KDE Style Window Drag/Resize on Uri Shaked's TinyTapeout VM

How to Get KDE-Style Window Manipulation on GNOME Wayland

If you love GNOME but prefer KDE's intuitive window manipulation style, you're in luck! With a few simple tweaks, you can configure GNOME Wayland to behave like KDE, allowing you to:

• Drag windows by pressing ALT + Left Click anywhere inside the window.
• Resize windows by pressing ALT + Right Click near the edge of the window (instead of the default Super aka WIN + Middle Click).

This guide will show you exactly how to set up these features step by step.

Step 1: Install GNOME Tweaks

GNOME Tweaks is a handy tool for customizing GNOME settings. If you don't already have it installed, open a terminal and run:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Once installed, launch GNOME Tweaks from your application menu or by typing:

gnome-tweaks &

Step 2: Change the Window Action Key

By default, GNOME uses the Super (Windows) key for window manipulation. To change this to ALT:

1. Open GNOME Tweaks.
2. Go to the "Window" section.
3. Find the "Window Action Key" option (labeled as "Modify window shortcuts").
4. Change it from Super to Alt.

Now, you can press ALT + Left Click anywhere inside a window to drag it.

Step 3: Set ALT + Right Click for Resizing

By default, GNOME uses ALT + Middle Click (pressing the scroll wheel) to resize windows. If you prefer to use ALT + Right Click, you can enable this with a simple gsettings command:

1. Open a terminal.
2. Run the following command:

   gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences resize-with-right-button true
   

This change will immediately take effect, allowing you to resize windows using ALT + Right Click.

Step 4: Test Your New Setup

To ensure everything works as expected:

• Press ALT + Left Click anywhere inside a window and drag it around.
• Press ALT + Right Click near the edge of a window and drag to resize it.

Troubleshooting

• If the changes don’t seem to take effect, log out of your session and log back in.
• For more advanced tweaks, you can use dconf-editor to explore additional GNOME settings.

Why These Tweaks Are Useful

This setup mimics KDE's intuitive window management behavior, allowing for faster and more efficient manipulation of windows without relying on precise clicks on the title bar or window edges. It’s a small change that can make a big difference in your workflow.

Conclusion

With these simple adjustments, you can enjoy KDE-style window manipulation on GNOME Wayland. Whether you're a fan of KDE's usability or just looking for a more ergonomic way to handle windows, these tweaks provide the best of both worlds. Happy customizing!