Xfce Forum

gtozzi

Member

Registered: 2016-03-01

Posts: 15

Window border is too thin to grab

Hey there,

I admit I could have some aim problems, but the window border appears to be only 1 pixed wide and I have problems at grabbing it for resizing a window.

When it comes to corner grabbing to resize both with and height at the same tame, it's mission impossible.

Is there a setting somewhere to say "use w wider grabbing area for window borders"?

Thank you

Jerry3904

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 863

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

<I swear I posted this already...>
What theme are you using?

Is there a setting somewhere to say "use w wider grabbing area for window borders"?

That is coded in the theme itself AFAIK, at least that's what we found out during MX-15 development. If you are using greybird (or bluebird) and a Debian-based distro, then you can take a look at our mx-greybird-themes package, where we expanded the border to 3 pixels after much tester feedback about how annoying it was to try to grab it. (We are about to update that BTW to include a Stretch version that fixes other appearance problems.)

---

MX-23 (based on Debian Stable) with our flagship Xfce 4.18.

gtozzi

Member

Registered: 2016-03-01

Posts: 15

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

Yep, you are right: it's greybird.

The thin border is nice, it just needs to be more sensible.

If this is not configurable, then I think i'm just moving to daloa.

Thank you

sixsixfive

Member

From: behind you

Registered: 2012-04-08

Posts: 579

Website

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

you should try ALT+(mouse left/right button) to resize move it works on all window managers and is much easier than finding  borders

---

A monotone icon theme for Xfce
A dark theme for Xfce

gtozzi

Member

Registered: 2016-03-01

Posts: 15

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

This is definitely going to change my life!

How could've lived so long without it?!?

Many thanks!!!

mabra

Member

Registered: 2015-09-05

Posts: 57

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

you should try ALT+(mouse left/right button) to resize move it works on all window managers and is much easier than finding  borders

Oops - may you please so kind and explain ??
I have always the problem with the too small borders, but selected another theme, which helps a bit ;-)
I tried to find out, what you mentioned - but have no reaction on ALT+(any mouse action).

Thanks anyway,
Manfred

MountainDewManiac

Member

From: Where Mr. Bankruptcy is Prez

Registered: 2013-03-24

Posts: 1,115

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

may you please so kind and explain ??

I just tried it with a small Thunar window: Place mouse cursor somewhere in the window. Hold the ALT key down. Hold left mouse button and move mouse cursor - the window moves. Hold right left mouse button and move mouse cursor - the window resizes in the direction of movement.

Regards,
MDM

---

Mountain Dew Maniac

How to Ask for Help <=== Click on this link

ComputerBob

Member

From: The Sunshine State

Registered: 2010-02-23

Posts: 76

Website

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

I just tried it with a small Thunar window: Place mouse cursor somewhere in the window. Hold the ALT key down. Hold left mouse button and move mouse cursor - the window moves. Hold right left mouse button and move mouse cursor - the window resizes in the direction of movement.

Regards,
MDM

Thanks! Those additional details made it work for me!

---

ComputerBob - Making Geek-Speak Chic (TM)
ComputerBob.com - Nearly 6,000 Posts and 22 Million Views
My Ministry
Help! (off-topic)

mabra

Member

Registered: 2015-09-05

Posts: 57

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

I just tried it with a small Thunar window: Place mouse cursor somewhere in the window. Hold the ALT key down. Hold left mouse button and move mouse cursor - the window moves. Hold right left mouse button and move mouse cursor - the window resizes in the direction of movement.

Regards,
MDM

Thanks! Those additional details made it work for me!

Oh, my - yes, this works and much thanks!
Now I see, I have misunderstood the thread .. ;-)
My problem mostly is to re-size the window ....

Anyway, thanks!
Manfred

Jerry3904

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 863

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

My problem mostly is to re-size the window ....

Alt-F8 jumps your cursor to the corner of the active window, is that what you mean?

EDIT: also, Alt-F10 maximizes the active window, a handy one for me.

Last edited by Jerry3904 (2016-04-16 10:54:32)

---

MX-23 (based on Debian Stable) with our flagship Xfce 4.18.

mabra

Member

Registered: 2015-09-05

Posts: 57

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

My problem mostly is to re-size the window ....

Alt-F8 jumps your cursor to the corner of the active window, is that what you mean?

EDIT: also, Alt-F10 maximizes the active window, a handy one for me.

Yes, thanks - that's it ! But for me, it jumps to the middel of the window - anyway, it has
the edge-pointer active and if you use the mouse, resizing happens.

Thank you !
Manfred

iisthphir

Member

Registered: 2022-08-28

Posts: 1

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

alt+mouse is very useful, faster than alt+f7/f8 if you have one hand on the mouse.
I often like to maximise windows vertically only and so I try to find the border to double click as f6 doesn't seem to work, I found out that middle clicking the maximise button on the window works so that is better although would still like a hotkey for this. Also noticed the top border of my windows don't have any area to grab with the mouse although all the other borders do, even the top corners.

KBar

Member

Registered: 2021-11-05

Posts: 689

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

Hello and welcome, iisthphir!

I often like to maximise windows vertically only and so I try to find the border to double click as f6 doesn't seem to work, I found out that middle clicking the maximise button on the window works so that is better although would still like a hotkey for this.

You can define a shortcut for this action:

Also noticed the top border of my windows don't have any area to grab with the mouse although all the other borders do, even the top corners.

The problem is most likely with your theme. What is the output of the following commands?

xfconf-query --channel xsettings --property /Net/ThemeName
xfconf-query --channel xfwm4 --property /general/theme

---

Remember to edit the subject of your topic to include the [SOLVED] tag once you're satisfied with the answers or have found a solution (in which case, don't forget to share it as well), so that other members of the community can quickly refer to it and save their time. Pretty please!

Clio

Member

Registered: 2011-01-25

Posts: 102

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

You dig up an 6 year old thread to log in here, very strange...

Last edited by Clio (2022-08-28 11:14:27)

Battery Man

Member

Registered: 2022-09-03

Posts: 12

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

<I swear I posted this already...>
What theme are you using?

Is there a setting somewhere to say "use w wider grabbing area for window borders"?

That is coded in the theme itself AFAIK, at least that's what we found out during MX-15 development. If you are using greybird (or bluebird) and a Debian-based distro, then you can take a look at our mx-greybird-themes package, where we expanded the border to 3 pixels after much tester feedback about how annoying it was to try to grab it. (We are about to update that BTW to include a Stretch version that fixes other appearance problems.)

Is it easy to hack this same border change in myself without installing anything? This is the only thing that I'd want to change about greybird.

MartySchrader

Member

Registered: 2023-05-31

Posts: 1

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

Hey, guys? How about answering the original question? It is sometimes necessary to grab a window border _within_ another window, such as resizing column width. In any case, the question was how to go about tuning the window frame size. Is there a way to do this for non-XFCE ex-spurts?

fixitmanarizona

Member

Registered: 2013-08-01

Posts: 10

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

@ MartySchrader You can still use my solution from 2021 as far as I know:
https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=63330#p63330
This has been an ongoing issue for over ten years by the way, search the forum for "Window Border." There are other solutions of course such as workarounds or just using a different window manager (such as Marco from Mate.) or using keyboard shortcuts. But this one worked for me, if OOmox is still an ongoing thing.

tweeks

Member

Registered: 2024-11-01

Posts: 1

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

Hey, guys? How about answering the original question? It is sometimes necessary to grab a window border _within_ another window, such as resizing column width. In any case, the question was how to go about tuning the window frame size. Is there a way to do this for non-XFCE ex-spurts?

The UI now has this option under the MX-tools / Tweak / Theme / Theme Options / MX Light Thick Borders.

The handy, alternate way is as others have said above.. ALT-LMclik-RMclick allows you to drag-resize from anywhere on a window. Sort of like ALT-LMclick to drag move.. but for resizing.. Very handy... I really have fallen in love with XFCE.

T.Weeks

mabra

Member

Registered: 2015-09-05

Posts: 57

Re: Window border is too thin to grab

Are you talking about MX-Linux or what are "MX-tools"
Thanks,
Manfred

Hey, guys? How about answering the original question? It is sometimes necessary to grab a window border _within_ another window, such as resizing column width. In any case, the question was how to go about tuning the window frame size. Is there a way to do this for non-XFCE ex-spurts?

The UI now has this option under the MX-tools / Tweak / Theme / Theme Options / MX Light Thick Borders.

The handy, alternate way is as others have said above.. ALT-LMclik-RMclick allows you to drag-resize from anywhere on a window. Sort of like ALT-LMclick to drag move.. but for resizing.. Very handy... I really have fallen in love with XFCE.

T.Weeks