Ubuntu
xfwm4 package

Resizing windows by grabbing window borders is difficult

Bug #1056978 reported by the-unconventional
80
This bug affects 18 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Xfwm4
Won't Fix
Medium
xfwm4 (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Undecided
Unassigned
xubuntu-default-settings (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

A while ago, Bug #160311 was filed against Metacity, basically saying that resizing windows is too hard, as the cursor had to be put exactly on the window border. They fixed it by increasing the padding around the windows within which the cursor would change into a resize grip. On Ubuntu it is now very easy to resize a window, even with a touchpad, but on Xubuntu you still have to put the cursor exactly on the one-pixel window border (except when you use the titlebar or the resize grip on the bottom right that not every window has). This behaviour is present on all versions of Xfce / Xubuntu / Debian I've tested.

If possible, a similar patch should be made for xfwm4 (or is this managed by the theming engine instead?)

Revision history for this message
In , Torquil Sørensen (torquil) wrote :

Hi!

I'm using XFCE4.8.1 on Debian Sid. Say I want to widen or narrow a window by left-clicking and dragging on a vertical side border of a window. The valid area I need to hit with the mouse click is so thin that this is very difficult.

Now, I usually do Alt - Right click to adjust window size. However, if it is supposed to be possible to widen or narrow a window by left-clicking on a side borders, I think the valid area needs to wider. It seems like it is just one pixel or something now.

I've tried all the window manager themes that came along in Debian, but none of them seem to influence the problem.

Revision history for this message
In , Olivier Fourdan (fourdan) wrote :

The border width is purely a theme issue, you just need to use another theme which suits your need better.

Debian may not package all themes, but that's a Debian issue more than a problem with xfwm4.

You may also check a site such as www.xfce-look.org for more themes.

Revision history for this message
the-unconventional (the-unconventional-deactivatedaccount-deactivatedaccount) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

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

Changed in xfwm4 (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater)
Changed in xfwm4:
importance: Unknown → Medium
status: Unknown → Won't Fix
Revision history for this message
In , DeactivatedAccount2 (deactivatedaccount2-deactivatedaccount) wrote :

I don't understand why this should be a theme issue. Using Gnome, the resizing area, which goes beyond the window border, is theme independent. It would be very great if this behaviour could be implemented in Xfce.

The current situation is somewhat awkward, as there is a window resizing functionality, but it isn't very useful.

Revision history for this message
In , Olivier Fourdan (fourdan) wrote :

(In reply to bakskyene from comment #2)
> I don't understand why this should be a theme issue. Using Gnome, the
> resizing area, which goes beyond the window border, is theme independent. It
> would be very great if this behaviour could be implemented in Xfce.
>
> The current situation is somewhat awkward, as there is a window resizing
> functionality, but it isn't very useful.

GNOME uses the shadows as resizing areas as well, they can do that because they have the compositor enabled all the time whereas in Xfce the compositor is optional, so we can't really have such a feature relying on something we don't enforce.

Revision history for this message
In , DeactivatedAccount2 (deactivatedaccount2-deactivatedaccount) wrote :

(In reply to Olivier Fourdan from comment #3)
> GNOME uses the shadows as resizing areas as well, they can do that because
> they have the compositor enabled all the time whereas in Xfce the compositor
> is optional, so we can't really have such a feature relying on something we
> don't enforce.

Thank you for your quick reply and your explanation! Wouldn't it be possible to increase the resizing area anyway (no matter if the compositor is enabled or not)?

Thaddaeus Tintenfisch (thad-fisch-deactivatedaccount)
Changed in xfwm4 (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Opinion
Revision history for this message
Evaldas Granickas (evaldasgr) wrote :

I'm not a developer or a programmer of any kind, so I may be wrong, but why is it not possible to just make the resizing area not the border itself but something like a 5 pixel area around the border?

Revision history for this message
Frank Breitling (frank-breitling) wrote :

People complain about this everywhere on the internet.
It is obviously a big nuisances which should get a high priority to get fixed.

Changed in xfwm4 (Ubuntu):
status: Opinion → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Abdurrahim (abdurrahim-cakar) wrote :

I told to myself yes xfce4 is the way of desktop but this 1px grab issue is worst and its not fixed for 6 years!!!! Do you guys think this is that difficult please tell so if you can't fix. But tell you this if this fix is about 3-5 lines fix I will mark this bug page all over the net with that fix. Actually I am bookmarking this page and will try to fix it; Yeah this deserves this work, I should give a weekend for this. When I saw this page: https://xubuntu.org/news/window-resizing-in-xubuntu-and-xfce/ I was shocked. This issue deserves to be solved and I really really really hope this issue is too complicated otherwise shame on you all and I mean it,

Revision history for this message
joshas (joshas) wrote :

What about increasing border size for default window style? "Greybird-accessibility" has pretty decent border size, compared to default.

Revision history for this message
Daniel Hollocher (chogydan) wrote :

I am personally still confused by this issue. Here it is on askubuntu: https://askubuntu.com/questions/4109/how-do-i-increase-the-resize-margin-on-windows

Revision history for this message
David Beswick (dlbeswick) wrote :

I understand that the compositor can't be used to provide a solution, so then in my opinion the border size for Xubuntu's default theme should be increased. Even the "Default" xfce theme (which seems to have 2 or 3 pixel borders) is so much of an improvement. As it stands, use of a single-pixel border basically forces the use of Alt-Right Click resizing or menu options and these methods aren't obvious to new users. Rather than making this basic function more difficult by default, I think that those who prefer the aesthetic of a single-pixel border should instead be required to make a change of theme to suit their preference.

Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding)
affects: xubuntu-artwork → xubuntu-default-settings
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

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

Changed in ubuntu:
status: New → Confirmed
Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding)
affects: xubuntu-default-settings → ubuntu
Launchpad Janitor (janitor)
Changed in xubuntu-default-settings (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding)
affects: ubuntu → xubuntu-default-settings (Ubuntu)
Revision history for this message
Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding) wrote :

I assume that the "Greybird" window manager theme will not be tweaked, so using "Greybird-accessibility" by default in Xubuntu sounds like the best option.

Someone from the Xubuntu dev team needs to comment on this.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

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

Changed in xubuntu-default-settings (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding) wrote :

I have asked the Xubuntu team. The thin window borders are still a design decision which will not be changed.

Revision history for this message
Michael Auß (michael-auss) wrote : Re: [Bug 1056978] Re: Resizing windows by grabbing window borders is difficult

It's not a bug, it's a feature

SCNR

> Am 21.09.2018 um 00:01 schrieb Theo Linkspfeifer <email address hidden>:
>
> I have asked the Xubuntu team. The thin window borders are still a
> design decision which will not be changed.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1056978
>
> Title:
> Resizing windows by grabbing window borders is difficult
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
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Sean Davis (bluesabre)
Changed in xfwm4 (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Won't Fix
Changed in xubuntu-default-settings (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Won't Fix
Revision history for this message
Pasi Lallinaho (knome) wrote :

The Greybird-accessibility theme is indeed the recommended way if you wish to use Greybird with thicker borders.

The accessibility theme is not 100% complete and might be slightly outdated but should provide what is needed to workaround this bug. (If you wish to help with the accessibility theme, feel free to be in touch with the Xubuntu team.)

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