LatteDock/FAQ

←Latte Dock

What is Latte Dock? How did it begin?

Latte Dock is a dock based on plasma frameworks and a direct successor of Now Dock. Latte is the combined effort from the developers of Now Dock and Candil Dock.

How can I add launchers?

The easiest and most memory-efficient way to do so is to drag n' drop them on the task manager (this is the area where dots and lines are shown under running windows).

Hint: You can also add them outside the task manager, but this creates animation issues for sizes <64px and it is memory hungry.

How can I add applets?

Right click on your Plasma desktop → Add Widgets. From the plasma widgets explorer, drag n' drop any widget you want onto your Latte Dock.

How can I enable Edit Mode in Latte?

In Edit Mode the user can remove applets, change their ordering and access advanced settings in various areas. To enable it the user just has to show the Latte Settings Window.

How can I move/remove applets?

You should go to Edit Mode (when the settings window is shown) and then you can drag any applet you want to be placed elsewhere. You can also remove it while under "Edit Mode" by right-clicking on it or by pressing the [X] button in the tooltip above the applet.

Can I disable the parabolic effect for a specific applet?

You should go to Edit Mode (when the settings window is shown) and hover afterward the specific applet. Its tooltip contains a lock icon that will disable the parabolic effect for that applet when clicked.

My launcher and its window are not associated correctly OR my launcher is using a low-resolution icon?

This issue means that plasma libtaskmanager has not associated your launcher and app windows correctly to the relevant desktop file. Plasma is trying to be smart enough in order to correctly identify which desktop files are associated to which specific windows, but there are cases when it fails. Best way to solve this is to check the StartupWMClass record in the desktop file. This record should point at the proper WM_CLASS record at all times. For example even though the Latte Dock desktop file is called org.kde.latte-dock.desktop, its StartupWMClass is lattedock. In order to correctly identify the StartupWMClass of an application, you can use xprop.

Example:

1. Run xprop from the command line.
2. Click on the window you are interested in.
3. Locate at the end of the output the record WM_CLASS(STRING) =.
4. Add the previously mentioned record in the application desktop file at the StartupWMClass field.

For instance, with "Gimp 2.10", even though its desktop file is called gimp.desktop, its StartupWMClass is "gimp-2.10". StartupWMClass is not needed to be added for "Gimp" since plasma developers have taken special care to map it properly through /etc/xdg/taskmanagerrulesrc.

How does Latte Dock (auto)start and why is a widget provided?

Latte starts from the menu; there is no need to place the widget on your desktop. It is there for testing purposes. Automatic start can be enabled through Settings Window → Tweaks.

Did any other dock inspire you? How does Latte Dock compare to other docks?

Latte Dock has an architecture inspired and based on Plasmashell, but we also took some inspiration from Plank, e.g.: its Visibility modes.

What technology/programming language does it make use of?

Latte is mostly written in Qt/QML and C++14, but this project would not be possible without KDE Frameworks 5.

Ok, you convinced me to try it! How can I install it and what are its dependencies?

You can download the sources, install the required dependencies and build Latte. Please read the README and INSTALLATION. But if you have any problems or doubts, you can ask the development team.

Which distributions have packaged Latte Dock so that I can install it through the package manager?

Please read at the bottom of Latte Dock's Main Page the Repositories section.

Why is the displayed window not smooth after the launcher's bouncing animation?

Try the following steps:

1. Go to Plasma System Settings → Applications → Launch Feedback → (disable) Task Manager animation.
2. If the problem persists, then your application desktop file might be missing the "StartupWMClass" record. In Inkscape's case, that would be: StartupWMClass=inkscape. You can use the xprop application in order to identify its correct value.

What are some basic configuration options?

Latte is highly configurable. We invite you to explore and configure latte to your liking from the config window. 👍 But some special features are: Visibility, Zoom Effect and Add widgets/plasmoids from KDE Plasma.

Where are the configuration(s) stored?

Be careful! It is recommended to make a backup of those if you want to keep the original configurations.

cat ~/.config/lattedock-appletsrc

cat ~/.config/lattedockrc

Inside ~/.config/lattedock-appletsrc I see several things. Can you explain a little the idea behind those?

Config is organized based on "Containments" (e.g. [Containments][1]). Each of those has a number to distinguish one from the other, and each one has different blocks of options. That's where "applets" come into play and each "Containment" has its applets (usually one - [Containments][1][Applets][2]). So it goes like:

[Containments][NumberOfContainment][Applets][NumberOf_Applet]

Now, applet-2 may be a series of launchers, a Plasma Widget, anything. Each and every applet also has multiple blocks of configuration. A block might be used for generic "applet" configuration (e.g. [Containments][1][Applets][2]) or some more specific options (e.g. [Containments][1][Applets][2][Configuration][General]).

As you can tell, we can't document everything about those numerous options here, but here is the deal: You can tweak every applet separately, you can change the order applets appear with appletOrder=No_of_Applet;No_of_Another, under [Containments][1][General]* , you can manually change the iconSize at the same block, if you want shadows, what the zoomLevel must be, etc. A sample is provided here so you can see it for yourself.

• You see, it contains all the other applets and you tweak it under general options.

What are some expert configuration options to never mess with?

None is forbidden, as long as you take frequent backups of your configuration. Use cron or similar software to automate the procedure and place them in a safe place.

How can I enable the Latte Global Shortcuts?

In most cases you need to go to Plasma System Settings → Global Shortcuts → Latte Dock and enable what shortcuts you need.

• Super + No: Activate a task
• Super + Ctrl + No: A new instance for a task
• Super + `: Show a hidden dock

Can I use my super key to open the app launcher?

First make sure Latte Dock is not open.

Option 1:

Of course you can, but you will need to add at your ~/.config/kwinrc file the following code:

[ModifierOnlyShortcuts]
Meta=org.kde.lattedock,/Latte,org.kde.LatteDock,activateLauncherMenu

Then reload KWin with:

qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

Option 2:

Alternatively, you can run the following commands:

kwriteconfig5 --file ~/.config/kwinrc --group ModifierOnlyShortcuts --key Meta "org.kde.lattedock,/Latte,org.kde.LatteDock,activateLauncherMenu"
qdbus org.kde.KWin /KWin reconfigure

Latte v0.8 deactivates Borderless Maximized Windows from Active Window Control plasmoid, what can I do ?

Latte v0.8 supports BorderLess Maximized Windows per layout simultaneously. In order for this to work it had to support that feature internally. You can try the following:

1. Disable BorderLess Maximized Windows from Active Window Control.
2. Go to Latte Settings → Layouts → Choose tab (Preferences) and enable Support borderless maximized windows in different layouts.
3. Return to your layouts and a new column called Borderless should now appear, add a check mark in the column for the layout you want that feature and click Apply.

Ok, so now I can't launch Latte. Is there any sample config to restore it to default settings?

You have been told to take backups. Unfortunately, unless you post your configuration to get help, little can be done now; just killall -9 latte-dock, delete your configuration and restart Latte in order to reconfigure it. A configuration exists [here](http://pastebin.ca/3772307), but it will most likely not be useful to you.

Can I tweak things like Latte Dock's distance from the screen's border?

You can minimize the distance, but not directly tweak it. Go to Latte Setting → Tweaks and select Shrink thickness margins.

Are there preloaded layouts for Latte v0.6?

In Latte v0.7, the layouts have been added by default in the Appearance page. For the previous v0.6, users are able to use the Preloaded Layouts file, which contains four of the most used layouts (Default, Unity, Plasma, Favourite).

Can I tweak a launcher's icon or its command parameters?

You can set it up on your plasma environment and drag n' drop it onto your "Latte Dock".

Can I rearrange misplaced launchers and applets through the configuration files?

If you misplaced a launcher (or a whole applet), open ~/.config/lattedock-appletsrc. Search your launcher and decide where you want to place it. Cut

;file:///usr/share/applications/myapp.desktop

(yes, with the semicolon too) and paste it after the launcher - and its semicolon - you want. Be very careful; only the last launcher won't need a semicolon afterward! So if you are copying your launcher between two others, you have to make sure that a semicolon exists both before and after your launcher. Let's see an example; let's say you need to copy the launcher for transmission-qt:

..;file:///usr/share/applications/kchmviewer.desktop;file:transmission-qt;file:....

If what you want to reposition is a whole applet, rather than a launcher in an applet, you will find appletOrder very useful. Just note your applet's number and change the order in which applets are written in the previously mentioned option. Have I mentioned to keep a backup before you edit? I'm mentioning again; it's good practice.

What effects does Latte Dock provide? Can launchers rotate, shake or dim when clicked?

Latte only has the zoom effect and shadows, but we are very concerned about delivering excellent user experience.

How can someone shut down any effect, so the icons do absolutely nothing when clicked?

You can disable all animations through Latte Configuration Window → Appearance → Animations → None.

Launchers are disappearing before the relevant window is shown even though they shouldn't.

We are acquainted with this, but this behavior is provided by plasma's libtaskmanager. You can read more at: Latte Issue #72, KDE bug report

I set Animations to None, but when clicking on a launcher its icon momentarily disappears.

This bug was already fixed in the current master and will be included in the next (0.6.0) release. So all you have to do is git pull the latest changes of master, or wait for the next stable version if you prefer.

Some applets in my dock are shown too small from Plasma 5.10 and beyond, can I fix this?

In Plasma 5.10, the plasma developers decided that the applets in the panels should have a maximum size that must not be overcome. You can change this at plasma System Settings-> Icons → Advanced → Panel → by setting a size of 256px.

My left dock behaves strangely from Plasma 5.10 onwards, how can I fix this?

In Plasma 5.10, the KWin developers introduced gesture functionality for touch screens, which is enabled by default for all systems. You can disable it through plasma System Settings → Workspace Behavior → Touchscreen. Relogin your plasma session if the change doesn't take effect immediately.

KWin bug report Plasma bug report

So far so good, but Wayland is the future. What are the plans for this?

We plan to work on this for Plasma 5.10, but we are currently working on offering experimental support as well.

When support for Wayland is provided, will Latte Dock remove its automagical dependency of X11?

It's still a long way off for Wayland to replace X11, but it's possible to build Latte without X11 dependencies, however, we are still working on supporting Wayland.

As of writing this F.A.Q., what is the problem with Qt v5.8?

If you are brave enough to mess with technical details, you may want to look here and here.

Is there a way to tell Latte Dock to launch only for a Plasma session ?

Of course you can, please follow these steps:

1. Go to System Settings → Startup and Shutdown → Autostart.
2. Choose Latte Dock from the applications list.
3. Advanced → Autostart only in Plasma.

Is there any other hiccup or potential problem I should be careful of?

Software, like everything else in life, isn't perfect; we constantly try to make better software and you can help us out by reporting every possible problem you may find. To answer the question though, there isn't a bug serious enough to prevent you from trying Latte Dock.

Are there any hopes and wishes for features from the Plasma upstream?

The most important feature needed from KWin in Wayland is that distros provide access to KWayland's privileged APIs and/or for the users, a confirmation from them that Latte requests such APIs.

How often will new versions be released and what are your plans?

The first priority needed to release a stable version is that all the needed features are implemented and no major crashes appear. We are of course trying to keep the schedule, but on the other hand, it will be ready when it is ready is the better philosophy we should follow in order to provide a complete and stable release for our users.

I am a complete newbie but I want to help somehow. What can I do?

By the time this F.A.Q. was written, much help is needed to make Latte stable with multi-screen setups. You could clone the "multiscreens" branch and report back any issues. Normal bug reports, reports about problems with specific Plasma or Qt versions, strange desktop behavior or even wishes about new features are all welcome as well.

I know how to program. What can I do to help?

The first step is to know what you are after and then to fork the repo; after that, you can hunt for bugs, add new features - or make already existing features more stable. Discuss your changes and if they are good and reasonable enough, we are more than happy if you provide a pull request.

How can I install from the current master branch?

You can easily download and install from the latest master branch by running a script with the following commands:

git clone https://github.com/psifidotos/Latte-Dock.git
cd Latte-Dock
sh install.sh

The last command might ask for your root password just before installing.

How can I install from a specific branch?

If you want to test some features that currently don't exist in the master branch, you have to checkout the branch you wish to install. Let's say you need the multi2 branch:

git clone https://github.com/psifidotos/Latte-Dock.git
cd Latte-Dock
git pull
git branch multi2
git checkout multi2
git pull origin multi2

Compile as usual.

I added the applet, but it is shown without a shadow like the rest of the icons.

Well, if an applet (or more) doesn't have a shadow, you should either double-check that option All is set under Latte Settings → Appearance.

What happens if I drag 'n' drop files on launchers?

The file will be passed as a parameter to the specific application, creating a new instance (e.g. passing an image to Kolourpaint will open the image with Kolourpaint).

Are there known compatibility issues with specific graphics drivers?

If you have Intel Graphics and experience problems with rendering such as pixelated graphics, corrupt text and others, you can try changing the 2D rendering method from SNA to UXA.

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf

section     "Device"
Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
Driver      "intel"
Option      "AccelMethod"  "uxa"
EndSection

My right click does not work ?

When right-click does not work both for applets and tasks it means that your Latte has not been built with the same KDE Frameworks libraries like Plasma Desktop. The only solution is either your distro to update its Latte package properly or to build Latte by yourself.

How can I set the maximum icon size for applets in Plasma panels?

If you want to set 192px. as maximum icon size for applets in panels you can execute:

kwriteconfig --file ~/.config/kdeglobals --group PanelIcons --key Size "192"

In the previous example, any plasma applets larger than 192px. are going to use their full Desktop representation when are placed inside panels.

How can I improve CPU usage?

Latte, in general, has as a focus to provide maximum configurability and performance, so all its graphics and animations are set to BEST values...

An easy and known solution if you want better CPU usage it to DISABLE tasks/applets shadows. Latte is using DropShadow qml element extensively and it is quite costly. To disable all shadows in a dock, you can do:

Right click Dock -> Dock settings - Effects -> "Shadows" [disable that options group from its header]

In my system, when using the parabolic effect, CPU usage is dropped around 75%

My badge counters don't work in latte-dock. How can fix it?

Please make sure you have libunity installed. On KDE versions of Ubuntu such as Kubuntu and KDE Neon, you will need libunity-dev installed.