Re-add padding as option

Common/Prefs.qml

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ Singleton {
     property bool showSystemResources: true
     property bool showSystemTray: true
     property bool showWorkspaceIndex: false
+    property bool showWorkspacePadding: false
     property string appLauncherViewMode: "list"
     property string spotlightLauncherViewMode: "list"
     property string networkPreference: "auto"
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ Singleton {
                 showSystemResources = settings.showSystemResources !== undefined ? settings.showSystemResources : true;
                 showSystemTray = settings.showSystemTray !== undefined ? settings.showSystemTray : true;
                 showWorkspaceIndex = settings.showWorkspaceIndex !== undefined ? settings.showWorkspaceIndex : false;
+                showWorkspacePadding = settings.showWorkspacePadding !== undefined ? settings.showWorkspacePadding : false;
                 appLauncherViewMode = settings.appLauncherViewMode !== undefined ? settings.appLauncherViewMode : "list";
                 spotlightLauncherViewMode = settings.spotlightLauncherViewMode !== undefined ? settings.spotlightLauncherViewMode : "list";
                 networkPreference = settings.networkPreference !== undefined ? settings.networkPreference : "auto";
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ Singleton {
             "showSystemResources": showSystemResources,
             "showSystemTray": showSystemTray,
             "showWorkspaceIndex": showWorkspaceIndex,
+            "showWorkspacePadding": showWorkspacePadding,
             "appLauncherViewMode": appLauncherViewMode,
             "spotlightLauncherViewMode": spotlightLauncherViewMode,
             "networkPreference": networkPreference,
@@ -109,6 +112,11 @@ Singleton {
         saveSettings();
     }
 
+    function setShowWorkspacePadding(enabled) {
+        showWorkspacePadding = enabled;
+        saveSettings();
+    }
+
     function applyStoredTheme() {
         if (typeof Theme !== "undefined") {
             Theme.isLightMode = isLightMode;

Modules/AppLauncher.qml

@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ PanelWindow {
     // App management
     property var categories: AppSearchService.getAllCategories()
     property string selectedCategory: "All"
-    property var recentApps: Prefs.getRecentApps()
+    property var recentApps: Prefs.recentlyUsedApps.map(recentApp => {
+        var app = AppSearchService.getAppByExec(recentApp.exec);
+        return app && !app.noDisplay ? app : null;
+    }).filter(app => app !== null)
     property var pinnedApps: ["firefox", "code", "terminal", "file-manager"]
     property bool showCategories: false
     property string viewMode: Prefs.appLauncherViewMode // "list" or "grid"
@@ -137,7 +140,6 @@ PanelWindow {
 
     function show() {
         launcher.isVisible = true;
-        recentApps = Prefs.getRecentApps(); // Refresh recent apps
         searchDebounceTimer.stop(); // Stop any pending search
         updateFilteredModel();
         Qt.callLater(function() {
@@ -173,7 +175,6 @@ PanelWindow {
             return cat !== "All";
         }));
         updateFilteredModel();
-        recentApps = Prefs.getRecentApps(); // Load recent apps on startup
     }
 
     // Full screen overlay setup for proper focus
@@ -221,13 +222,6 @@ PanelWindow {
     }
 
 
-    Connections {
-        function onRecentlyUsedAppsChanged() {
-            recentApps = Prefs.getRecentApps();
-        }
-
-        target: Prefs
-    }
 
     Component {
         id: iconComponent

Modules/SettingsPopup.qml

@@ -624,6 +624,20 @@ PanelWindow {
                                 }
                             }
 
+
+                        }
+
+                    }
+
+                    // Workspace Settings
+                    SettingsSection {
+                        title: "Workspaces"
+                        iconName: "tab"
+
+                        content: Column {
+                            width: parent.width
+                            spacing: Theme.spacingM
+
                             SettingsToggle {
                                 text: "Workspace Index Numbers"
                                 description: "Show workspace index numbers in the top bar workspace switcher"
@@ -633,6 +647,15 @@ PanelWindow {
                                 }
                             }
 
+                            SettingsToggle {
+                                text: "Workspace Padding"
+                                description: "Always show a minimum of 3 workspaces, even if fewer are available"
+                                checked: Prefs.showWorkspacePadding
+                                onToggled: (checked) => {
+                                    return Prefs.setShowWorkspacePadding(checked);
+                                }
+                            }
+
                         }
 
                     }

Modules/TopBar/WorkspaceSwitcher.qml

@@ -9,7 +9,18 @@ Rectangle {
 
     property string screenName: ""
     property int currentWorkspace: getDisplayActiveWorkspace()
-    property var workspaceList: getDisplayWorkspaces()
+    property var workspaceList: {
+        var baseList = getDisplayWorkspaces();
+        return Prefs.showWorkspacePadding ? padWorkspaces(baseList) : baseList;
+    }
+
+    function padWorkspaces(list) {
+        var padded = list.slice();
+        while (padded.length < 3) {
+            padded.push(-1); // Use -1 as a placeholder
+        }
+        return padded;
+    }
 
     function getDisplayWorkspaces() {
         if (!NiriWorkspaceService.niriAvailable || NiriWorkspaceService.allWorkspaces.length === 0)
@@ -44,7 +55,7 @@ Rectangle {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    width: workspaceRow.implicitWidth + Theme.spacingL * 2
+    width: Prefs.showWorkspacePadding ? Math.max(120, workspaceRow.implicitWidth + Theme.spacingL * 2) : workspaceRow.implicitWidth + Theme.spacingL * 2
     height: 30
     radius: Theme.cornerRadiusLarge
     color: Qt.rgba(Theme.surfaceText.r, Theme.surfaceText.g, Theme.surfaceText.b, 0.08)
@@ -52,7 +63,7 @@ Rectangle {
 
     Connections {
         function onAllWorkspacesChanged() {
-            root.workspaceList = root.getDisplayWorkspaces();
+            root.workspaceList = Prefs.showWorkspacePadding ? root.padWorkspaces(root.getDisplayWorkspaces()) : root.getDisplayWorkspaces();
             root.currentWorkspace = root.getDisplayActiveWorkspace();
         }
 
@@ -62,7 +73,7 @@ Rectangle {
 
         function onNiriAvailableChanged() {
             if (NiriWorkspaceService.niriAvailable) {
-                root.workspaceList = root.getDisplayWorkspaces();
+                root.workspaceList = Prefs.showWorkspacePadding ? root.padWorkspaces(root.getDisplayWorkspaces()) : root.getDisplayWorkspaces();
                 root.currentWorkspace = root.getDisplayActiveWorkspace();
             }
         }
@@ -70,6 +81,18 @@ Rectangle {
         target: NiriWorkspaceService
     }
 
+    // Force update when padding preference changes
+    Connections {
+        function onShowWorkspacePaddingChanged() {
+            // Force re-evaluation by updating the property
+            var baseList = root.getDisplayWorkspaces();
+            root.workspaceList = Prefs.showWorkspacePadding ? root.padWorkspaces(baseList) : baseList;
+        }
+
+        target: Prefs
+    }
+
+
     Row {
         id: workspaceRow
 
@@ -88,13 +111,13 @@ Rectangle {
                 width: isActive ? Theme.spacingXL + Theme.spacingM : Theme.spacingL + Theme.spacingXS
                 height: Theme.spacingL
                 radius: height / 2
-                color: isActive ? Theme.primary : isPlaceholder ? Qt.rgba(Theme.surfaceText.r, Theme.surfaceText.g, Theme.surfaceText.b, 0.12) : isHovered ? Qt.rgba(Theme.primary.r, Theme.primary.g, Theme.primary.b, 0.5) : Qt.rgba(Theme.surfaceText.r, Theme.surfaceText.g, Theme.surfaceText.b, 0.3)
+                color: isActive ? Theme.primary : isPlaceholder ? Qt.rgba(Theme.surfaceText.r, Theme.surfaceText.g, Theme.surfaceText.b, 0.06) : isHovered ? Qt.rgba(Theme.primary.r, Theme.primary.g, Theme.primary.b, 0.5) : Qt.rgba(Theme.surfaceText.r, Theme.surfaceText.g, Theme.surfaceText.b, 0.3)
 
                 MouseArea {
                     id: mouseArea
                     anchors.fill: parent
-                    hoverEnabled: true
-                    cursorShape: Qt.PointingHandCursor
+                    hoverEnabled: !isPlaceholder
+                    cursorShape: isPlaceholder ? Qt.ArrowCursor : Qt.PointingHandCursor
                     enabled: !isPlaceholder
                     onClicked: {
                         if (!isPlaceholder) {
@@ -113,15 +136,6 @@ Rectangle {
                     font.bold: isActive && !isPlaceholder
                 }
 
-                // If not showing index, show a subtle dot for placeholders
-                Rectangle {
-                    visible: isPlaceholder && !Prefs.showWorkspaceIndex
-                    anchors.centerIn: parent
-                    width: Theme.spacingXS
-                    height: Theme.spacingXS
-                    radius: Theme.spacingXS / 2
-                    color: Qt.rgba(Theme.surfaceText.r, Theme.surfaceText.g, Theme.surfaceText.b, 0.18)
-                }
 
                 Behavior on width {
                     NumberAnimation {