Major window stacking and focus issues

An additional error case:

1) Open a window and don't maximize it (in this case, Terminal).
2) Open another program and maximize its window (in this case, Banshee).
3) With the maximized window in front, minimize it. There is some graphical glitching (though not horrible), and it is impossible to click on the now-revealed, non-maximized window. It doesn't appear to receive mouse events. Clicking on it a few times eventually causes it to gain focus and, at the same time, erases the graphical glitching.

It would appear as though the maximized window though now minimized is stealing focus.

An additional error case:

1) Have several windows maximized, though of course only one is visible.
2) One of the non-front windows opens a modal dialog.
3) Clicks on the front window are given to the parent of the modal dialog and the menu bar changes to that of the owner of the modal dialog, though the other window remains in front. It's impossible to minimize the front window (clicking on its minimize widget just invisibly minimized the owner of the modal dialog).

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

It seems to be related (or part of) this bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/oneiric/+source/unity/+bug/848237
I'm also get this kind of behavior every now and then, so I try to not minimize maximized windows

Works perfectly fine here.

I reworked a large chunk of the stacking code recently, could you try
the compiz packages in ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ppa . Also, I'd be curious
to know what windows this is happening with. Often there are certain
applications that misbehave and do things to confuse the window
manager.

On Mon, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:52 PM, Rob King <email address hidden> wrote:
> Public bug reported:
>
> 1) Open any program, for example, Terminal, and maximize its window.
> 2) Open another program and maximize its window.
> 3) Open a third program and don't maximize it.
> 4) Not every time, but the majority of the time, it is now impossible to bring one of the first two windows to the front. Clicking on their icon in the launcher does nothing except change which programs menu bar is present in the menu area, and that window (the one that got its menus displayed) now has keyboard focus, but does not get mouse events and, because its hidden behind another window, is invisible. Because of the keyboard focus issue, I've typed things I thought were going to one program but ended up in another.
> 5) Clicking on a window for the program that isn't maximized results in the click going right through the stack to the topmost maximized window, but that window is not brought to front. It gets focus (ie the non-maximized window loses focus, but isn't obscured).
>
> This is a major issue and I generally have to log out and log back in to
> get the system into a usable state. This has been happening since Alpha
> 1 for me. I don't know what steps are exactly needed to reproduce the
> issue, but it happens every login session at some point. The only
> programs I regularly use are Thunderbird, Firefox, Empathy, Banshee, and
> Terminal. I very, very rarely have any other program open (maybe a PDF
> viewer, but that's it).
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
> Package: unity 4.16.0-0ubuntu1
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-11.18-generic 3.0.4
> Uname: Linux 3.0.0-11-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu1
> Architecture: amd64
> CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,vpswitch,gnomecompat,regex,compiztoolbox,resize,grid,place,mousepoll,session,snap,move,imgpng,wall,animation,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,fade,workarounds,ezoom,scale,unityshell]
> Date: Mon Sep 19 10:45:55 2011
> EcryptfsInUse: Yes
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Alpha amd64 (20110803.1)
> SourcePackage: unity
> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>
> ** Affects: unity (Ubuntu)
>     Importance: Undecided
>         Status: New
>
>
> ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug oneiric running-unity
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of Unity
> Bugs, which is subscribed to unity in Ubuntu.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/853965
>
> Title:
>  Major window stacking and focus issues
>
> Status in “unity” package in Ubuntu:
>  New
>
> Bug description:
>  1) Open any program, for example, Terminal, and maximize its window.
>  2) Open another program and maximize its window.
>  3) Open a third program and don't maximize it.
>  4) Not every time, but the majority of the time, it is now impossi...

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 12:15 AM, Rob King <email address hidden> wrote:
> An additional error case:
>
> 1) Open a window and don't maximize it (in this case, Terminal).
> 2) Open another program and maximize its window (in this case, Banshee).
> 3) With the maximized window in front, minimize it. There is some graphical glitching (though not horrible), and it is impossible to click on the now-revealed, non-maximized window. It doesn't appear to receive mouse events. Clicking on it a few times eventually causes it to gain focus and, at the same time, erases the graphical glitching.
>
> It would appear as though the maximized window though now minimized is
> stealing focus.

This is a different bug (bug: 847967) and has been fixed upstream

>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of Unity
> Bugs, which is subscribed to unity in Ubuntu.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/853965
>
> Title:
>  Major window stacking and focus issues
>
> Status in “unity” package in Ubuntu:
>  New
>
> Bug description:
>  1) Open any program, for example, Terminal, and maximize its window.
>  2) Open another program and maximize its window.
>  3) Open a third program and don't maximize it.
>  4) Not every time, but the majority of the time, it is now impossible to bring one of the first two windows to the front. Clicking on their icon in the launcher does nothing except change which programs menu bar is present in the menu area, and that window (the one that got its menus displayed) now has keyboard focus, but does not get mouse events and, because its hidden behind another window, is invisible. Because of the keyboard focus issue, I've typed things I thought were going to one program but ended up in another.
>  5) Clicking on a window for the program that isn't maximized results in the click going right through the stack to the topmost maximized window, but that window is not brought to front. It gets focus (ie the non-maximized window loses focus, but isn't obscured).
>
>  This is a major issue and I generally have to log out and log back in
>  to get the system into a usable state. This has been happening since
>  Alpha 1 for me. I don't know what steps are exactly needed to
>  reproduce the issue, but it happens every login session at some point.
>  The only programs I regularly use are Thunderbird, Firefox, Empathy,
>  Banshee, and Terminal. I very, very rarely have any other program open
>  (maybe a PDF viewer, but that's it).
>
>  ProblemType: Bug
>  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
>  Package: unity 4.16.0-0ubuntu1
>  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-11.18-generic 3.0.4
>  Uname: Linux 3.0.0-11-generic x86_64
>  ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu1
>  Architecture: amd64
>  CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,vpswitch,gnomecompat,regex,compiztoolbox,resize,grid,place,mousepoll,session,snap,move,imgpng,wall,animation,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,fade,workarounds,ezoom,scale,unityshell]
>  Date: Mon Sep 19 10:45:55 2011
>  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
>  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Alpha amd64 (20110803.1)
>  SourcePackage: unity
>  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
>
> To mana...

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 12:16 AM, Rob King <email address hidden> wrote:
> An additional error case:
>
> 1) Have several windows maximized, though of course only one is visible.
> 2) One of the non-front windows opens a modal dialog.
> 3) Clicks on the front window are given to the parent of the modal dialog and the menu bar changes to that of the owner of the modal dialog, though the other window remains in front. It's impossible to minimize the front window (clicking on its minimize widget just invisibly minimized the owner of the modal dialog).

OK, this definitely sounds like a bug caused by an obscure behaviour.
Can you file a new bug for this and let me know of applications which
will open modal dialog windows while they are not in focus ? (eg, not
on user interaction)

>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of Unity
> Bugs, which is subscribed to unity in Ubuntu.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/853965
>
> Title:
>  Major window stacking and focus issues
>
> Status in “unity” package in Ubuntu:
>  New
>
> Bug description:
>  1) Open any program, for example, Terminal, and maximize its window.
>  2) Open another program and maximize its window.
>  3) Open a third program and don't maximize it.
>  4) Not every time, but the majority of the time, it is now impossible to bring one of the first two windows to the front. Clicking on their icon in the launcher does nothing except change which programs menu bar is present in the menu area, and that window (the one that got its menus displayed) now has keyboard focus, but does not get mouse events and, because its hidden behind another window, is invisible. Because of the keyboard focus issue, I've typed things I thought were going to one program but ended up in another.
>  5) Clicking on a window for the program that isn't maximized results in the click going right through the stack to the topmost maximized window, but that window is not brought to front. It gets focus (ie the non-maximized window loses focus, but isn't obscured).
>
>  This is a major issue and I generally have to log out and log back in
>  to get the system into a usable state. This has been happening since
>  Alpha 1 for me. I don't know what steps are exactly needed to
>  reproduce the issue, but it happens every login session at some point.
>  The only programs I regularly use are Thunderbird, Firefox, Empathy,
>  Banshee, and Terminal. I very, very rarely have any other program open
>  (maybe a PDF viewer, but that's it).
>
>  ProblemType: Bug
>  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
>  Package: unity 4.16.0-0ubuntu1
>  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-11.18-generic 3.0.4
>  Uname: Linux 3.0.0-11-generic x86_64
>  ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu1
>  Architecture: amd64
>  CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,vpswitch,gnomecompat,regex,compiztoolbox,resize,grid,place,mousepoll,session,snap,move,imgpng,wall,animation,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,fade,workarounds,ezoom,scale,unityshell]
>  Date: Mon Sep 19 10:45:55 2011
>  EcryptfsInUse: Yes
>  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Alpha amd64 (20110803.1)
>  SourcePackage: unity
>  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present...

2011/9/20 Sam Spilsbury :
> Works perfectly fine here.
>
> I reworked a large chunk of the stacking code recently, could you try
> the compiz packages in ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ppa . Also, I'd be curious
> to know what windows this is happening with. Often there are certain
> applications that misbehave and do things to confuse the window
> manager.
Most of the time I have only Opera maximized and I suspected that it causes focus problems, but its not only Opera. I tried with nautilus, firefox and other random apps - its all the same.

I tried compiz packages from ppa and it works fine for me too, no focus problems so far. Thanks Sam!

Currently using ubuntu 11.10 updated.
-

I encourage anyone which extensively use desktop applications to try:

Scenario:
6 desktop windows in 2 rows x 3 columns

Window distribution:
1 2 3
4 5 6

Window 1- I use lotus sametime for work, as well as an auth application, and sometimes I use "empathy too"
Window 2 - Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome
Window 3 - Spreadsheets, Word Documents
Window 4 - rdesktop terminal server
Window 5 - Lotus Notes
Window 6 - Terminals.

As you can image I end up switching windows a lot but if you are used to this kind of distribution you work very fast.

The problem:
I specially notice when window focusing is not working right when switching back and forth from the terminal window to for example the browser window because you see the a hollow cursor as if focus was into another application, but there is just the terminal application, you switch back and forth again and now I get the normal window cursor.

When it affects in firefox is specially annoying, you for example have to fill a form of those you have to click, a list appears and select when you try select a choice you move the mouse to select and the menu hides as if you clicked out. Or in the address bar, you can type there but firefox suggestions for previous visited urls don't show up, but switch to another window and back to browser window and voilá, it works normal now.

When this happens, it doesnt matter if you click the present window for focus, the "semi-focussed" behaviour does not stop until you switch to another window and back.

With Gnome-Tweak I tried to work-around the problem trying the sloppy focus and I also had problems of the same kind.

Hope this can be fixed as it has been happening since 11.04, it can be really frustrating.

Thank you for reading.

Thanks for the bug report. Is that still an issue for you Ubuntu 12.04 with all updates applied? Can you please test that and let us know?

I cannot reproduce it now and I suffered from this bug. Although I cannot remember when it happend the last time, probably on 11.10.
But the test case does not say it always happen, so maybe someone still has this issue.

i will close it now. if someone else sees it again please re-open by setting the status to new.

[Expired for Unity because there has been no activity for 60 days.]