This is Debian bug #487382. The following is an IRC conversation between Mika and me about the reasoning for this.
2008-06-21 16:45 <nion> any idea about http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=487382? is this behaviour on purpose?
2008-06-21 17:01 <Mikachu> yes
2008-06-21 17:07 <nion> oh ok. is there any way for the reporter of the bug to switch that off?
2008-06-21 17:08 <nion> is <monitor>mouse</monitor> default and this may be the reason?
2008-06-21 17:09 <nion> using a xinerama environment i have to agree with him that this behaviour feels a bit strange when using it
2008-06-21 17:10 <Mikachu> afaics from the code, it'll use the screen with the active window, and if no windows are active, the one with the cursor
2008-06-21 17:10 <Mikachu> i don't know what you want instead, scanning brainwaves?
2008-06-21 17:11 <nion> using the first screen always seems to be what the bug reporter wants
2008-06-21 17:13 <nion> if you have a xinerama setup and for example have your irssi window on the second monitor i doubt it makes sense to place the switch dialog on this one just because the first one has no ac
tive window
2008-06-21 17:13 <nion> you are not switching your eyes to the second monitor if you switch the desktop in this case
2008-06-21 17:14 <Mikachu> but if you're looking at irssi, won't it be just as annoying to look at the first screen?
2008-06-21 17:15 <nion> yes that it would make sense to me to have this configurable
2008-06-21 17:16 <nion> do you use xinerama? this really doesnt feel "normal"
2008-06-21 17:16 <Mikachu> no i don't
2008-06-21 17:16 <nion> i didnt notice this before because set the popupTime to 0
2008-06-21 17:16 <Mikachu> you can create a bugzilla entry about it if you want
2008-06-21 17:16 <nion> oh ok
2008-06-21 17:17 <nion> ok will do, thanks for your input!
2008-06-21 17:17 <Mikachu> what about alt-tab? do you want that popup to follow the same rules as the desktop dialog?
2008-06-21 17:17 <nion> does this behave the same way?
2008-06-21 17:17 <Mikachu> i don't know
2008-06-21 17:18 <Mikachu> yes, it odes
2008-06-21 17:18 <nion> i think for this one this doesnt really matter cause if you look at it you look at it as long as you found your application
2008-06-21 17:18 <nion> but if you do this with the desktop you have to switch from monitor to monitor until you found the right desktop
2008-06-21 17:19 <nion> and the application switch dialog is then on the monitor with the applications being switched so i think its ok
I am working on multi-monitor support today.
I added a <primaryMonitor> option in rc.xml that lets you set a fixed monitor where popups should appear (such as focus cycling).
I'd like to have the desktop popup also follow the same behaviour, but then it will no longer appear on all desktops. I would like to hear from you if you think this is sane or not. It certainly would be nice for me, I don't really like it showing up on both of my monitors now at all.. It looks tacky to me.
The option looks like this:
<primaryMonitor>1</primaryMonitor>
<!-- The monitor where Openbox should place popup dialogs such as the
focus cycling popup, or the desktop switch popup. It can be an index
from 1, specifying a particular monitor. Or it can be one of the
following: 'Mouse' - where the mouse is,
'Active' - where the active window is -->
So you can get the old wacky behavior with "Active" if you liked it. But generally you probly have a primary monitor where you are looking most of the time.
So what do you think ? If I don't hear back either way, I'll probly switch it to use this config value.
I am working on multi-monitor support today. I added a <primaryMonitor> option in rc.xml that lets you set a fixed monitor where popups should appear (such as focus cycling). I'd like to have the desktop popup also follow the same behaviour, but then it will no longer appear on all desktops. I would like to hear from you if you think this is sane or not. It certainly would be nice for me, I don't really like it showing up on both of my monitors now at all.. It looks tacky to me. The option looks like this: <primaryMonitor>1</primaryMonitor> <!-- The monitor where Openbox should place popup dialogs such as the focus cycling popup, or the desktop switch popup. It can be an index from 1, specifying a particular monitor. Or it can be one of the following: 'Mouse' - where the mouse is, 'Active' - where the active window is --> So you can get the old wacky behavior with "Active" if you liked it. But generally you probly have a primary monitor where you are looking most of the time. So what do you think ? If I don't hear back either way, I'll probly switch it to use this config value.