Can we have different desktop backgrounds for different workspaces

[Steven P. Ulrick]

> On Friday 28 August 2009 10:53:56 Steven P. Ulrick wrote:
> > > On Friday 28 August 2009 07:50:02 Anne Wilson wrote:
> > Well, now I have a new problem.  I have three desktops that each have a
> > different image on the background.  This is good.  My fourth desktop also
> > has a different image on it (again, this is good), BUT all the plasmoids
> > have disappeared from it!
> >
> > Actually, it is more like this:
> > Desktop 1: All the plasmoids have disappeared.
> >
> > Desktop 2: All the plasmoids remain on the desktop, but in different
> > positions and different sizes.
> >
> > Desktop 3: one of the plasmoids has actually become the size of the entire
> > desktop (with no way to re-size it) and the other plasmoids are still there,
> > and can be re-sized and moved around just like a "normal" plasmoid.
> >
> > Desktop 4: Same as Desktop 2
> >
> > OK, I just discovered that one of the desktops had been changed to "Folder
> > View" (That would have been Desktop 3)  So, after changing that back to
> > "Desktop View", Desktops 2, 3 & 4 now have all the original plasmoids. 
> > Unfortunately, like mentioned above, they were randomly rearranged, and I
> > will also have to re-size them.
> >
> > Desktop 1 still is nothing but a blank image.  All the plasmoids had
> > disappeared.
> >
> > Anyway, I need to get to work now :)
> >
> They are now Activities, not simple Desktops.  Before, plasmoids were on all 
> desktops, but if you want your desktops for different purposes you probably 
> neither need nor want all on every desktop.  Activities are independent.  On 
> each desktop place the plasmoids that fit the kind of work you do on that 
> desktop. :-)

Hello Anne :)
You will be gratified to know that after I got home from work, I played around a 
little bit with Activities.  After just a few minutes, I feel that I understand 
them very well.  Could they have a better name than "Activities?"  Probably.  
Are there no issues with the implementation that we now know as "Activities?"  
No, there are real issues.  But the important thing in my mind is that now I 
understand HOW to use this feature, and I also understand that to compare the 
relative difficulty in using this feature to the real ease of setting different 
background for each desktop in KDE 3.* is to compare apples and oranges...

As I understand it, this is how it works in a test account that I just set up on 
my system for this purpose:

1. Click on the little cashew thingy in the upper right hand corner of the 
desktop.
2. Select "Zoom out"
3. From the menu that now appears in the upper left hand corner, choose 
"Configure Plasma"
4. On the dialog that comes up, check "Different activity for each desktop" and 
click "OK"  Four new "Activities" were immediately placed on the display.
5. Set Backgrounds, add widgets to taste.  (There seems to be two ways to do 
this.  Also, all I am trying to do now is eliminate SOME of the mystery behind 
"Activities..."

If you select "Zoom Out" from the original desktop, your original desktop 
becomes 
one of your new "Activities," all accessible from your friendly little pager...

If you select "Zoom Out" from one of your NEW activities, your original desktop 
is NOT included amongst the desktops that are accessible from your pager.
If you choose this option, your original desktop is NOT deleted.  It just is not 
displayed in your pager.  In fact, you can keep your new activities, and go back 
to using your old desktop if you choose, with no fear of losing your new 
activities...

But I have NO idea what "Use a separate dashboard" on the "Configure Plasma" menu 
means...

The cool part to all this (for me anyway,) is that before, you could only have 
different programs open on different desktops.  You always had the same icons.  
With KDE4, you can have completely different plasmoids and icons on as many 
desktops as you can configure.  To accomplish the same thing under KDE 3.*, I 
think you would have had to have different users for different purposes.

Anyway, thank you Anne for informing us of this feature.

Steven P. Ulrick