Why would windows from one application consistently open BEHIND windows from another?

[Excalibre]

For some reason, when I open pictures from file managers (either nautilus or thunar), when I open them with either gpicview or eye of gnome, they consistently open BEHIND the file manager window. Why would this happen? (How could something like this EVER be the proper behavior? What genius came up with this? Honestly, why is this even possible? Shouldn't new windows always open in the ******* front?)

So, uh, is there some way I can fix it?

[cwbar_1]

It's been a while since I've used Xubuntu, but somewhere in the system preferences, under the windows behavior, you may have ticked the "Mouse over" effect for selecting windows. Hope this helps.

[lisati]

Another possibility is that some programs have an "always on top" option.....

[Excalibre]

It's been a while since I've used Xubuntu, but somewhere in the system preferences, under the windows behavior, you may have ticked the "Mouse over" effect for selecting windows. Hope this helps.

Uh, wouldn't you think that option would be pretty obvious? I mean, it'd be hard to miss windows getting selected every time I moused over them.

Another possibility is that some programs have an "always on top" option.....

I checked that.

[cwbar_1]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply any negativity. Like I said before, it's been a while since I've used Xubuntu. Good luck, hope someone has the answer.

[sdennie]

Are you running compiz? If so, try:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Then go to System->Preferences->Advanced Desktop Effects->General Options->Focus & Raise Behavior. Play around with Focus Prevention Level. I have mine set to "Low" and don't have anything like you are describing. Also make sure "Focus Prevention Windows" is set to "any".

[Excalibre]

Are you running compiz? If so, try:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Then go to System->Preferences->Advanced Desktop Effects->General Options->Focus & Raise Behavior. Play around with Focus Prevention Level. I have mine set to "Low" and don't have anything like you are describing. Also make sure "Focus Prevention Windows" is set to "any".

Thanks for the suggestion, but my compiz settings were already what you describe, so no dice.

I know it's a tiny thing to get irritated about, but it's so weird and it's so inexplicable when it seems like the normal behavior would be for a new window to always open in the front. It's not a tragedy if I can't fix it, just an admittedly minor annoyance.

[LMP900]

I noticed that this only happens when I have a picture already open. So basically, the first picture I select opens normally (i.e. above the file manager) but every other picture opens behind it.

[Excalibre]

I noticed that this only happens when I have a picture already open. So basically, the first picture I select opens normally (i.e. above the file manager) but every other picture opens behind it.

Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one. Except I haven't ever noticed what you're describing.

On further reflection I realize that I don't see this consistently; sometimes, they open in front, sometimes they open behind, but if I open a bunch at once they all act the same way. I'm not sure if maybe it changes when I reboot or something.

I think I got used to this enough (it happened to me in Gutsy too) that I stopped paying attention, but checking it out now it only happens to me sometimes. I'm not sure of any pattern to it, though.

[LMP900]

Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one. Except I haven't ever noticed what you're describing.

On further reflection I realize that I don't see this consistently; sometimes, they open in front, sometimes they open behind, but if I open a bunch at once they all act the same way. I'm not sure if maybe it changes when I reboot or something.

I think I got used to this enough (it happened to me in Gutsy too) that I stopped paying attention, but checking it out now it only happens to me sometimes. I'm not sure of any pattern to it, though.

That's strange. The behavior I described seems to be consistent for me. I suppose you can try to duplicate it to see if it's the case for you as well:

Make sure there are no Eye of Gnome instances running and open a picture in Nautilus. Eye of Gnome should launch the picture on top of the file browser. Now, without closing the previous Eye of Gnome window, open another picture. This one will open behind the file browser.