Unable to unmaximize window when running on dual monitors

[Daniel Luna]

When starting Thunderbird(*), it first of all opens on the "wrong" monitor (i.e. not the same as last time) (**), but the big problem is that is is maximized in a very strange way.

It is impossible to unmaximize it (as there is no titlebar I have to use the right click menu in the "bottom of window bar" (whatever that is called)). It is also impossible to move with <Alt>-mouse, and thirdly it always places itself as the second window in <alt>-tab (which means that it is the first window to be switched to no matter where it *should* be on the window stack). The screen also blinks madly when holding <Alt>-tab with the Thunderbird icon as selected.

I'm running Ubuntu 8.10, with a standard gnome setup. Some of my config files might be from the last version since I did an rsync of my home directory. Let me know what config files you might need and I will attach them.

btw. This problem only occurs when running dual monitor (I have one 1600x1024 (external), and one 1024x768 (laptop)). The erroneous window gets stuck on the laptop monitor, and I have all the menu stuff on the external monitor. The laptop is logically placed on top of the external (because of limitations in the graphics card on my laptop).

The problem seems to occur whenever I start Thunderbird when it has had an unmaximized size that is bigger than the small monitor resolution.

(*) This is probably not a Thunderbird bug, since it has happened at least once with Firefox. It's only Thunderbird which has this behavior almost every time though.

(**) This is bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/224845, but my report is only related. It starts with the same behavior but this report is about a different problem.

[Gaele Strootman (gaele)]

I experience the same behaviour with Firefox.

Using:
- laptop screen 1440 x 900
- external monitor 1680 x 1050
- Nvidia Twinview
- Ubuntu 8.10

Steps to reproduce:
- maximize Firefox on the external screen
- open a view tabs
- close Firefox with "Save and Quit"
- restart laptop with external monitor disconnected
- start Firefox

Firefox is now shown on the laptop screen, maximized at 1440 x 900, but without window borders and controls.

Move is not possible.
Resize is not possible.
Maximize/Unmaximize seem to be registered while using Alt-F5/Alt-F10 (an Unmaximize entry appears in the menu), but have no effect on window size.

Perhaps this is a Mozilla bug? See also https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/metacity/+bug/302744

[Gaele Strootman (gaele)]

open a "few" tabs

[Gaele Strootman (gaele)]

Update:

- "Save and Quit' with several tabs is not necessary.
- I'm not sure about step 1 (maximize Firefox). I can't remember exactly, and right now I'm completely unable to get a sanely sized Firefox.
- This is really ugly.

[Gaele Strootman (gaele)]

Update after some more testing:

- As described in the original bug description the probleem occurs when Firefox has had an unmaximized size that is bigger than the small monitor resolution.
- Work-around for Firefox: use the resize option of the Web Developer extension to resize the window to e.g. 1024x768 (see attached screenshot); then restart Firefox.

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. The issue that you reported is one that should be reproducible with the live environment of the Desktop CD of the development release - Karmic Koala. It would help us greatly if you could test with it so we can work on getting it fixed in the next release of Ubuntu. You can find out more about the development release at http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/. Thanks again and we appreciate your help.

[Gaele Strootman (gaele)]

Just tested this with Karmic alpha 6 (Firefox 3.5.3). The problem still exists.

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Alright, thanks for the update.

[Peter (peter-peter-server)]

I'm having this same problem with VLC media player on Ubuntu 9.04.
When I open VLC it is opened on my secondary (really small) monitor. I can't move or resize it.

This is not a firefox issue.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. We are sorry that we do not always have the capacity to look at all reported bugs in a timely manner. There have been many changes in Ubuntu since that time you reported the bug and your problem may have been fixed with some of the updates. It would help us a lot if you could test it on a currently supported Ubuntu version. When you test it and it is still an issue, kindly upload the updated logs by running apport-collect <bug #> and any other logs that are relevant for this particular issue.

[Daniel Luna (d-launchpad-lunas-se)]

Unfortunately I can no longer confirm function nor brokenness.

My work setup is now two same-size monitors and this problem is moot.

For me.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Well, I cannot reproduce this on dual monitors of different sizes. If anyone can reproduce this bug on a current version of Ubuntu, please reopen the bug.

[Gaele Strootman (gaele)]

My setup:

Ubuntu 11.10 AMD64
Nvidia card with Nouveau driver
Laptop monitor 1440x900
External monitor 1680x1050

This is what I got (starting with both monitors enabled):

Open Thunderbird, move it to external monitor, set window size to maximized, close Thunderbird, disable external monitor, open Thunderbird: Thunderbird is maximized on laptop screen - OK

Open Thunderbird, move it to external monitor, set window size to 1500x950, close Thunderbird, disable external monitor, open Thunderbird: Thunderbird is maximized on laptop screen - OK

Open Firefox, move it to external monitor, set window size to maximized, close Firefox, disable external monitor, open Firefox: Firefox is maximized on laptop screen - OK

Open Firefox, move it to external monitor, set window size to 1500x950, close Firefox, disable external monitor, open Firefox: Firefox is running but not visible - NOT OK!

In the latter case, if I re-enable the external monitor Firefox appears to be maximized on the external monitor.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Gaele, it appears that your issue deals with firefox disappearing; however, this bug is dealing with screen/program corruption. If this is indeed the case it would be best if you could report a new bug.

If this bug does, indeed, fit the original reporter's description, please reopen this bug to "new".

Thank you for you help and patience.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for compiz (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]