Xfce Forum

Mellowbob

Member

Registered: 2011-10-16

Posts: 286

Keep application of started desktop

Is there a way to force an app to stay on a certain desktop once it is launched? I have a problem when, for example, I request something like <help> from an app running on desk2 ... it figures this is a request to a browser (which it is) and brings my firefox into focus on desk2. The problem is that firefox was happily running on desk1. So, now I finish the help stuff and find that my browser is now in the wrong place.

I suppose another solution might be to have <help> bring up a new instance of firefox on the current desktop. Not sure how I'd do that either

alcornoqui

Member

Registered: 2014-07-28

Posts: 832

Re: Keep application of started desktop

I found this in the xfwm FAQ:

Firefox jumps between workspaces, why?

When a new tab is opened from an external link in Firefox, it asks the WM to show the window containing the new tab. If the window that has requested to be raised is not on the current desktop, the Xfce Window manager will bring it to the current desktop by default. If you do not want this behavior, there is a hidden option to control this behavior. For Xfce 4.4 in ~/.config/xfce4/xfwm4/xfwm4rc you can put the following:

  activate_action=bring|switch|none

For Xfce 4.6 and 4.8 you can go to Xfce Menu > Settings > Window Manager Tweaks and go to the tab Focus, or you need to use the xfconf-query tool to change the setting:

  xfconf-query -c xfwm4 -p /general/activate_action -s bring|switch|none

As the name suggests, the “bring” option moves the window requesting to be raised to the current workspace, the “switch” option switches workspaces, and the “none” option takes no action.

The above command edits the file “~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfwm4.xml” by adding or modifying this line:

“ <property name=“activate_action” type=“string” value=“switch”/> ” 

Hope it helps!

Mellowbob

Member

Registered: 2011-10-16

Posts: 286

Re: Keep application of started desktop

Okay and THANKS.

I think that does it. Not sure what version of xfce I have. The about popup says 4.12.

So, I go to settings->window manager Tweaks -> focus and there is an option "when window raises itself" and I click <do nothing> and it now behaves. It might even be a bonus that the panel windows app shows firefox as running when I'm in the non-firefox desktop and clicking on that takes me to the right desktop.

Color me happy

alcornoqui

Member

Registered: 2014-07-28

Posts: 832

Re: Keep application of started desktop

Great! Happy to help, too.