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Horizon DE - v0.5.3-alpha Release Notes

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@austral-os austral-os released this 05 Jun 18:43
· 66 commits to main since this release
v0.5.3-alpha
297293d

Welcome to the release notes for Horizon DE 0.5.3-alpha! This update introduces a brand new print system, major updates to our compositor technology by migrating to Meteor, expansive file management enhancements in ArkFM, and crucial bug fixes for a smoother desktop experience.

🖥️ Experience Horizon

Horizon is not just a toolkit — it powers an entire desktop environment.

The best way to experience it today is through Austral OS, where Horizon drives the full system UI.

👉 Explore Austral OS

🚀 New Features & Enhancements

Print System Integration

  • Modular Architecture: Implemented a new modular print service library with backend abstraction and robust asynchronous support.
  • CUPS Integration: Added comprehensive CUPS backend and UI components for seamless printer management. Optimized CUPS discovery using lpinfo and single-pass pkexec calls, while offloading printer registration to background threads.
  • Driver & PPD Management: Implemented automatic PPD detection alongside a new DriverSearchDialog for manual printer driver installation.
  • Print Dialog: Reorganized file menu layouts to group print options seamlessly, added printing shortcuts, and implemented full print dialog functionality with test utilities and printer test page assets.

File Management (ArkFM & Views)

  • File Operations: Implemented file renaming through an editable label mode (triggered by F2). Added robust file clipboard support in FileIconView and improved Wayland clipboard backend stability.
  • Extensive Preferences: Introduced a user-configurable preferences section in ArkFM to customize click behaviors, hidden files, and extension visibility.
  • Navigation Enhancements: File manager now supports opening specific directories via command line arguments. Set initial focus and implemented Enter key submission for NewFolderDialog.

Desktop & UI Components

  • Meteor Compositor: Successfully replaced legacy Wayfire integration with full Meteor compositor support. This brings improved effects configuration, accurate dock icon position routing, and an updated squeezimize window animation effect (Magic Lamp style).
  • Launchpad Improvements: Added global Super key binding to trigger Launchpad. Introduced full keyboard navigation, application launching, power control buttons, and a close action to the Launchpad window.
  • System Indicators: Implemented new VolumeIndicator and System Update indicator widgets with background monitoring and deep UI integration. Added a fallback Places menu to the Top Panel.
  • Desktop Modes: Integrated desktop file icons into WallApplication and implemented a dedicated desktop mode in FileIconView with shadow support for labels. Added context menus to wallpaper widgets.
  • Visuals: Enabled popup background blur, applied dynamic menu opacity, and disabled decorations for the app picker dialog.

System Integration & Under the Hood

  • Session & Privilege Handling: Updated privilege escalation to use sudo, enhanced greeter session handling, and introduced configuration automation for system sessions.
  • Memory Configuration: Standardized the memory configuration path to point to /usr/share/horizon/memory for accurate hardware reading.
  • Packaging: Moved app version tracking to global properties to allow independent component versioning in Debian packages, and standardized global versions to prevent Aptly conflicts.
  • Internationalization: Migrated ArkFM translation keys to the core namespace, added English and Spanish localization for the new print system, installed missing locale files, and implemented a locale migration script.

🛠️ Bug Fixes

  • Resolved a bug causing vault closure issues within the WaylandWindow popup listener.
  • Corrected prefix path handling in mark_setup_done by reliably stripping trailing slashes and ensuring consistent path concatenation.
  • Updated terminal window dimensions and fixed translator field formatting.
  • Fixed APP_ID to use hyphens consistently in the austral-welcome CMake configuration.

🧹 Refactoring & Chores

  • Moved file provider and dialog classes directly from the ArkFM application to the core horizon library for better reusability.
  • Synchronized menu state management in the Top Panel and disabled keyboard interactions for wall surfaces to prevent focus stealing.
  • Improved focus management, event propagation, and label editing behavior across multiple widgets.
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