Windows jump to different workspace when switching workspace

[Serrano Pereira]

This bug happens in Gnome Classic when the "Ubuntu Unity" plugin is disabled in Compiz and the Workspace Switcher applet is added to the panel. You must also have at least three workspaces/desktops horizontally in order to reproduce this.

When a maximized window is on workspace #2 or higher (horizontally), and you move to a workspace on the right of the window, all maximized windows on the left of that workspace jump to the workspace on the far left (workspace #1).

Steps to reproduce:
1) Choose "Gnome Classic" at the login screen and log in.
2) Add the Workspace Switcher applet to the panel ([Super+]Alt+right-click on panel to add it).
3) Use `ccsm' (CompizConfig Settings Manager) to disable the "Ubuntu Unity" plugin. Also make sure that "Horizontal Virtual Size" is set to at least 3 in "General Options". Optionally, enable the "Desktop Wall" plugin to easily switch between workspaces.
4) Say we have four workspaces horizontally (numbered 1 to 4). Place a maximized window on workspace #2 (doesn't matter which application, but it must be maximized).
5) Use Ctrl+Alt+arrow-key (or Expo) to move to a workspace on the right (workspace #3 or #4).

Result: The window that was previously on workspace #2 is now on workspace #1.
Expected result: The window should stay on workspace #2.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: compiz 1:0.9.7.8-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-25.40-generic-pae 3.2.18
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-25-generic-pae i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module 295.40 Thu Apr 5 21:28:09 PDT 2012
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.3 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.3-1ubuntu5)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,imgjpeg,decor,move,gnomecompat,place,blur,compiztoolbox,resize,vpswitch,regex,mousepoll,text,imgpng,resizeinfo,animation,session,expo,workarounds,unitymtgrabhandles,wall,shift,fade,scale]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Sun Jun 3 01:05:03 2012
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 nvidia-current, 295.40, 3.2.0-24-generic-pae, i686: installed
 nvidia-current, 295.40, 3.2.0-25-generic-pae, i686: installed
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation G98M [GeForce G 105M] [10de:06ec] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device [1558:0806]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: CLEVO CO. M740TU(N)/M760TU(N)/W7X0TUN
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-25-generic-pae root=UUID=d8ae9610-c30a-4141-b068-cd01b5f9be43 ro quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1366x768-24,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap
SourcePackage: compiz
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 04/02/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: 1.02.22
dmi.board.asset.tag: Tag 12345
dmi.board.name: M740TU(N)/M760TU(N)/W7X0TUN
dmi.board.vendor: CLEVO Co.
dmi.board.version: Not Applicable
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 1
dmi.chassis.vendor: No Enclosure
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvr1.02.22:bd04/02/2009:svnCLEVOCO.:pnM740TU(N)/M760TU(N)/W7X0TUN:pvrNotApplicable:rvnCLEVOCo.:rnM740TU(N)/M760TU(N)/W7X0TUN:rvrNotApplicable:cvnNoEnclosure:ct1:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: M740TU(N)/M760TU(N)/W7X0TUN
dmi.product.version: Not Applicable
dmi.sys.vendor: CLEVO CO.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.8-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.32-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0.2-0ubuntu3.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0.2-0ubuntu3.1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.2
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.0-0ubuntu1.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20111219.aacbd629-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

[Serrano Pereira (serrano-pereira)]

I discovered that the above behavior no longer happens after lowering the screen resolution. My default resolution is 1366x768, so I used gnome-control-center to lower the resolution to 1360x768. After that, I can no longer reproduce the bug. I can even change back to the default resolution without the bug to reappear.

But by logging out and back in, the bug appears again.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[roots (roots)]

Same problem here: I'm using 6 viewports (2 rows, 3 columns) in Ubuntu 12.04 running Gnome Classic with Compiz.
It appears that the bug is at least to some extent related to workspace switcher applet in panel.

Even more:

1.) A _maximized_ window on a center viewport (that is, upper-center or lower-center) will jump to the corresponding left viewport as soon as:

-switching from center viewport to right viewport, either by key or by mouse edge flipping

2.) Even worse: ANY _maximized_ window on a center viewport (that is, upper-center and lower-center) will jump to the corresponding left viewport as soon as:

-another application window is launched on either of the right viewports (upper right or lower right).

Bug 1.) does not occur if workspace switcher applet is permanently removed from panel.
Bug 2.) still occurs, having tested any seemingly relevant ccsm settings.

Serrano, could you please test the 'workaround' for Bug 1, and try to reproduce Bug 2.?! Thanks.

Any help welcome.

Regards,
roots

[roots (roots)]

Just a further note: This does also happens with almost-maximised windows, that is, manually scaled to just a couple of pixels smaller than the desktop size (screen resolution minus top & bottom panel) ...

[Serrano Pereira (serrano-pereira)]

roots,

1.) I can confirm that window jumping does not occur after removing the Workspace Switcher applet from the panel. Could it be a bug in the Workspace Switcher applet?

2.) I cannot confirm behavior 2, where another application window is launched on a right viewport causes maximized windows to jump. This also does not happen when the Workspace Switcher applet is enabled.

3.) In my case, window jumping does not occur with almost-maximized windows.

[cro (cro)]

This bug appears to relate to the "place windows" compiz plugin. I can reliably reproduce this issue by enabling or disabling the plugin.

With "place windows" plugin ENABLED:
* rotating the cube to the right will move all maximised windows to workspace 1, once the workspace with a maximised window on it is moved past.

With "place windows" plugin DISABLED
* maximised windows remain on their workspace when rotating through cube faces.

An associated bug is that when the "place windows" plugin is DISABLED, new un-maximised windows are placed on the desktop with their title bars behind the top panel. With the "place windows" plugin ENABLED, new un-maximised windows are placed with their title bar below the top panel.

[Serrano Pereira (serrano-pereira)]

A can confirm what cro wrote, only I use the Desktop Wall instead of the Desktop Cube. That means that we now have three very different workarounds for this bug.

[roots (roots)]

I can confirm the bug being related to the Place Windows Plugin.

The various plugin options (Workaround, Placement Mode etc.) don't make any difference. The bug also affects windows that are given a fixed viewport to open on via the Fixed Window Placement: At launch, the window will appear on the assigned viewport, but it will jump left as soon as one of the aforementioned actions (previous posts) is triggered.

[roots (roots)]

Hi all,

good news: At least for me, the bug seems to have been fixed by a patch committed to get rid of another compiz-place-windows bug (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/974242).

To apply the patch the easy way:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:oli/compiz-place-patch
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Please let us know if this fixes it for you, too!
Good luck.

.roots

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This particular bug has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug 974242, so it is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally, any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Feel free to continue to report any other bugs you may find.