How to enable focus-follows-mouse?

Correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't there an old shareware app for 7.5ish that enabled this behaviour?

I'm sure there was some extension or something that did that. I remember trying (for about 2 seconds) it... It did truly suck.

Anyway, I agree that, if possible, sloppy FFM could be a preference for some (not me) and should be implemented as an optional addition to the X GUI - and I'm one of those frothing mac zealots...
However, this is not something I think Apple should waste a lot of resources on at this time. There's too much to fix that is, I would think without objection, of a much higher priority.

People hated not being able to move/adapt the dock to their liking. Someone hacked out docking prefs or whatever it's called. I use it. I just don't like the dock at the bottom - the right side and hidden seems more mac-like and useable to ME.

You like sloppy FFM. Great. Get to work or find someone else who shares your belief to code it (which, I suspect, is probably one of the reasons you posted this - to find like minded individuals to help figure it out or someone who already did).;)

So, here's a mac zealot who will cut you some slack.

Aside: I'm actually kinda interested in what was mentioned earlier - issues with Aqua making a window not in front active. I think davidbrit started to get into it. Any actual technical references? Seems like it would probably thrash the sys rather brutishly with X in its current form, but I'm thinking there might be something above and beyond FFM, sloppy or otherwise, that might make use of this...
 
Lets say you are surfing the web. Full screen. But you want to chat with your buddies in another program. Rather than loosing the chat window every time you wish to scroll the web browser, or click on a link, you can just move the mouse over on top of the chat window, type, hit return, and then just move back into the web browser. and the chat window stays over top of the web browser. if its in the way, you just move it around. No docking tricks.

FFM is also nice when you are following a tutorial on line. You can have a terminal window over your web browser (especially a *transparent* terminal.. hehe) and just move between the apps. And see them both at the same time.

So, it is useful. I'm not saying its desirable all the time, but it is addicting. ;-) I can't wait for afterstep/another level for XDarwin. That will be cool.

And yeah, I know ffm can be annoying. Like when you think you're logging via ssh into a server, but you mistakenly type your password into an irc chat room. Yeah, that is annoying.
 
That example illustrates why a command-click-through would be a far better idea. Instead of having to bring the browser into the foregroud in order to use it, why not command-click (or other modifier) to click though or command-drag to drag objects from background windows?

command-click-through is imperfectly implemented now in Carbon and Cocoa. In Carbon you can command-click background title bars and in Cocoa command-click background windows. However the command isn't being removed so it doesn't work when a command-click gesture is being used by the program. For example command-click an explorer or finder title bar will pop open a menu. Also command-clicking a list in a background Cocoa window will select/deselect it instead of clicking it.

OmniWeb doesn't use command-click gestures so you can see how my proposal would work by command-clicking a background OmniWeb window. You can click buttons, select text, drag links, etc. This would work in all applications if the command were removed from the event!

(send feedback NOW guys |-)
 
Strobe,
I wasn't aware that you can do that command-click stuff with background apps. I just tried it, and WOW, that is cool.

However (obviously), command-click is only applicable to mouse-driven commands. What about if you have 6 terminals open at once (it happens). And you need to quickly switch from terminal to terminal. Rather than command-tabbing (cycling through all the windows), you could just move the pointer over the terminal you want to type in.

I realize that it is not at all practical to impliment application-to-application FFM in mac os x, but what about intra-application ffm? Like in my terminal example?

With intra-application ffm, menus would not have to be redrawn. I think that an intra-application ffm would be a great option.

Does anyone know if this is something possible with current development tools (building an application where moving the mouse over that apps different windows causes keyboard focus to change with out bring the window over-top of existing windows)?

 
kilowatt's idea seems more palatable to me and I can think of many instances where INTRA app ffm could be useful...

But how hard would it really be to use a modifier with the mouse (like command-click)? I always saw using a modifier with the mouse as a way to make sure that's what I really wanted to do. Just 'cuz my knee hits the desk and the mouse moves over another window - even in the same app - doesn't mean I want that window to be active. Inadvertant mouse movement seems to me (maybe I'm just clumsy) to be more of a common occurance than my actually wanting to switch focus to another window while keeping the foremost window foremost.
 
The command-click-through behavior is cool, but it's horribly broken. Nobody mentions it so Apple probably won't fix it. They're probably busy working in a more useless Apple Menu or something.

The problem with command-click-through is the command isn't removed from the event when it's passed to the background window. In Carbon it's even worse in that it only works for title bars, not window contents. I fail to see the logic in any of this and unless people express a desire for this feature Apple will likely remove it than fix it.
 
I tried command-click and command-drag and I like it!

It's better than dragging a folder from Finder to a Terminal only to have the Finder window automatically raise and obscure the Terminal window. OTOH, having to press command is slightly less elegant than simply leaving the window in the background by default. I don't expect a window to raise just because I clicked on it, but I do like a window to accept my first click whether it's got focus or not. YMMV of course.

Command-click is nifty. It's not FFM nor does it work as a complete substitude for FFM, but it's a good thing. Yay, Apple, for making something cool! :)


Now, if only we could get multiple workspaces. In BeOS I usually keep one app per workspace and toggle between them with alt+F-key or one of the several GUI switchers available. You can drag windows and clippings from one workspace to another and with tons of workspaces, there's rarely a reason ever to minimize a window.

My favorite benefit of multiple workspaces is that you can set a different screen resolution, bit depth and gamma for each workspace. It's insanely useful to check an image or a web page at different screen sizes and bitdepths.
 
If you don't like using the command key why not get a multi-button mouse and use that instead? It wouldn't have to emulate command-clicking but rather the system would have an arbitrary HID event to take it's place.

But I fear Apple will just remove the feature than improving/fixing it. In fact I believe it to be very likely.
 
I'd love multi desktops, too. I doubt that apple will ever implement this, though. There is some rogue app (I don't mean rogue in a bad way) that will sort of do this by hiding different windows in different workspaces.

Also, lets say apple was going to implement multipul deskspaces.
What about users with more than one monitor? I think that would be weird.
Its doubtful that resolutions, gama, and color depth will change between them.

Personally, I'm waiting for a solid AfterStep/Another level build for XDarwin. Then its down the drain for Aqua. Hello >console!
 
I guess this is a forgotten feature of the MacOS, but you know, if you hold the command (apple) key down and click on a window's menu bar, you can move it around without bringing it to the front, I think it also gives the window focus, but I'm not too sure (I'd try, but I'm not on an OSX machine right now).

...spike
 
There are two (2) ways of handling different 'virtual' workspaces in OS X (that I know of)...

The 'softer' one is to go to www.macpoweruser.com and download MenuStrip. It's a shareware that pops up a timed panel asking you to register evey once in a while. It puts a series of gummi buttons up by your MenuBar clock that allow you to:
1. Hide All - Takes you right to the desktop
2. Show All - Shows all open windows
3. 'Single App' Mode - this is the one that you might like...

SIngle App mode is accessed through a simple on/off toggle. When 'on', only one application will show at a time. SO if you are browsing the internet (say, OmniWeb), and you then click on Mail in the Dock, OmniWeb and all of its windows/panels are hidden and Mail is shown. CLicking on Omnieb in the Dock then hides Mail and shows OmniWeb.

The second one is a dockling called "Spaces". I believe I originally got it from the Apple DOwnload pages. It creates customizable desktops that you access through the dockling's menu. You can have one application per 'space' or multiple apps--it's completely customizable.

Enjoy!
 
The third is to dump aqua and head for afterstep.... LOL.

Thanks for the shareware titles, I'll give em a shot.

Also, dual monitors works out nicely, except it really drags down open-gl screensavers.

But screen savers are for wimps, right? (Uh, no, they are for saving your screen..... -unknown Apple 22" cinema display user)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top