Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

julian · 2020-09-08 10:41:17

This may be an upstream issue but other launchers in Unix implementation(s) that focus on user-friendliness don't do this.

Attempting to launch GIMP when it's already open, cleverly brings it to focus rather than starting another instance of GIMP, but...

If you have multiple image files open, GIMP is switched to the first one in the list.

What really brings this into sharper focus is when running GIMP in Single-Window Mode (access this cleaner mode by clicking Windows > and toggling Single-Window Mode). You will see that using Panel Window Buttons to access GIMP does not change the tab within GIMP, whereas clicking a Launcher icon does.

As I said, other Unix implementation(s) focused on user-friendliness don't do this.

Thanks

ToZ · 2020-09-08 11:04:20

julian wrote:

You will see that using Panel Window Buttons to access GIMP does not change the tab within GIMP, whereas clicking a Launcher icon does.

I believe this is the result of the purpose/or function of the window buttons. All it does is bring to the forefront the app that you have selected. It does not have access to the application's code. On the other hand, when launching a new version of Gimp, the application is coded to first look for an existing instance of itself and if it exists, to use that and to focus in on on the first tab.

tl;dr, the windows buttons plugin would not be able to access the code to do that. Nor should it.

julian · 2020-09-08 17:42:42

But you see that is not the behavior I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about the other behavior.

If you have multiple image files open, GIMP is switched to the first one in the list!!

I probably should have made it more clear that this is the problematic behavior with some exclamation points and bold, so I've added them in my quoted reenactment. smile

ToZ · 2020-09-08 23:05:47

Hmmm. I have gimp open with 5 images. Single Window mode disabled so that I have 5 windows buttons - one for each image. I have the 3rd image as the active image.

I then start gimp from the menu, and the first image in the list becomes the active window. Is this the behaviour you are asking about?

julian · 2020-09-09 18:13:48

Bingo.

It also happened when clicking a "normal" launcher. I quote normal because your super helpful Laucher/Focuser bash script with the later addition does not produce this behavior. smile

Last edited by julian (2020-09-09 18:14:27)

ToZ · 2020-09-09 22:24:32

As I eluded to in my previous post, this is behaviour managed by gimp. The reason that it doesn't happen with my script is that you are not starting a new instance if one already exists, it simply shows or hides the running instance.

Gimp has similar logic built in - on start, if I exist, bring me into focus and move to the first tab.

julian · 2020-09-10 18:37:58

Another linux distro/OS also focused on user-friendliness doesn't do this, though. That's what made me think Xfce might be able to do something.

Having said that I believe your (currently) unintegrated Laucher/Focuser (linked to above) needs to be the default, when a user drags a program into the panel. smile

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#1 2020-09-08 10:41:17

Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

#2 2020-09-08 11:04:20

Re: Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

#3 2020-09-08 17:42:42

Re: Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

#4 2020-09-08 23:05:47

Re: Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

#5 2020-09-09 18:13:48

Re: Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

#6 2020-09-09 22:24:32

Re: Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

#7 2020-09-10 18:37:58

Re: Launching GIMP when already open switches focused artwork to first one

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