bedHedd's KDE adventure

[bedHedd]

This is just a live blog of my experiences using KDE. I wanted to give it a shot because it was pretty seamless with my steamdeck. Also get some validation of issues I encounter

I started by installing a different login manager

bedHedd's blog because discourse > twitter

wanted to try kde desktop I tried these instructions from then I followed these instructions switch my display manager as gdm did not have The fedora docs were useless and did not help

My system settings

Operating System: Fedora Linux 41
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.2
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.11.0
Qt Version: 6.8.2
Kernel Version: 6.12.15-200.fc41.x86_64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D 8-Core Processor
Memory: 62.7 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Manufacturer: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd
Product Name: MS-7C02
System Version: 1.0

[bedHedd]

Does anyone know how I can make kde plasma 6.0 set the same desktop wallpaper across multiple monitors?

A quick google search has suggestions, but it is old
https://old.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/ytlkkb/same_wallpaper_for_both_monitors/
https://old.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/fdfhiu/how_to_synchronize_slideshow_across_multiple/

when I click set for all screens and apply, the settings don’t get applied

This is really trying my patience. When I click another setting it reverts after I apply it

Also how do I set my panels and widgets to be synchronized across all desktops?

[mopsky]

Hey there, as far as I know there is no way to force randomized slideshow showing the same image on both monitors, it will randomize separately for each. It will apply the same wallpaper for both screens if you use any other static option though. Instead, try checking out an app called “Variety”, it should be able to do what you need.

For panel mirroring, there is no way to mirror them automatically and it won’t be implemented for technical reasons: 446654 – Feature Request: mirror a panel on all monitors

Buuut, you can manually clone a panel from one screen to another. Find a panel you want to clone, Show Panel Configuration → Clone Panel. For widgets, seems like there is no such option.

[exovert]

Close KDE settings

Repeat on each monitor:
- Rclick on each individual desktop > Desktop and Wallpaper
- Select the wallpaper you want, ok/apply & close

I’ll agree I find some of the decisions made in wallpaper assignment perplexing, but the developers aren’t using their (laptops, presumably) like I.

To span/scale a single wallpaper across all monitors I wrote a script to scale then cut one image into individual images I can then assign like the above (or, being your question, the same fragment on each). I do feel like there should have been a better way to achieve that, but since I don’t change wallpaper that often once I’ve chosen it, it’s fine for me.

[bedHedd]

Unlucky.

@mopsky

Instead, try checking out an app called “Variety”, it should be able to do what you need.

The repo says it is in maintenance mode does it mean that it isn’t getting any active updates?

@exovert

Repeat on each monitor:

• Rclick on each individual desktop > Desktop and Wallpaper
• Select the wallpaper you want, ok/apply & close

I’ll agree I find some of the decisions made in wallpaper assignment perplexing, but the developers aren’t using their (laptops, presumably) like I.

This doesn’t work for random/sideshow wallpapers right?

[exovert]

Wallpaper type: Picture of the Day seems to work, but select different sources.

[bedHedd]

@exovert

Wallpaper type: Picture of the Day seems to work, but select different sources.

huh weird, I guess I’ll just wait until kde updates it. I guess I didn’t get this issue on my steam deck because the wall paper is a static image

[bedHedd]

undocumented previous changes

hiding desktop icons

To do so, I needed to go to the wallpaper tab and set the layout as desktop

I wish they had a right click context menu option. It isn’t as obvious. Looking this up on line found some results, but they didn’t work for my version of plasma

Reddit - The heart of the internet

Here’s a tip WITHOUT switching from Folder View (the default) to Desktop View:

• Right click on the desktop
• Configure Desktop and Wallpaper
• go to the “Filter” tab
• select “File: HIDE Corresponding”
• fill in the filename schema in the field below.

Plasma 5.27 here, but I’m pretty sure this will work on 6.x as well…

changing icons to numix square

navigate to kde settings, search color & themes. Set the icons as numix square

making repositioning guake

I use guake terminal and prefer to have it be pop up from the bottom of my screen.

I set a custom position to be 0 x 1483

I got the idea from this suggestion for Yakuake. I was thinking of switching to it, but after using it, it wasn’t the same as guake

It’s a bit hacky, but one thing you could try is creating a custom window rule for Yakuake.

1. Open systemsettings
2. In Workspace, open Window Management
3. On the left pane, click Window Rules
4. On the right-hand side, click New
5. Click Detect Window Properties
6. (spawn yakuake and click it with the crosshair)
7. Switch to the Size and Position tab
8. Check the Position box
9. Select Force from the pulldown
10. Set to 0,n, where nn is the height of your taskbar in pixels. You might also need to change the 0 (left offset) if you don’t use full-width Yakuake.

I just tried it on mine, and it works fine.

Reddit - The heart of the internet

[bedHedd]

@bedHedd

changing icons to numix square

navigate to kde settings, search color & themes. Set the icons as numix square

making repositioning guake

I use guake terminal and prefer to have it be pop up from the bottom of my screen.

I set a custom position to be 0 x 1483

I got the idea from this suggestion for Yakuake. I was thinking of switching to it, but after using it, it wasn’t the same as guake

It’s a bit hacky, but one thing you could try is creating a custom window rule for Yakuake.

1. Open systemsettings
2. In Workspace, open Window Management
3. On the left pane, click Window Rules
4. On the right-hand side, click New
5. Click Detect Window Properties
6. (spawn yakuake and click it with the crosshair)
7. Switch to the Size and Position tab
8. Check the Position box
9. Select Force from the pulldown
10. Set to 0,n, where nn is the height of your taskbar in pixels. You might also need to change the 0 (left offset) if you don’t use full-width Yakuake.

I just tried it on mine, and it works fine.

https://old.reddit.com/r/kde/comments/aifs4t/how_can_i_make_yakuake_start_from_the_bottom_of/eenp1gj/

This only works on 1 screen. It doesn’t work when I have multiple monitors connected