Add keyboard shortcut to hide all windows in the "Windows" pane

[moonmehta]

Currently, it's only possible to minimize the current window using the keyboard shortcut "Super+H"

However, there is no option to hide/minimize all the windows at once. The unused shortcut "Super+D" can be assigned to that, as it also falls in line with the traditionally expected paradigm of showing the Desktop.

At the least, it could be an option but I reckon, it will be quite useful as a default too.

[Blast-City]

Hi.

I don't agree with this.

I think that the Super+D should be the default shortcut to go to the last workspace (+). This way seems more in line with elementary work flow where the minimize function doesn't seem to be an important feature.

Imagine that you're looking at flowers and suddenly you want to show the desktop. Going to the last workspace achieve the same result. Even the animation is cool since is like you swipe everything out of the way.

From what i've read, even the plank minimize function will go away in the future so tt seems a little bit strange that you can't minimize with the window controls or plank, but you can with with keyboard shortcuts.

What do you think?

If someone want to have a minimize all windows shortcut, just follow this steps:

1- Open the Terminal app and paste the following command to install wmctrl (app to control the desktop with commands):

sudo apt-get install wmctrl

2- Open the Files App and on your home folder Press Ctrl+h to show the hidden folders. Go to .local/ and make a folder called bin/

3- Open the Code app,create a new file and paste the following text:

#!/bin/bash

if wmctrl -m | grep "mode: ON"; then
  wmctrl -k off
else
  wmctrl -k on
fi

4- Press the Save button and save the file on the .local/bin/ folder with the name minimize_all

5- Open the Files App. Navigate to .local/bin/, right click on the file called minimize_all and choose proprieties. Click on the permissions tab and change the number inside the box from 644 to 755 to make the file executable.

6- Open the Settings App, click on Keyboard and on the Shortcuts tab click on custom. On the "enter command" type minimize_all and on the shortcut press Super+d.

[Blast-City]

I noticed that there doesn't seem to be a "bug free" way to minimize all windows/show desktop (wmctrl, plank docklet) so I'm gonna retract my opinion since there is also people who use Static workspaces and this is necessary.

Maybe a tweaked hidden gsetting that does the same as gnome, but also triggers the wingpanel to stop the tiled/maximized state (black opaque color) and doesn't trigger the error sound when it is in show desktop state. #453 #456

[moonmehta]

Navigating to a new empty workspace on Win+D also works. Aim is to get all windows out of the way quickly and have a shortcut that is expected by users coming from other systems.

[Blast-City]

Navigating to a new empty workspace on Win+D also works. Aim is to get all windows out of the way quickly and have a shortcut that is expected by users coming from other systems.

I agree (#279), but the problem is users who use static workspaces.

[moonmehta]

But elementary OS doesn't have static workspaces by default, nor does it have configurable workspaces, right? In that case, we need not worry about such cases as they are not catered to by design, much like how double click in Files app isn't catered to intentionally.