firefox tooltip timeout after ~2sec

[Gregoire de Hemptinne]

Binary package hint: firefox

When you want to read a tooltip on a webpage (the "title" tag in an image) like on xkcd it is impossible because the tooltip disapears after ~2sec

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: firefox 4.0.1+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.11.04.2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-9.43-generic 2.6.38.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-9-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri May 13 09:42:23 2011
FirefoxPackages:
 firefox 4.0.1+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.11.04.2
 flashplugin-installer 10.2.159.1ubuntu1
 adobe-flashplugin N/A
 icedtea-plugin N/A
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110413)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: firefox
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Ben Williams (benw)]

I had this problem as well and managed to fix it by uninstalling the 'unclutter' package. This program hides your mouse pointer after a couple seconds of it not moving, which apparently also triggered the Firefox tooltip to disappear. I uninstalled this package, logged out and back in, and now my Firefox tooltips work again.

[Sparhawk (sparhawkthesecond)]

Thanks Ben! Nice find. `pkill unclutter` worked for me.

[RichardNeill (ubuntu-richardneill)]

See also: /etc/default/unclutter: the default (unhelpfully, imho) is that it is autostarted for every X session.