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[Feature request] Sidebar handling with menu bar hidden

Open detoxhby opened this issue 2 months ago • 7 comments

Search before asking

  • [x] I had searched in the issues and found no similar issues.

Operating System

  • [ ] macOS
  • [ ] Windows
  • [ ] Linux

Operating System Version

No response

It happens on the web browser too?

No, it just happens on the Desktop app

Rocket.Chat Desktop App Version

4.9.0

Rocket.Chat Server Version

7.10.1

Describe the bug

Regression caused by: https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat.Electron/pull/3076

In single-server scenarios the linked changed ruins the desktop app UX: the left sidebar is unncessary but now cannot be hidden with menubar being deactivated. It was working correctly previously.

A fix would be introducing an override setting to allow the old behavior (e.g. no sidebar with menubar hidden).

How to Reproduce

Update to 4.9.x

Describe your Expected behavior

Able to hide menu and sidebar too (it is done with group policy and overridden-settings.json currently so it's not just an UI option question)

Anything else

No response

Are you willing to submit a code contribution?

  • [ ] Yes, I am willing to submit a Pull Request!

detoxhby avatar Oct 21 '25 12:10 detoxhby

I second this. I want to hide both sidebar and menu bar for a clean UI.

mpaterakis avatar Oct 24 '25 09:10 mpaterakis

Probably look at this as to why the PR existed.

https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat.Electron/issues/3070

reetp avatar Oct 29 '25 18:10 reetp

If an unexperienced user does such faulty settings without knowledge then it's an user error rather than a reason to ruin an application for such edge case. Pressing ALT will always remain a way to bring up the menu and if someone doesn't know this a quick google search will solve it. Probably most users agree to this and don't want to have an annoying & unnecessary bright sidebar (even if the system and app runs in dark mode, the sidebar is always white-ish and obnoxious)

detoxhby avatar Oct 29 '25 19:10 detoxhby

Good point, but we need to think of a way to keep away from normal users who are not aware of ALT. It's complicated to get users stuck with the app because they misclicked on that check for this. How do you suggest making it work in a way that would not lead the common users to drop in?

jeanfbrito avatar Oct 29 '25 19:10 jeanfbrito

Adding a 3rd setting that overrides this restriction, hidden under a collapsed "Advanced settings" fieldset/box would solve both concerns (+ a warning alert that this will hide both menu and sidebar if applied (only if the user has both other settings turned on) to make sure), the unexperienced user would be safe. Since we use override json this might be a bit problematic to know the good combination but putting the parameter+description into the README/docs will make it clear when to use it for administrators.

detoxhby avatar Oct 29 '25 20:10 detoxhby

I second any solution, the server list is annoying and the menu list is also unnecessary. I get that 'normal' users would be confused, but the state right now cannot be the solution.

dom6770 avatar Oct 30 '25 17:10 dom6770

UP v4.10 released without fix for this issue

detoxhby avatar Dec 09 '25 08:12 detoxhby