Comment 3 for bug 726042

I may have this same bug. Left click menus like selection for multiple instances of a program, "places" applet folder list, or long press menus will display for as the pointer remains on the dock or move to the empty desktop. Once moved onto any window, the menu will disappear.

I have discovered that I can arrow through the items and press enter on a selection as long as the pointer still remains on the dock or desktop.

I have isolated this somewhat, I believe. If I change the window focus mode settings in Cinnamon from either "sloppy" or "mouse" (which both elicite this bug) to click, the the menus behavior normally. Also, "sloppy" allows me to move the mouse onto menus when only the desktop is present (as I assume it doesn't follow focus to the desktop), but with "mouse" I still cannot access the menus (as I assume "mouse" gives focus to the desktop, dismissing the menu).

Changes themes, style, or icon effects seem to have no affect on this bug, even though, with the "curved" style, it appears the the menu and the dock overlap, hence, the pointer doesn't appear to touch a window.

This behavior does not happen with the right click menus, those behave normally.

I took a couple of snapshots to hopefully help illustrate the issue: http://imgur.com/a/EWtZS

Running Linux Mint x64 Cinnamon Edition
Asus RoG G60jx - Intel® Core™ i5 430M;