Maximum window list size

["Juraj Vitko" <juraj vitko gmail com>]

Hi everyone,

the option "maximum_size" of the Window List applet was removed a year
ago (http://svn.gnome.org/viewvc/gnome-panel?view=revision&revision=10483).

So now, if I don't set my panel to "expand", its size changes
depending on how many windows is currently in the Window List applet.
This was possible to prevent by setting the maximum_size of the Window
List applet to a reasonable value.

Basically, what I'd welcome is the possibility to prevent the main
panel from expanding to the whole screen width, when more windows are
added to the Window List.

My usage scenario:
I use a single Gnome panel, in the "top_screen" position, in the
"auto-hide" mode, with "expand" turned off, and with a long hide
interval (5 minutes).
The effect of this is, that the title bar of a maximized application I
currently work with is then hidden behind the panel (which saves about
20 x screen-width pixels of otherwise unused screen estate, as the
relevant portion of the application title bar - the application name -
is already visible in the Window List).
Now with the panel unexpanded, I still have quick access to the left
and right portion of that application's title bar, mainly to the
right-side buttons (minimize, maximize, close).

If this makes any sense to you:) I'd love to have the maximum_size /
minimum_size options added back (not to the UI, just accessible via
gconf-editor) - and these could be disabled (instead of having them
removed), by specifying a (default) value of -1 for each. (I know the
options weren't removed from the schema yet, I'm just trying to stay
simple here).
Another solution would be to add maximum size limit to the panel
itself (not to the Window List).

Other valid reason for adding the options back is that switching
workspaces using mouse scroll wheel positioned above the Workspace
Switcher applet doesn't work properly when the panel is in unexpanded
mode, as the position of the Workspace Switcher applet itself is
different on every workspace, depending how many windows is on that
workspace.

thanks for consideration,
J.