[SOLVED] New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub w

Quick to answer questions about finding your way around Linux Mint as a new user.
Forum rules
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
vanderson

[SOLVED] New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub w

Post by vanderson »

System:
Mint 12 with Cinnamon 1.1.3

Problem:
I open a new application, (from run/dock/panel) and the app opens BEHIND everything else on my workspace.

This also affects apps I am directly working in. For example, I use Komodo Edit, I press ctrl+f (to open find window) and the find opens BEHIND the komodo edit window!

Result:
I am consistently starting an action, and then having to make extra steps to follow up. (ie, ctrl+f, wait for window to open, switch to new window) This not only adds the extra step of switching windows, but now I have to specifically _wait_ and watch for the notification to register that something has changed. (as I can't see the find window open, as it's _behind_ everything) This extra waiting and then switching is hurting my focus and productivity!

This _never_ happened in windows or mac or older Ubuntu installs. (haven't tried new one)

Research:
I did copious amounts of searching to solve this. I found a thing called "focus stealing prevention level" that may be the cause of this insanity, but no one has a way to turn this off or disable in Gnome 3, and so I can't confirm if this is the problem or not.

Please help! (going crazy)
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
vanderson

Re: New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub window

Post by vanderson »

It's been a few days with no replies to this. I can't imagine this is an obscure bug in Linux/ubuntu/mint that no one has experienced. It's been doing this from the first time I started using Mint 12. (with original gnome 3 interface)
vanderson

Re: New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub window

Post by vanderson »

Found "Window focus mode" in Advanced Settings. Sloppy sort of works, but then focus jumps to whereever the mouse hovers after a few seconds!

Where is the setting to make window focus work EXACTLY like Mac and Windows??? Why does Linux systems do this so wierd?
vanderson

Re: New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub window

Post by vanderson »

Anyone have an answer for this?
conslie

Re: New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub window

Post by conslie »

Just a note. No replies here probably means that no one has ever encountered this kind of situation.

Is it only cinnamon? Log out/in, diasble some stuff, etc. Random suggestions are just a waste of time for all involved.

Cinnamon is not in the default install of LM12. What else did you change before encountering this behavior? No one but you has the knd of information that would be useful in tracing down what you did to mess it up.

Edit to add: On my first install of LM12 I managed to mess it up enough that Gnome 3 Shell would no longer run except in fallback mode. The easy solution was just to overwrite the old messed up one with a fresh one, which has been working fine.
vanderson

Re: New windows/apps open behind everything (even sub window

Post by vanderson »

Thanks for the reply, it's appreciated. This issue has nothing to do with any changes I made to my system, it happens from a fresh install.

To clarify that this is not my own issue, but simply (perhaps) a bad design decision by Gnome/Mutter or whatever controls this action, here's the statement of resolution of this issue:

FIXED:--> http://cinnamon.linuxmint.com/?p=119

Scroll down to "Under the hood changes"
Newly open windows are focused by default (instead of appearing in the back with an annoying “Your window is ready” notification)
(I have installed Cinnamon 1.2 and have confirmed that this is fixed and Cinnamon runs perfect now!)

So it is happening to everyone running whatever core element of Mint that causes this action.

Again, I appreciate that you post, I will add "SOLVED" to this post if I can figure out how...
conslie

Re: [SOLVED] New windows/apps open behind everything (even s

Post by conslie »

Good news!

I haven't been using cinnamon, so I could not be of more help, but the 1.2 release discussion by Clem is very encouraging. Thanks for the link. I recommend it to all interested in LM 12. In additional to the original post, Clem answers a lot of questions about the work being done in the discussion that follows.
Locked

Return to “Beginner Questions”