New Window Z-order and Focus?

[dchicks]

I feel like I must have tripped on a wire and messed up some configuration option somewhere. When new windows open up on my desktop (creating a new email message, or starting a new instance of Firefox) they don't always get z-order that puts them on top of existing windows. They also don't always get the focus. Anyone got any clues what that's all about? It's a bit annoying!

Thanks,
Dave

[Snowhog]

Re: New Window Z-order and Focus?

K Menu | System Settings | Window Behavior

Check the settings there.

[dchicks]

Re: New Window Z-order and Focus?

Thanks for the reply, Paul.

I had already checked there. Perhaps I don't understand fully the meaning of some of the options, but I believe they are as I want them to be.

Focus Follows Mouse, Auto Raise Off, Click Raise Active Window On, Active Mouse Screen On, Separate Screen Focus Off.

My impression is that these affect windows that are already displayed. What I'm having trouble with are new ones. I start Firefox, and somehow it starts underneath a shell window. I know it's there and I can get to it, but it's annoying that it doesn't just come up on top.

(I'm trying really hard to like Kubuntu, and so far it's very cool, but little things like this make me pine for the old days when Fedora's installation was stable.)

Thanks again,
Dave

[Rog131]

Re: New Window Z-order and Focus?

As Snowhog told: you can configure KDE windows thru System Settings. Also: Right click an application border > Advanced > Special Application Settings...


Example:
I want an application to remember window position when it starts:

Right click window border > Advanced > Special Application settings:

Window pops up -> Enable Position, choose Remember. Click Ok.

Note
Some programs have own position/size/whatever system. They will bypass KDE settings > .


Tool for window tamer
- I'm using this / it is in the repos.

Kompose

full screen task manager for KDE
Kompose offers a great new way to manage a big number of windows on
different Virtual Desktops. It creates a fullscreen view where every
window is represented by a scaled screenshot of its own.

Homepage: http://kompose.berlios.de/

Links:

Kompose
http://kompose.berlios.de/

Howto get (almost) same effects as beryl offers in Kubuntu without beryl installed
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=368142
- Kompose + 3ddesktop (cube without beryl/compiz)

Topic: Hey. What Happened To 3D Desktop?
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3086549.0

Topic: SOLVED!!How Do I Force an App to Start Maximized?
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3089741.0

Topic: Window sizes and positions not being saved
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3088916.0

[dchicks]

Re: New Window Z-order and Focus?

Very cool stuff. Thanks!

[cantab]

Re: New Window Z-order and Focus?

I had already checked there. Perhaps I don't understand fully the meaning of some of the options, but I believe they are as I want them to be.

Let's break 'em down:

Focus Follows Mouse: The window the mouse is pointing at will get the focus (ie recieve text input) "Sloppy focus" is similar, but avoids giving the desktop focus when you point at it.

Auto Raise Off: Maybe this is your problem? What happens if you turn it on?

Click Raise Active Window On: Clicking anywhere in a window raises it. You usually want this.

Active Mouse Screen On, Separate Screen Focus Off: dunno what these do.

My impression is that these affect windows that are already displayed. What I'm having trouble with are new ones. I start Firefox, and somehow it starts underneath a shell window. I know it's there and I can get to it, but it's annoying that it doesn't just come up on top.

I'm sure there's an option SOMEWHERE for this. Look around and you might find it. Bear in mind letting new windows take focus may bite you if an application goes bonkers (most notably obnoxious javascript in web browsers)

(I'm trying really hard to like Kubuntu, and so far it's very cool, but little things like this make me pine for the old days when Fedora's installation was stable.)

OT, but may I suggest yakuake. It's a 'quake-style terminal' - once installed, you can pop up a terminal by hitting F12. After a few days I've come to absolutely love having it. It's one of those things that IMHO makes KDE better than GNOME.

Another is the 'kill cursor' Hit Ctrl+Alt+esc to change the cursor into an X (sometimes skull-and-crossbones!). This will then immediately terminate whatever you click on. Great for getting rid of hanging apps. (If you decide not to kill after all, ctrl+alt+esc again or right-click gets you back to normal)

[Monster_user]

Re: New Window Z-order and Focus?

Active Mouse Screen On, Separate Screen Focus Off: dunno what these do.

Those sound like options for dual screen, or multi-screen setups.

Active Mouse Screen sounds a bit cryptic to me as well. I would guess that it has something to do with the focus on the Screen where the Mouse cursor is.

Separate Screen Focus, would likely prevent anything taking focus on the second screen.