Ignore panel area when edge flipping

[Bogdan Butnaru]

Hello! This is about Compiz on Ubuntu Gutsy, though it probably applies to every distribution out there (and to many window managers, too).

Compiz allows flipping between workspaces when the mouse cursor touches the screen edges (including when dragging some object). This is a useful behavior, and I think it's enabled by default.

However, there is a problem: another very useful behavior is to have panel applets in the corners of the screen. For instance, I have the applications menu in the top left, "show desktop" at the bottom left, shut-down in the top right and the trash in the bottom right. Since they're at the corner, they're very easy to hit by the user by simply dragging the cursor all the way.

For instance, I can drag a file towards the bottom right without being very careful about targeting, and be sure to hit the Trash. However, with the Compiz behavior I mentioned above, this flips the screen instead of leaving the cursor on the Trash. (I have disabled screen flipping when not dragging something, but if not I would have the same behavior when trying to hit the applications menu or the show desktop button.)

It would be very helpful if the "edge actions" of Compiz ignored the corners (at least optionally), within a certain area (say, the height of a panel).

[Basilio Kublik (sourcercito)]

Hi Bogdan
you report this issue some time ago and hasn't been any activity for a while, so i was wondering if this is still an issue for you under the development version of Ubuntu, Hardy Heron.

Thanks in advance

[Bogdan Butnaru (bogdanb)]

Yes, I have tested with a just-updated Hardy and it keeps happening.

A bit more detail: This happens with the “Desktop Wall” Compiz plugin. It allows you to move between adjacent workspaces by pushing the mouse past the screen edge on each side of the screen.

It only affects users that have a full-width panel with an applet on a panel's edge. (But this is the default configuration, which means pretty much everyone.) If you try to click or drag to an applet that is at the side of the panel (eg, to open the Main Menu or to put something in the trash), it's very easy to hit the side of the screen, and thus get an unwanted screen flip.

Note that the flip doesn't happen if you push against _exactly_ the corner pixel. Try this: Move the cursor to the top of the screen, then move it sideways and upwards, to keep it exactly at the top pixel. When you hit the corner, you don't get a flip. Now move it a few pixels lower, so it's still over the panel, and push it to the side. You get a flip (if the “Desktop Wall” is active). Now try to hit a panel applet in a screen corner, quickly, several times. Try it with a fast mouse, and with a trackpad. How often do you hit the applet and how often do you get a screen flip instead?

[Alassane (alassane-maiga)]

I think that would be very useful. Is there a way to directly propose this feature to the compiz dev ?

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

We only have edge flipping enabled when you are moving a window. If you enable the other options you have asked for this happen like it does.