<sect1 id="action">
<sect1info>

<authorgroup>
<author>
<firstname>Mike</firstname>
<surname>McBride</surname>
</author>
</authorgroup>

<date>21/10/2000</date>
<releaseinfo>1.00.00</releaseinfo>

<keywordset>
<keyword>KDE</keyword>
<keyword>KControl</keyword>
<keyword>actions</keyword>
<keyword>window placement</keyword>
<keyword>window size</keyword>
</keywordset>
</sect1info>
<title>Actions (Window Placement/Size Behavior)</title>

<sect2 id="action-intro">
<title>Introduction</title>

<para>This module lets you specify how you want KDE to place newly created
windows on your desktop, how to change the "focus" between windows, and how to
graphically represent windows as you move them.</para>

</sect2>

<sect2 id="action-use">
<title>Use</title>

<para>This module is divided into 3 distinct areas:
<guilabel>Windows</guilabel>, <guilabel>Placement Policy</guilabel> and
<guilabel>Focus Policy</guilabel>.</para>

<sect3 id="action-use-windows">
<title>Windows</title>

<para>This section of the module has three options:  </para>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Vertical Maximization only by default</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>When this option is selected, any request by the user to
"Maximize" a window, will cause the window to expand to fully use the verticle
space on the window, but KDE will not change the horizontal space used by the
window.  If this option is disabled, KDE will increase the window in
<emphasis>both</emphasis> horizontal and verticle directions</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Display content in moving windows</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>When this option is selected, KDE will continue to update the
contents of the window as you move it around the screen.</para>  <para>If this
option is not selected, KDE will use show you a rectangle, which will move with
your mouse.  When the mouse button is released, KDE will restore the contents of
the window.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Display content in resizing windows</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>When this option is selected, KDE will resize the contents of a
window as you change the size.  If this option is not selected, then KDE will
show a rectangle while you are resizing, and when the mouse button is released,
the contents of the window will be resized and appear within the
window.</para></listitem> 
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<tip><para>Both the "<guilabel>Display content in moving windows</guilabel>" and
"<guilabel>Display content in resizing windows</guilabel>" options, consume
signifigantly more processor resources when enabled, then when disabled.  If you
find your computer is not as responsive as you would like when moving or
resizing windows, disabling one or both of these features will improve the
responsiveness of KDE.</para></tip>

</sect3>

<sect3 id="action-use-placement">
<title><guilabel>Placement Policy</guilabel></title>

<para>The placement policy determines where a new window will appear on the
desktop.  There are currently three options:</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para><guilabel>Smart</guilabel> - Will try to arrange new windows to
minimize overlapping as much as possible</para></listitem>
<listitem><para><guilabel>Cascade</guilabel> - Will place the first window on
the desktop with the upper left corner of the window in the upper left corner of
the desktop.  Each consecutive window will have the upper left corner of the
window shifted down and to the right.  </para></listitem>
<listitem><para><guilabel>Random</guilabel> - Will randomly place the window on
the desktop.</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

</sect3>

<sect3 id="action-use-focus">
<title><guilabel>Focus Policy</guilabel></title>

<para>The "focus", of the desktop refers to the window which the user is
currently working on. The window with focus is often referred to as the "active
window".</para>

<para>There are four methods KDE can use to determine the current focus:</para>

<variablelist>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Click to Focus</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>With this option, you simply click on the window to make that
window acitve.</para>
<para>All the other options within this section have no effect when this option
is chosen.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Focus follows mouse</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>To change the focus of a window, simply place the mouse pointer
over the window.  If the mouse pointer is then moved to an area of the desktop
without another window, the last window retains the focus.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Focus under mouse</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>The window under the mouse, has the focus.  If, however, the
mouse pointer is in an area of the desktop that has no windows, no window will
be active.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
<varlistentry>
<term><guilabel>Focus strictly under mouse</guilabel></term>
<listitem><para>Similar to <guilabel>Focus under mouse</guilabel>, but even more
strict with its interpretation.</para></listitem>
</varlistentry>
</variablelist>

<para>Once you have determined the focus policy, there are two more options
which you can determine.</para>

<para>By placing a mark in front of "<guilabel>Auto Raise</guilabel>", KDE can
bring a window to the front if the mouse is over that window for a specified
period of time.  This is very useful with the <guilabel>Focus follows
Mouse</guilabel> option.  You can determine the delay by using the slider
bar/spin box comination.  </para> 

<tip><para>Setting the delay too short, will cause a rapid fire changing of
windows, which can be quite distracting.  Most people will like a delay of
100-300 ms.  This is responsive, but it will let you slide over the corners of a
window on your way to your destination without bringing that window to the
front.</para></tip>

<para>If you do not use "<guilabel>Auto Raise</guilabel>", make sure the
"<guilabel>Click Raise</guilabel>" option has a mark in front of it.  You will
not be happy with both "<guilabel>Auto Raise</guilabel>" and "<guilabel>Click
Raise</guilabel>" disabled.</para>

</sect3>
</sect2>

<sect2 id="action-author">
<title>Section Author</title>

<para>This section written by: </para>
<para>Mike McBride <email>mpmcbride7@yahoo.com</email></para>

</sect2>
</sect1>
