How to always open app on top

[Rick75230]

I'm running Mint 20, Mate 64-bit.

How do I set it that whenever I open an app from a panel it always opens as the top window with focus the way MS Windows does?

I often have a browser as full window and other apps open under that.

[Hoser Rob]

I haven't used mate for a while but I'm sure there's a setting for that under window manager settings.

Or, what I do to avoid screen/panel clutter is multiple workspaces. Many new Linux users seem to resist the idea of having multiple switchable workspaces/desktops. i don't under stand why, if there's one feature of Linux I couldn't do without that's it.

[vimes666]

with focus the way MS Windows does?

How do you mean?

[shedyed]

I think he means "New window gets focus" so anything he types (or clicks on) will work on the window that just appeared

[all41]

I think he means "New window gets focus" so anything he types (or clicks on) will work on the window that just appeared

Sure--that is MATE default. Perhaps op is using Compiz as windows manager. You can assign always on top attributes,
as well as always under, etc.

@Rick75230
If using Compiz go to Control Panel/ Desktop/Windows and switch windows manager to Marco and test there.

[Rick75230]

Apparently "open ANY new window ON TOP" is NOT the Mate default--the way it IS in Windows.

(Apologies for the CAPS. I tried bold and italics and they're barely noticeable with this font.)

Regarding "multiple desktops", that is NOT the problem. It's something like--I have the browser open as a max window, I want to upload a meme, and I open a file manager to see the memes as thumbnails. In Windows a new app opens on top BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST RECENT OPENING. It also gets the focus.

"The focus" means the active window. In Windows, when you open a new app, Windows automatically puts that window on top AND makes that the active window.

In Mint, the app opens UNDER other apps.

And for folks responding, PLEASE DON'T tell me "I'm sure there's a setting." I need to KNOW what the setting is.

[all41]

Apparently "open ANY new window ON TOP" is NOT the Mate default--the way it IS in Windows.

(Apologies for the CAPS. I tried bold and italics and they're barely noticeable with this font.)

Regarding "multiple desktops", that is NOT the problem. It's something like--I have the browser open as a max window, I want to upload a meme, and I open a file manager to see the memes as thumbnails. In Windows a new app opens on top BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST RECENT OPENING. It also gets the focus.

"The focus" means the active window. In Windows, when you open a new app, Windows automatically puts that window on top AND makes that the active window.

In Mint, the app opens UNDER other apps.

And for folks responding, PLEASE DON'T tell me "I'm sure there's a setting." I need to KNOW what the setting is.

Try creating a temporary new user in Users and Groups. Then log out and log back in as the new user.
Try it there. New users get a fresh set of config files.
Alternately boot into your install flash/dvd into live desktop and check operation there.
Here every app opens on top and has focus---always has on every MATE that I've used.
However I can change this using Compiz Settings with Compiz selected as Windows Manager

[Rick75230]

Try creating a temporary new user in Users and Groups. Then log out and log back in as the new user.
Try it there. New users get a fresh set of config files.
Alternately boot into your install flash/dvd into live desktop and check operation there.
Here every app opens on top and has focus---always has on every MATE that I've used.
However I can change this using Compiz Settings with Compiz selected as Windows Manager

I don't want to "try" guesswork, creating new users, etc. It should be a simple matter of a setting.