Three things

[mandarke]

Is it possible to:

- bind windows key + c to have the currently selected window centre itself
- have parole resize itself to the size of the video being played
- configure the focus so that I can have a web browser open in the background, mplayer in the foreground, and still be able to scroll the web page I have open without the web browser stealing focus

If so, how?

[wkrekik]

I think that wmctrl can do that, but it needs some configuration knowledge. To install wmctrl :

sudo apt-get install wmctrl

[BobMarleyy]

- configure the focus so that I can have a web browser open in the background, mplayer in the foreground, and still be able to scroll the web page I have open without the web browser stealing focus

If so, how?

Go to settings manager -> window manager -> focus and check your "raise on click" setting, you probably want to turn this feature off.

[Toz]

Is it possible to:

- bind windows key + c to have the currently selected window centre itself

Install xdotool, then use this script:

#!/bin/bash

PANEL_HEIGHTS=24
PANEL_WIDTHS=0

SCREEN_WIDTH=`xdotool getdisplaygeometry | cut -d' ' -f1`
SCREEN_HEIGHT=`xdotool getdisplaygeometry | cut -d' ' -f2`

ACTIVE_WINDOW_ID=`xdotool getactivewindow`

ACTIVE_WINDOW_WIDTH=`xwininfo -id $ACTIVE_WINDOW_ID | grep Width | cut -d' ' -f4`
ACTIVE_WINDOW_HEIGHT=`xwininfo -id $ACTIVE_WINDOW_ID | grep Height | cut -d' ' -f4`

xpos=$((($SCREEN_WIDTH-$PANEL_WIDTHS-$ACTIVE_WINDOW_WIDTH)/2))
ypos=$((($SCREEN_HEIGHT-$PANEL_HEIGHTS-$ACTIVE_WINDOW_HEIGHT)/2))

xdotool windowmove $ACTIVE_WINDOW_ID $xpos $ypos

Make sure to adjust the values of PANEL_HEIGHTS and PANEL_WIDTHS to the size of the panels that don't allow windows to go over them (struts enabled by default).

Assign this script to your hotkey at Settings->Settings Manager->Keyboard->Application Shortcuts.

[mandarke]

Go to settings manager -> window manager -> focus and check your "raise on click" setting, you probably want to turn this feature off.

doesn't work exactly how i'd like, but it is a start. an example of what i am after is having a web browser maximised with wireshark in the foreground but i am still able to have some interaction (ctrl-click links, scroll up and down pages) with the web browser. as soon as i have the data i'm after from wireshark, i click on the web browser and it has full focus again with wireshark relegated to the background. this worked a treat in ubuntu 10.10.

[mandarke]

I think that wmctrl can do that, but it needs some configuration knowledge.

Install xdotool

looks like other than the placement tab in the window manager tweaks there isn't an easy way to achieve what i'm after in xfce.

[Toz]

Did you try the script in post #4? It will centre the active window on your screen.

[mandarke]

Did you try the script in post #4? It will centre the active window on your screen.

i'm trying to avoid installing little things so there is less to go wrong.