Super key should open Dash

It's a good suggestion. I think it requires a fuller assessment of the different shortcuts.
One part of this is that shortcuts are important for accessibility, and some of them can be considered "part of the experience" for users with certain disabilities. The second thing, is that being a scarce resource, shortcuts need to arranged and mapped to functions carefully.

What I recommend is that:
1. Luke draws a complete panorama of the shortcuts proposed for a11y reasons and how they need to map to the Unity word
2. Design reviews that list and ensures the mapping is consistent with the overall organization of the Unity shell and the general usability directions that have been followed.
3. We file a list of bugs/tasks for fixing the shortcuts that need to be remapped.

Assigning Luke for the 1st part of the action. Ayatana-design is for later.

Related to bug 701663 "Add keyboard shortcut for the panel"

This was discussed at the recent sprint in Dallas. Here is a copy of an email that Mirco sent out about what shortcuts could possibly be used, as determined at the meeting:

Greetings everybody!

        Here's my initial brain-dump of the key-mapping that should be used for
launcher- and quicklist-navigation. I don't know about typical
a11y-principles for such things so bear with me, should I have
overlooked something obvious. This is meant as a base for the discussion
we (Alejandro, Neil, Luke, Jay, Jason, myself) need to have this
afternoon.

launcher key-mapping

      * CursorUp: move selection up
      * CursorDown: move selection down
      * CursorLeft/ESC: close a quicklist, if open
      * CursorRight: open quicklist
      * Return/Space: start selected app (or switch focus to it, if
        open)
      * ????: set keyboard-focus to launcher
      * questions (needs feedback from design-team):
              * how - apart from the showing of the tooltip - should the
                currently focused launcher-icon be represented?
              * how does the Super/Meta-key shortcut conflict with this
                a11y keyboard-navigation?

quicklist key-mapping

      * CursorUp: move selection up
      * CursorDown: move selection down
      * CursorLeft/ESC: close quicklist
      * CursortRight: open quicklist
      * Return/Space: activate selected item

        This is meant as a base for the discussion we need to have this
afternoon.

Since no keyboard shortcut was decided for getting to the launcher and focusing keyboard navigation, I think Alt F1 is appropriate, since the launcher is used to launch apps etc. If a shortcut to the dash to access apps etc is under consideration, then possibly super + a would be appropriate for that.

Luke

Alt-F1 support has been added to Unity now.

By "Alt+F1 support" I assume you mean mapping to, e.g. that Dash?

*"the Dash" (not "that Dash").

Alt+F1 focused the first launcher and allows for keynav. F10 opens the first menu of the active application, and Super will open the dash and allow you to start typing.

Super opening the Dash is what this bug is tracking now.

For me, F10 works correctly (opening application's menu), Alt+F1 does nothing, ans SUPER focuses the Launcher, but allows the launcher to again auto-hide (not allowing for keyboard navigation).

Matt, bug 717125

On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 3:34 PM, Matt Sturgeon <email address hidden>wrote:

> For me, F10 works correctly (opening application's menu), Alt+F1 does
> nothing, ans SUPER focuses the Launcher, but allows the launcher to
> again auto-hide (not allowing for keyboard navigation).
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to Unity.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/706713
>
> Title:
> Super key should open Dash
>
> Status in Ayatana Design:
> New
> Status in Unity:
> Triaged
> Status in Unity 2D:
> Triaged
> Status in “unity” package in Ubuntu:
> Triaged
>
> Bug description:
> In a standard GNOME2 session, Alt+F1 focuses and opens the Main Menu.
> In Unity it should be binded to the Dash, or whatever the Ubuntu-
> Button is going to run in Natty.
>
> ****
>
> Alt+F1 focuses the first launcher for keynav
> F10 opens the first menu of the panle
> Super should open the dash
>

currently pressing <super> key brings up the launcher what will happen to the launcher showing behavior when <super> will invoke dash? and also wouldn't it break all the other compiz features like expose since dash grabs the keyboard input.

Good question Omer. Also, how does this bug relate to bug #644425 ?

this bug may be related too: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+bug/580295 (Alt+F2 functionality)

not exactly even if related: Alt + F2 will trigger the dash in a "special mode" which will enable handling "Run a command" specificities :)

This bug was fixed in the package unity - 3.4.6-0ubuntu1

---------------
unity (3.4.6-0ubuntu1) natty; urgency=low

  * New upstream release.
    - dash times out (LP: #662618)
    - possible memory leak in compiz when using places, dashboard
      (LP:#720446)
    - compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in IconTexture::~IconTexture() (LP: #721907)
    - dash - search string not always taken into account (LP: #701569)
    - Unity allows you to Quit itself (LP: #705536)
    - invisible window border problems (LP: #710271)
    - Slowliness in the file places (LP: #710791)
    - add super shortcuts to the launcher - logic (LP: #721264)
    - key navigation doesn't activate trash, keys, expo or places
      (LP:#723141)
    - Super-shortcuts for apps, files, and workspace switcher (LP: #617356)
    - New launcher tile super key overlay aesthetic (LP: #646712)
    - add cursor-key navigation to quicklists (LP: #701543)
    - Super key should open Dash (LP: #706713)
    - Dash view should use "Prefferred Applications" icons where appropriate
      (LP: #708479)
    - some partitions appear with questionmark icon (LP: #710809)
    - Unity wrongly resizes thumbnails after first opening of Files place
      (LP:#721123)
    - Change the fading and showing curve effect when hovering the bfb
      (LP:#721125)
    - Recent files appear duplicated in the Dash (LP: #646758)
    - All Applications tab only shows first 100 applications (LP: #660979)
    - slide animation typo in unity configuration (LP: #723354)
    - Place icons should be in their respective packages (LP: #672447)
    - Trash right click menu is positioned incorrectly (LP: #718880)
    - Require to use gconf to check on unity and the panel-service if the
      accessibility should be enabled (LP: #723699)
  * debian/control:
    - dep on latest nux
 -- Didier Roche <email address hidden> Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:16:29 +0100