Ubuntu
unity package

When using option "switch between windows of same desktop" ("Bias alt-tab to prefer windows on the current viewport") if multi-window app is open pressing alt-tab will start from the same app.

Bug #928145 reported by Kostiantyn Rybnikov
26
This bug affects 4 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Ayatana Design
New
Undecided
Unassigned
Unity
Incomplete
Medium
Unassigned
unity (Ubuntu)
Incomplete
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

Normally, when you press alt-tab, you will be switched to app you've used last before current app (so you can switch between two apps with pressing alt-tab just once).

When using option "Bias alt-tab to prefer windows on the current viewport", if multi-window app is open pressing alt-tab will start from the same app. So to switch to another app you need to press "alt-tab-tab". That's really annoying.

Please fix that.

Thanks. Video: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/865508/unity-bug-alt-tab.ogv

p.s.: I'm using ubuntu 11.10 and unity 5 from ppa http://ppa.launchpad.net/unity-team/staging/ubuntu/

Tags: needs-design
Revision history for this message
Bilal Akhtar (bilalakhtar) wrote :

We actually need design discussions for this one. Right now all app windows come up under the same app icon in the switcher. We might need to make an exception for that when Bias is selected, or something

Changed in unity:
status: New → Confirmed
importance: Undecided → Medium
Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
importance: Undecided → Medium
Changed in unity:
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Bilal Akhtar (bilalakhtar)
tags: added: needs-design
Revision history for this message
Kostiantyn Rybnikov (k-bx) wrote :

Bilar: I don't see any issue with that. I mean, when you do Alt+` it only shows windows of current desktop (of this app), so everything seems fine.

Maybe you mean like if we'd provide feature like GNOME3 does (first list of apps on current desktop, then on other desktops, which is really useful), we'd need to draw two icons, one for app windows on current desktop, another on others?

Revision history for this message
Timo Palomaa (timppis) wrote :

In practice, when you have multi-window applications and applications with only one window open, just alt-tabbing between these requires using both "alt-tab" and "alt-tab-tab" - it is amazingly confusing.

I'd still like to enable the bias setting, but due this behaviour can't (now that I know it is about this setting - actually thought this was in fact a bug and a while ago even made a bug report about [now marked as duplicate]).

Revision history for this message
Gerry Boland (gerboland) wrote :

This is highly irritating.

Steps to repro:
1. Have 2 firefox windows open, and 1 terminal. Firefox window 1 is focused.
2. Hit Alt-` to switch to Firefox window 2
3. Hit Alt-Tab.

Expected result
Terminal is in front

Actual Result
Firefox window 1 in front

Since Alt-Tab is the app switcher, and Alt-backtick is in-app window switching, this behaviour is totally wrong. I'm re-opening this bug.

Changed in unity:
status: Incomplete → New
Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Opinion
status: Opinion → New
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

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

Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Andrea Azzarone (azzar1)
Changed in unity:
status: New → Incomplete
Changed in unity (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
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