sidux, in part because sidux makes it so easy to switch desktops.

I update this system every other week, so its various files ought to be current.

One interesting twist has emerged. I took a Mandriva and a Suse live cd that I had here and launched each of those in turn. (I have them with the kde 4 desktop) I then launched and minimized a number of applications with each and they did exactly as we would expect. They minimized the application and left an icon on the lower task bar. When I clicked it the app was immediately maximized.

So if my sidux-kde will not do that I am going to suspect that I did something - ??? - that damaged some essential file in the system. At that point I might try a remove and reinstall to see what happens when it comes up as reinstalled. Hopefully I will not hae to do that.

Now, let's go check on that coffee pot!

_________________
Ubuntu 9.10
Mandriva 2025 KDE
siduxKDE/antiX

julian516 · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2025 6:11 am Post subject:

I do have a taskbar, in fact. What I do not have is that translucent (?) "folder" that sits on the KDE desktop holding the web browser and several other icons. I have the launcher icons, all of which just sit on the desktop. I cannot seem to recreate that translucent thing.

So I suspect it might be worthwhile to just remove the instance of KDE I am running and then reinstall it. That would at least bring me back to its initial state. If I trashed something a reinstall should fix that problem.

KDE has some attractive properties, but .....

I'll report back and let everyone know what happens. It might help someone else.

_________________
Ubuntu 9.10
Mandriva 2025 KDE
siduxKDE/antiX

melloe · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2025 12:55 pm Post subject:

bdquick · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2025 3:36 pm Post subject:

In case its a setting someplace might be worth considering cleaning up your /home/.kde folder too.

_________________
OpenSuse 11.1 11, 10.2
Arch Linux

julian516 · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2025 5:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks again to melloe and bdquick. I would have forgotten about the .kde file, in fact. We did solve the problem, which I think did reside in that file - somewhere!

Here's the story. I tried using apt-get to remove kde, thinking I then would reinstall it. So to init 3 I went. Surprise! I was told kde could not be removed because it was not installed! I tied several variations and got that message each time.

Much headscratching.

So still at level 3 I attacked the .kde problem. Wow, there is a lot of stuff in .kde! And my primitive understanding of how to delete files and directories certainly was stretched. BTW Barrett in Linux Pocket Guide suggests rm -r to remove a non-empty directory. That did not appear to be operational and the man page for rmdir does not show it.

But I must have hacked and whacked sufficiently because on reboot (and after some amount of file repairing) I was greeted with a fully functional kde desktop that properly minimized applications. The translucent desktop folder also reappeared.

So I could mark this thread solved. If I knew how! Confused

_________________
Ubuntu 9.10
Mandriva 2025 KDE
siduxKDE/antiX

julian516 · Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2025 9:27 pm Post subject:

OK, let me make this a little simpler in case I am not the only person who did not know how to recover a KDE 4 desktop folder. This comes courtesy of clash on Linux Forums, Jan. 2025.

If you close your Desktop folder it seems to disappear. Here is how to get it back.

1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop.

2. Select Add Widgets.

3. Now select "Folder View" on the widget list and then click on Add Widget"

This puts your Home Directory on the desktop by default.

4. Now right-click on that folder area. Then select "Folder View Settings."

5. Now click on "Show Desktop Folder" annd then close by clicking on "OK"

This will return your Desktop Folder.

Seems a lot of fol-de-rol, so to speak. But it works.

_________________
Ubuntu 9.10
Mandriva 2025 KDE
siduxKDE/antiX

	USA Linux Users Group Forum Index » Window Managers	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1