how to switch window focus by moving mouse over (in Fedora/Gnome)?

rocky92 · 10-18-2010, 08:45 AM

Hi, there

I am using Fedora11/Gnome and I frequently use several windows for input. I would like to focus on a window just by moving the mouse over it (but not pop up). However, I can not find anywhere to set up this option. Could anyone kindly help me here?

thank you advance.

------------
PS. I noticed in a previous thread that someone suggested to use gconf-editor in Ubuntu, but I can not find it in my Fedora system. Does one need to install it manually?

MTK358 · 10-18-2010, 10:43 AM

Metacity (GNOME's window manager) does not have such a feature.

Note that you can still use GNOME with a different WM. Here's how:

Code:

$ killall metacity
$ <command to start new WM>

You might like Xfwm or Openbox, or even Compiz (which GNOME uses when desktop effects are enabled, but you can't set it to focus-follows-mouse without the CCSM package).

rocky92 · 10-19-2010, 09:10 AM

Thank you very much. Xfwm4 works very well. Is there any way to change my default window manager into XF, (other than write killall/xfwm commands in .cshrc)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

Metacity (GNOME's window manager) does not have such a feature.

Note that you can still use GNOME with a different WM. Here's how:

Code:

$ killall metacity
$ <command to start new WM>

You might like Xfwm or Openbox, or even Compiz (which GNOME uses when desktop effects are enabled, but you can't set it to focus-follows-mouse without the CCSM package).

MTK358 · 10-19-2010, 09:28 AM

I don't know, does GNOME have any way to run a script on startup? To modify its settings, run the command "xfwm4-settings".

Xfwm is actually the default window manager for the Xfce desktop environment, but it works just as well is any or even no DE.

jens · 10-19-2010, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

Metacity (GNOME's window manager) does not have such a feature.

It does!

@the OP stick with Metacity, click "system", "preferences" and enable it under "windows"

...or open your terminal and run gnome-window-properties

jens · 10-19-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocky92

PS. I noticed in a previous thread that someone suggested to use gconf-editor in Ubuntu, but I can not find it in my Fedora system. Does one need to install it manually?

This is only removed since Fedora 12 and latest upstream GNOMEs (gnome developers don't like usability and try to remove as much as possible).

In Fedora 12 (or newer?), install "control-center-extra":

Code:

yum install control-center-extra

and it should be back

...or you could indeed install "gconf-editor" and next, apps->metacity->general, set "focus_mode" to "sloppy

see: http://www.linux-archive.org/fedora-...erties-go.html

rocky92 · 10-19-2010, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jens

...or you could indeed install "gconf-editor" and next, apps->metacity->general, set "focus_mode" to "sloppy

Thank you Jens, This works perfectly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jens

In Fedora 12 (or newer?), install "control-center-extra":

Code:

yum install control-center-extra

and it should be back

it does not work. But "yum install gconf-editor" works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jens

This is only removed since Fedora 12 and latest upstream GNOMEs (gnome developers don't like usability and try to remove as much as possible).

It rather looks like they want to force me to find nice people to help before I can do anything. Typical Linux.

Thank you again, and thank MTK358 as well.

MTK358 · 10-19-2010, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jens

...or you could indeed install "gconf-editor" and next, apps->metacity->general, set "focus_mode" to "sloppy

I knew that, but I remember seeing that it's a buggy, experimental feature.

jens · 10-19-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

but I remember seeing that it's a buggy, experimental feature.

No.
It's removed because Mr Jon McCann thinks:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon McCann

They are for tweakers. Let's remove it.

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gnome.../msg00120.html

Tweakers?
It's one of the oldest (and most traditional) UNIX/X11 functions
I personally wouldn't even touch a DE that doesn't support it.

MTK358 · 10-19-2010, 07:52 PM

What's "they"?

jens · 10-19-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

What's "they"?

The options in the windows dialog (like the sloppy mouse focus mode).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon McCann

We should remove the window preferences capplet. These are all user experience cop outs. We should leave this to a tweak UI type tool - if someone even cares
to write such a thing.

https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=592759

MTK358 · 10-20-2010, 06:49 AM

What's a "capplet"?

Anyway, I think that the ability to change the focus policy is an important preference that should be easily visible.

jens · 10-20-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

What's a "capplet"?

Anyway, I think that the ability to change the focus policy is an important preference that should be easily visible.

A C/Configration "applet" for the GNOME panel (don't expect anything GNOME to make sense).
It's more like how Windows does it.

Sadly, Mr Jon MacCann seems to think that sloppy mouse focus is only for geeks (meaning it should be destroyed or hidden in gconf).