Windows randomly changing workspaces when placed against workspace border

[Marc Deslauriers]

TESTCASE 1:
1. Move a window to the far right workspace so that it overlaps the right side of the screen a little.
2. Switch to the far left workspace where you can see a little of the overlapping window.
3. Alt-Tab to the window.

Observed: Window jumps to being entirely on the far left workspace.
Expected: Window stays where it was.

TESTCASE 2:
1. Move a window to the far left workspace so that it overlaps the left side of the screen a little.
2. Switch to the far right workspace where you can see a little of the overlapping window.
3. Alt-Tab to the window.

Observed: Window jumps to being entirely on the far left workspace.
Expected: Window stays where it was.

ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION:
For the past week and a half or so, when switching between workspaces, all of a sudden a window gets moved to a different workspace.

For example, I'll have a couple of windows on workspace 1 and a couple of windows on workspace 2, and switching between them, all of a sudden, one of my windows is now located on workspace 3, underneath the unity launcher for no apparent reason.

This wasn't happening a couple of weeks ago, and now happens multiple times a day.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: compiz 1:0.9.7.0~bzr2995-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-17.26-generic 3.2.6
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-17-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.92-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,resize,vpswitch,regex,place,grid,animation,session,snap,workarounds,gnomecompat,move,mousepoll,imgpng,expo,wall,fade,ezoom,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Wed Feb 22 23:10:14 2012
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2012-01-03 11:50:12.131803
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21d9]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Alpha amd64 (20110302)
MachineType: LENOVO 4313CTO
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-17-generic root=UUID=66b32bb3-1e18-436e-8f6e-62b8419ed48d ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: compiz
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-01-03 (50 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 05/24/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 6MET86WW (1.46 )
dmi.board.name: 4313CTO
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr6MET86WW(1.46):bd05/24/2011:svnLENOVO:pn4313CTO:pvrThinkPadT510:rvnLENOVO:rn4313CTO:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 4313CTO
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T510
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.0~bzr2995-0ubuntu4
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.30-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0~rc2-0ubuntu5
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0~rc2-0ubuntu5
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.99.901+git20120126-0ubuntu2
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

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Nick Moffitt (nick-moffitt)]

I see this a lot now, but also that when I return to a workspace, all my windows are rammed up against the top. I'm not sure if it's related, but it sort of feels like it's part of the same bug (started at the same time, has to do with windows not being where I left them when I switch workspaces, etc.)

[Dean Henrichsmeyer (dean)]

Also, if you move a window to a new workspace, it will randomly rearrange windows on other workspaces (jam them up to the top)

[Nick Moffitt (nick-moffitt)]

Dean, can you reliably reproduce that? I've been asked for a "screencast" of the problem in another bug, but I haven't been able to figure out a reliable enough way to trigger it.

Further, have you noticed if bringing up the HUD (tapping Alt) and then immediately exiting it (tapping Esc) re-positions the windows to where they were before? That seems to reliably clear the effect for me.

[Dean Henrichsmeyer (dean)]

If I use the keyboard shortcut to move a window (terminal for example) to another workspace - so Ctrl+Alt+Shift-arrow I can get something to mess up.

When I just did it and it snapped my terminal to the top of the screen, I hit alt and escaped the HUD out of the way and the window remained snapped to the top.

In fact, when I invoked the HUD my terminal (on another workspace) was snapped to the top. HUD seems to be a big part of the problem.

[Dean Henrichsmeyer (dean)]

This seems fixed.

[Marc Deslauriers (mdeslaur)]

I am still seeing this with compiz 1:0.9.7.4-0ubuntu3

[Marc Deslauriers (mdeslaur)]

In fact, switching workspaces with the workspace switcher just moved this firefox window halfway between workspace 2 and 4. :P

[burli (mb-embedit)]

I made a video

http://ubuntuone.com/5lAbHHkaNj2UzD0b0022Pt

This happens, if you dock a window to the workspace borders. In this example lets assume that the workspaces are numbered like this:

1 2
3 4

Place a window to the bottom left corner on ws3. Switch to ws1. click on the window icon in the launcher. The window moves to the bottom right corner of ws2. Switch to ws1 and click again and the window moves somewhere betwene ws1 and 3

Can reproduce this on different devices

[Sean DS (se4n-1)]

I have a problem I think is related - I use a dual head and sometime the window will be drawn on the wrong screen, what do i mean by this?

Well say i have firefox open, it will appear on the left monitor but interacting with it does nothing, instead I interact with whatever is "underneath" it. Clicking the same position on the other screen does however interact with firefox, it is rather surreal and seems to happen at random times. My workaround is to use the shortcut keys to maximize the window which repositions the window where it should be.

Definately odd and a little irritating but extremely hard to reproduce, some days it doesnt do it at all. Souunds like this is the same bug because symptioms are kinda the same.

[Marc Deslauriers (mdeslaur)]

Ah, yes, I can reproduce this reliably now with berli's method in comment #10. Here are my steps:

1- Open "meld", place on bottom left corner of bottom left workspace (workspace #3)
2- Switch to Workspace 1
3- Click on meld icon in launcher
4- Meld window is now half-way between workspace 2 and Workspace 1.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

That happens in a GNOME classic session as well, start the session, go to ws4, use the grid to put a nautilus (or something else) dialog on the right, click on ws1 in the ws applet, you are moved to ws1 and nautilus is moved to ws3

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Duplicate of bug 755842.