(It said "... report a bug or make a suggestion..." so I'll dare it...) SUGGESTION: Xfce4-panel should have an option (e.g. xfce4-panel --toggle) to toggle visibility of panels. This will allow assigning it to a keyboard combination for easy (non-mouse) access. Alternatively: An option for toggling the autohide option of a given panel (e.g. xfce4-panel --autohide=1) . I have one big pager panel at the bottom of the screen. I like to keep it there to quickly spot what's where on the various workspaces but occasionally I want it to go away to use the entire screen for the current application. My options are currently limited to using autohide (which isn't much good as a) it's mouse dependant and b) the rule is to keep the panel hidden) or - as I currently do - assigning hotkeys to repsectively starting and exiting the panels (which works fairly well but not optimally: whatever applications have been minimized to tray jump up onto the desktop)
let say each panel is asigned to a F key i press F1 get the first panel to appear ( they could even overlap each other and be very large and in the middle like a selection menu) select* in between the icons > enter to select OR hold down key : hold F1 select* > release F1 *select is made with arrows OR mousewheel So to be added in Custumize Panel - Assign Focus Key : insert if Focus Key is assigned then allow second option - Hide uncalled pannel
We're not going to add key binding support inside xfce4-panel. That is too complicated. An option would be xfce4-panel --toggle <panel-num>, to show and hide a panel (completely, not just autohide + block). But I doubt much users will use this option.
this would be great for people having full screen windows all the time so if i get it : press Super + num key > a panel or a set of panel appears/disappears further more, id like to up a mockup of how keyboard navigation could be done in xfce and you said left right arrows navigation in panels would be difficult ?
Could you post the mockup for keyboard naviagation into a separate bug? I'll look into an autohide option from the command lines, but no promises here.