Maxmise a window vertically

[Paddy Landau]

I have started to use Natty. My screen is short but wide, so I often want windows to open vertically maximised, but not horizontally maximised.

If I run Window Preferences ("Windows" in the menu system), there is an option, "Titlebar Action: Double-click titlebar to perform this action". I have set it to Maximise Vertically (see screenshot).

However, when I double-click the titlebar, it maximises the entire window.

Do you know how I can maximise a window vertically without dragging its top and bottom?

Even better, is there a setting in Compiz where I can say (for example), "Always open Terminal & Nautilus vertically maximised"?

[Copper Bezel]

Yes, I just checked, and I get the same behavior under Natty as well.

One behavior I've used in the past might serve as a workaround - if you set an edge click (such as the top edge) or a keystroke in commands to run this,


wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b add,maximized_vert
the property still works as expected.

This seems to be another one of those odd little tweaky features that no one seems to use and doesn't get maintained. I don't know, for instance, why windows snapped to half-screen with the Grid don't have this property set, as it would make moving them between workspaces from the Expo view much cleaner and less fidgety.

[stinkeye]

You can maximize vertically by middle clicking on the maximize button.
Right clicking will maximize horizontally.

[Krytarik]

Even better, is there a setting in Compiz where I can say (for example), "Always open Terminal & Nautilus vertically maximised"?
You can use Compiz' "Window Rules" plugin for that, "Size Rules". Rules set up there only take effect upon opening the respective windows, so you can still resize them if you like so.

Greetings.

[Copper Bezel]

That sets the size, though, not the property, doesn't it?

Also, with the terminal, you'd need to go into Edit > Profile Preferences and make certain that the "Custom size" option is unticked, as I think it's set by default.

[Krytarik]

That sets the size, though, not the property, doesn't it?
Yeah, but you can obviously set the sizes accordingly, and if you set a value higher than the available space (meaning screen size minus panels, docks, or whatsoever), the size is limited to that, so the effect is exactly like maximizing.

However, upon testing that now, I noticed that any new rules just don't take effect at my system, even not after restarting Compiz, while the existing ones still work. Damn, I love when things like that happen! #-o :D

[Copper Bezel]

Yeah, no kidding, although I've just come to expect that sort of thing in 11.04.

I do wish Compiz had a feature like Metacity's automatic mazimize, so that a window that is the size of the workspace would be treated as a maximized one (and likewise for only-vertical maximization, too.) There aren't a lot of disadvantages to windows not really being maximized, but there's the decorator clipping and the need to resize the window down manually instead of "restoring," as well as snapping when moving windows between workspaces (the latter of which applies to windows maximized only vertically as well.)

[Paddy Landau]

Wow, thanks for all the responses!


You can maximize vertically by middle clicking on the maximize button.
Right clicking will maximize horizontally.
This is next-to-perfect! I shall remember it. (Where is it documented?)


You can use Compiz' "Window Rules" plugin for that, "Size Rules". Rules set up there only take effect upon opening the respective windows, so you can still resize them if you like so.
This is perfect.


with the terminal, you'd need to go into Edit > Profile Preferences and make certain that the "Custom size" option is unticked
Ah. I missed that. I have ticked it and set it the right number of lines to exactly maximise vertically. If only all applications had this feature!


you can obviously set the sizes accordingly, and if you set a value higher than the available space (meaning screen size minus panels, docks, or whatsoever), the size is limited to that, so the effect is exactly like maximizing.
Not for me! If I set a size larger than the maximum, it sets that size, so part of the window goes off the screen.


upon testing that now, I noticed that any new rules just don't take effect at my system, even not after restarting Compiz
Funny; on mine it works immediately, though I have to close and reopen the affected window (not Compiz itself). Are you sure that Compiz is actually enabled on your system? Did you remember to tick the "Enable Windows Rules" box?

In summary:


Some applications (such as Firefox and Gedit) remember their last setting.
Very few (such as gnome-terminal) have specific settings.
For the remainder (such as Nautilus), I shall use the Windows Rules in Compiz.


Thank you again; I shall mark this as solved.

Speaking of which, perhaps you know off-hand how to disable the feature whereby a window automatically maximises when moving it to the top of the screen? I often move a window there but don't want it maximised.

[stinkeye]

Wow, thanks for all the responses!


This is next-to-perfect! I shall remember it. (Where is it documented?)



I only found out about this when I downloaded a unity wallpaper with
all the unity shotcut keys and mouse tips on it.
I think it was there even before unity.





Speaking of which, perhaps you know off-hand how to disable the feature whereby a window automatically maximises when moving it to the top of the screen? I often move a window there but don't want it maximised.


ccsm > window management > grid

[Paddy Landau]

ccsm > window management > grid
Ah (sighs with relief). Thank you.

[Paddy Landau]

Oh boy, more Compiz problems.

I used to be able to drag windows and objects from one workspace (desktop) to another. For example, drag a file from Nautilus one one desktop to FileZilla on another.

I have gone to ccsm > Desktop > Desktop Wall > Edge Flipping and turned on Edge Flip Move and Edge Flip DnD.

Moving windows from one workspace to another works.

But dragging an object from one workspace to another gives erratic results. Usually, it does nothing. Sometimes, it repeatedly flashes the mini-expo screen. And very occasionally, it moves the object.

Any idea what I can do to get the drag-and-drop working reliably? Perhaps two different plug-ins are conflicting?

[Krytarik]

Not for me! If I set a size larger than the maximum, it sets that size, so part of the window goes off the screen.
Yeah, as my new rules - apparently - didn't take effect at all, I couldn't really test that, so I wasn't too sure that it's really true. But I was sure about a similar thing of the "Place Windows" plugin. However, I can confirm now that the behaviour as you experience it is the same for me, too.

And now I also figured why the rules - apparently - didn't take effect at first; if a window was maximized before closing it the last time, and it remembers its state, it's opened maximized the next time, regardless of matching size rules. But it works in unmaximized state.

As for your new issue reg. the moving of objects to different workspaces; sorry, I've no idea, this is working here. I think that's yet another bug of Compiz in Natty.