Flash exits full screen moments after entering it

[Tristan Schmelcher]

Binary package hint: flashplugin-nonfree

Whenever I enter full screen mode in any Flash app, the full screen view only stays up for about a second. After that it automatically exits full screen mode. The full screen view appears to work fine for the one second that it stays up (e.g., the video continues to update properly), but it always exits full screen mode right after. I have tested Firefox and Epiphany and the bug occurs in both.

I am running Ubuntu Intrepid 32-bit on a Dell XPS M1710 laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS and Compiz enabled. I have dual monitors in the "Separate X Screen" configuration. Their resolutions are 1920x1200 and 1920x1080. The bug happens on both monitors. I have not customized or altered the configuration of Flash in any way (e.g., no -extrasound package, no .asoundrc, etc.).

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 8.10
Release: 8.10
$ apt-cache policy flashplugin-nonfree
flashplugin-nonfree:
  Installed: 10.0.12.36ubuntu1
  Candidate: 10.0.12.36ubuntu1
  Version table:
 *** 10.0.12.36ubuntu1 0
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/multiverse Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[Daniel T Chen (crimsun)]

Which URL(s) exhibits this symptom? I can't reproduce this symptom in 9.04 using kwin or xmonad.

[Tristan Schmelcher (tschmelcher)]

www.hulu.com does. I'm using GNOME with Compiz so I doubt kwin or xmonad would exhibit the same problem.

[Tristan Schmelcher (tschmelcher)]

Btw, I discovered that if I use Compiz's zoom feature to slightly zoom in on the whole desktop, then I can go fullscreen in Flash and it will NOT exit. However, that leaves me with the edges of the video cut off, and if I zoom out to get them back then Flash immediately exits fullscreen.

[none (ubuntu-bugs-nullinfinity-deactivatedaccount)]

I also see this problem. Running latest 64-bit Jaunty with Gnome/Compiz on a Dell Inspiron 1420, with an Nvidia 8400 card. Maybe it's nvidia-specific?

It used to work with Jaunty up until a few weeks ago.

[Tristan Schmelcher (tschmelcher)]

Johan, do you have multiple monitors? I'm thinking maybe that's part of it.

[none (ubuntu-bugs-nullinfinity-deactivatedaccount)]

No, just a single laptop lcd.

[none (ubuntu-bugs-nullinfinity-deactivatedaccount)]

For what it's worth, Gnash does not exhibit this bug.

[none (ubuntu-bugs-nullinfinity-deactivatedaccount)]

And if you run Metacity, Adobe's plugin works the way it should too.

[Jonathan Heathcote (mossblaser)]

This appears to be a compiz-related.

It only occurs if compiz and focus-follows-mouse is enabled. If compiz or focus-following are disabled, the problem does not occur.

I think it is related to the mouse focus being given to the firefox window on click triggering the fullscreen flash window to not have focus and it being closed as a result. Does the version of compiz in Jaunty not allow focus to be given to windows mid-animation?

Note: I am also running an nVIDIA 8800 card with twinview.

[dwrudis (dwrudis)]

I also see this on a freshly installed 9.04 amd64 using the adobe plugin. When I disable "Select windows when the mouse moves over them" from my window preferences, the problem goes away and I can view flash videos in fullscreen. I'm running on a IBM T60p using just the laptop screen.

[oyvindio (oyvindio)]

I experience this problem aswell. I'm running Jaunty amd64 with compiz and focus-follows-mouse enabled on a ATi Radeon HD 4560 using the fglrx driver, with a single LCD display connected.

After messing with CompizConfig Settings Manager for a while, I find that setting "General Options" | "Focus & Raise Settings" | "Focus Prevention Level" to "High" makes the fullscreen flash video window open _behind_ other windows, but actually not close instantly. I can then click the flash window to focus it and bring it to the front, making it possible to watch the video.

Now this is hardly perfect, but at least it makes it (sort of) possible to watch fullscreen flash video while still enjoying the benefits of focus-follows-mouse. Also, I'm not sure what other behavior setting the "Focus Prevention Level" to "High" will cause.

Note: I've only tested this on youtube.com.

[dwrudis (dwrudis)]

Seems be working for me as a good work around. Thanks oyvindio

On Sun, Apr 26, 2009 at 4:21 PM, oyvindio
<email address hidden> wrote:
> I experience this problem aswell. I'm running Jaunty amd64 with compiz
> and focus-follows-mouse enabled on a ATi Radeon HD 4560 using the fglrx
> driver, with a single LCD display connected.
>
> After messing with CompizConfig Settings Manager for a while, I find
> that setting "General Options" | "Focus & Raise Settings" | "Focus
> Prevention Level" to "High" makes the fullscreen flash video window open
> _behind_ other windows, but actually not close instantly. I can then
> click the flash window to focus it and bring it to the front, making it
> possible to watch the video.
>
> Now this is hardly perfect, but at least it makes it (sort of) possible
> to watch fullscreen flash video while still enjoying the benefits of
> focus-follows-mouse. Also, I'm not sure what other behavior setting the
> "Focus Prevention Level" to "High" will cause.
>
> Note: I've only tested this on youtube.com.
>
> --
> Flash exits full screen moments after entering it
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/306088
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in “flashplugin-nonfree” source package in Ubuntu: Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: flashplugin-nonfree
>
> Whenever I enter full screen mode in any Flash app, the full screen view only stays up for about a second. After that it automatically exits full screen mode. The full screen view appears to work fine for the one second that it stays up (e.g., the video continues to update properly), but it always exits full screen mode right after. I have tested Firefox and Epiphany and the bug occurs in both.
>
> I am running Ubuntu Intrepid 32-bit on a Dell XPS M1710 laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS and Compiz enabled. I have dual monitors in the "Separate X Screen" configuration. Their resolutions are 1920x1200 and 1920x1080. The bug happens on both monitors. I have not customized or altered the configuration of Flash in any way (e.g., no -extrasound package, no .asoundrc, etc.).
>
> $ lsb_release -rd
> Description:    Ubuntu 8.10
> Release:        8.10
> $ apt-cache policy flashplugin-nonfree
> flashplugin-nonfree:
>  Installed: 10.0.12.36ubuntu1
>  Candidate: 10.0.12.36ubuntu1
>  Version table:
>  *** 10.0.12.36ubuntu1 0
>        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com intrepid/multiverse Packages
>        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
>

[oyvindio (oyvindio)]

Setting "Focus Prevention Level" to "High" apparently causes all windows to open behind the focused window. Setting "General Options" | "Focus & Raise Settings" | "Focus Prevention Windows" to "title=npviewer.bin" should cause this to apply to the fullscreen flash video window only. Note that this completely disables focus stealing prevention for any other window though.

[Chris Roddy (cmr)]

the workaround i've been using is (yes, it's ridiculous): click the fullscreen button and then move the mouse pointer over the desktop before the fullscreen window appears. in this way, the fullscreen window will not be instantly destroyed.

[adib zaky (zakyadib)]

I had the same problem after I upgraded to Ubuntu 8.10: I was unable to see most videos in full screen. I am no expert by any means, but here is what solved the problem for me:
    Right click the video and click Settings on the drop down menu. In the Adobe Flash Player Settings window that appears (Display), uncheck "Enable Hardware Acceleration." This does not seem to affect the video quality at all.
I hope someone else will find this simple tip helpful.
zakad

[Robi Brunner (subdigit)]

Just to update, this is still happening for me on Ubuntu 12.04 running a Radeon card. Also affects vimeo.com videos.

The annoying thing is I cant seem to uncheck the "enable hardware acceleration" button on the Flash's setting panel since it seems to ignore any type of mouse input. I can tab through the different options, but I just cant do anything to uncheck that box via keyboard or mouse... perhaps this is another related bug.

Anyway, scenario is the same as above. I have "click to focus" turned off which seems to be the problem. Turn that back on and the videos stay full screen. But changing the "focus prevention level" does not seem to do anything for me.

If I am really persistent at pushing the fullscreen button on these videos, it will actually _sometimes_ work. For some videos, I'll have to try a few times and it'll work, for other videos, no amount of repeated fullscreen button mashing does the trick.

[Bazon (bazonbloch)]

I have the same problem with 12.10 (and Gnome-Shell), and I found a workaround:
DOUBLE-click the fullscreen icon.
(So it seems to be a focus problem.)