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Re: On left-clicking the launcher with multiple instances running

 

On Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 6:47 AM, Mark Shuttleworth <mark@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> With regard to minimization:
>
>  * we should not unminimize a window unless that is explicitly requested
>  * we should make no assumptions about app windows which "go together"
> unless we have a basis for doing so, such as child windows
>
> So clicking on a launcher icon should behave as follows:
>
>  * if the app is not running, launch it, focus the window
>  * if the app is running but has no windows, create a window and focus it
>  * if the app is running with windows, but not focused, bring the
> last-focused window to the top and focus it
>      => if we know there are other windows which are part of that window's
> experience, like floating toolbars and palettes, raise them too
>      => do not raise or unminimise any other windows
>  * if the app is running with a focused window, spread the windows (even
> minimised windows) so the user can choose
>      => when the user chooses, bring that window (and child windows ONLY) to
> the front and focus it


Ignoring minimized windows and only bringing forward the last-focused
window sounds like it would be much better than how the system
currently works.

Though what happens if the last viewed window is minimized while there
are still others open? Would clicking on the launcher (if another
application had focus) bring forward the minimized window (which was
last-focused) or the last used open one (the, um,
penultimately-focused)?

If the minimized one is brought forward, that goes against the 'ignore
minimized windows unless explicitly requested' tenant, whereas if it
brings one of the still-open windows forward, it breaks the
'last-focused' rule. Either way might make sense, but cases like this
make it tough for the user to predict what will actually happen when
they click on the launcher.

But not bringing forward/half-forward all the windows would be grand regardless!

Aibara


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