Tilda does not respect "focus-follows-mouse" (a/k/a sloppy-focus)

[drankinatty]

Version: tilda 2.0.0-1
OS: Archlinux
Desktop: Fluxbox

Problem
Tilda will not regain focus when the traditional "focus-follows-mouse" focus-model is used. Tilda remains stubbornly in click to focus mode which makes it awkward to work with when all other desktop apps accept focus when the mouse moves within their visible window area (even if only part of a window is visible).

I have tilda set to height=95% and width=45% which provides a comfortable 68 x 120 terminal. The problem with focus occurs if the mouse is moved off the tilda window and back on. This should return focus to tilda with focus-follows-mouse, but it doesn't. It leaves focus on the last window the mouse was over before moving back into the tilda window. This causes significant problems if, for instance, code was selected in an editor in the last window and you move back onto tilda and attempt to type (it wipes out the selected code in the editor, replacing it with the command you thought you were typing in tilda)

I've enabled Set as desktop window in settings, but that makes no difference.

Problem 2 - Disabling Always On-top Doesn't

If tilda is running and a new app (like firefox here to write-up this issue) is started, while tilda is shown (not yet hidden with F1), firefox will be on top of tilda. However, it tilda is hidden and then shown (F1 has to be pressed 3-times here 1) to pull focus off firefox, 2) to hide tilda, and 3) to restore tilda), you cannot bring firefox (or any other window) to the foreground in front of tilda.

What Should Happen

When the "focus-follows-mouse" focus-model is set, tilda should accept focus when the mouse enters its visible window area -- regardless of whether tilda is "on top" or not. The is a huge efficiency issue. Being able to see the tilda prompt and having the rest of the window behind whatever I'm working on and then simple be able to move the mouse onto tilda to build or debug without having to bring the window to the top is a must.

I haven't looked at the code, but "focus-follows-mouse" (sometimes called "sloppy-focus") is a traditional focus model for X that is supported by all (most?) desktops. (I haven't found one that doesn't, but honestly I don't recall whether the oddballs like sawfish, etc.. do) KDE, Gnome, XFCE, all the traditional boxtops (openbox, blackbox, fluxbox, etc..), enlightenment, and WMII, do.

Tilda would be orders-of-magnitude more useful if it handled the focus-follows-mouse focus-model correctly.

For problem 2, when Set as desktop window is enabled, then it should behave like a desktop window and allow other windows on top of it and accept and relinquish focus like any other window does.

Thoughts

I really like the concept of tilda. Being able to put the tabs on the bottom like konsole would be a plus. Currently the color-chooser for foreground/background, etc.. does not launch with the current color being changed active in that god-awful gtk4 dialog. This makes it very hard to "adjust" colors when the dialog opens with some generic red all the time. If you don't happen to remember the hex-code for the color you need to change, you have to cancel the dialog just to figure out what color you are starting from.

I don't know how old tilda is, but it would have been a thing of beauty based on Gtk+2. Much of the above may have worked properly in the past and just be part of the endless issues with recent Gtk. Let me know if you want me to post the current config or more information.