[FR]: Very specific Arch WM config results in extra space on top of the window in Zen mode

[scientiac]

Description

The top bar hover area is differently sized than the other borders.

Who's implementing?

• I'm willing to implement this feature myself

The problem

Since it is possible to trigger the vertical tab bar with little area on the side, I think it is similarly possible to trigger the top bar with the same border area.

But the top bar hover/border area is bigger than the side or bottom border, so it looks unsymmetrical.

Possible solutions

If not a setting toggle, can it be implemented as a flag for getting less hover area making every side symmetric.

Alternatively, the letterbox area can be made thicker in every side to make it symmetric as well as accessible.

Additional context

Additionally, for Zen mode(or even for Non Zen Mode), Themed Browser UI and Borders utilizing theme-mode, would be a nice addition to make everything immersive and clean.

[wukko]

it looks symmetrical to me on macos, windows, and linux

what platform and version is this happening on?

[scientiac]

Huhhh! I am on Linux:

~
❯ fastfetch
                  -`                     scientiac@einstein
                 .o+`                    ------------------
                `ooo/                    OS: Arch Linux x86_64
               `+oooo:                   Host: ASUS Zenbook 14 UM3406HA_UM3406HA (1.0)
              `+oooooo:                  Kernel: Linux 6.19.14-zen1-1-zen
              -+oooooo+:                 Uptime: 3 hours, 29 mins
            `/:-:++oooo+:                Packages: 1 (appimage), 17 (flatpak-system), 1 (flatpak-user), 1028 (pacman)
           `/++++/+++++++:               Shell: zsh 5.9
          `/++++++++++++++:              Display (SDC419D): 2880x1800 @ 1.66x in 14", 120 Hz [Built-in]
         `/+++ooooooooooooo/`            WM: niri 26.04 (Wayland)
        ./ooosssso++osssssso+`           Cursor: Adwaita (24px)
       .oossssso-````/ossssss+`          Terminal: ghostty 1.3.1-arch2
      -osssssso.      :ssssssso.         Terminal Font: FantasqueSansM Nerd Font Mono (12pt)
     :osssssss/        osssso+++.        CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS (16) @ 3.30 GHz
    /ossssssss/        +ssssooo/-        GPU: AMD Radeon 780M Graphics [Integrated]
  `/ossssso+/:-        -:/+osssso+-      Memory: 6.47 GiB / 14.90 GiB (43%)
 `+sso+:-`                 `.-/+oso:     Swap: 48.00 KiB / 4.00 GiB (0%)
`++:.                           `-/+/    Disk (/): 44.33 GiB / 475.94 GiB (9%) - btrfs
.`                                 `/    Local IP (wlan0): 192.168.18.110/24
                                         Battery (ASUS Battery): 48% [Discharging]
                                         Locale: en_US.UTF-8

And using appimage,

~
❯ cd Applications

~/Applications
❯ ./helium.appimage --version
Helium 0.11.5.1 (Chromium 147.0.7727.116)

I am using niri as my window manager but it was the same in previous versions:

niri 26.04 (8ed0da4)

I have the following helium settings:

I tested on classic, GTK as well as QT. All of them have a thicker top border/padding and thin side/bottom padding.

EDIT: While testing it, I found the issue.

I was using prefer-no-csd option in niri that disables client side decorations. Now that I have removed the setting, it is now symmetrical.

Does this still count as an issue😅?

[wukko]

preeetty sure it’s more of a DE config issue, @dumbmoron wdyt

[scientiac]

I mean, this is zathura with CSD, disabled:

and here it is with CSD, enabled:

I don't think CSD should somehow change the padding in the window. But, weirdly removing CSD adds more space in helium while logically it should have further decreased it.

Maybe, we can do something from helium's side, call it "attention to detail" 😬😅

EDIT:
But there seems to be a discussion about individual window CSD configuration in niri, so it's up to you guys to decide to fix this from client's perspective too.

[samuelueluel]

I can replicate this issue + "solution" with niri on Fedora.

[scientiac]

This seems to be a non issue:

Disabling use system titlebars and borders in the settings fixes it.