Fixing the problem with minimized windows

[Just John]

Just wondering, how easy would it be for scale and the switcher plugins to un-minimize windows when initiated and re-minimize them when returning to the desktop?

I'm sure there was an option for something like this in older versions of scale or ring switcher or something (maybe back in the beryl days, can't remember).

Yes, do this.

I was looking through all the complaints about x not drawing minimized windows, and it seems baffling that no one would jump to the obvious solution. Un-minimize the windows. The switchers can then see them without changing any code, and you simply re-minimize the window at the end if it wasn't selected.

This can't be very hard to do, and would be a huge improvement. Can someone please do it?

[shame]

One issue I seem to remember with this (which I'm sure beryl did do) was that when the windows were minimizing/un-minimizing with scale/switcher it looked a bit iffy.

So it would be perfect if the switchers could do this but disable the minimize animation? (If you get what I mean).

Even if that bit isn't possible, surely un-minimizing windows WOULD be the easiest and most simple solution to this horrible issue with minimized windows and switchers/scale.

This is still the only downer I have with compiz/fusion.

[Just John]

Any input from a coder?

[SmSpillaz]

Yes, do this.

I was looking through all the complaints about x not drawing minimized windows, and it seems baffling that no one would jump to the obvious solution. Un-minimize the windows. The switchers can then see them without changing any code, and you simply re-minimize the window at the end if it wasn't selected.

This can't be very hard to do, and would be a huge improvement. Can someone please do it?

No, that's a mega hack.

This was in Beryl, but it caused insane CPU usage and graphics slowness when unminimizing windows on switcher and scale. If you want this feature, I can right a patch, but I can tell you now that there is no way it will make it into compiz-core.

BTW, I don't think there is a way to disable minimize notifies when doing this. There might be however, I'll have to check.

[shame]

One way of doing this could possibly be an unofficial way, be it a patch as SmSpillaz mentioned or maybe some unofficial plugin that deals with minimized windows in a nice way.

That way, it would affect compiz-core so the devs can still stick to their ways of doing things but those who are really bothered by this minimized windows business can at least have a nicer way of doing it.

I really wish I had time to learn how to make plugins...

[Just John]

Thanks for the info. It seems really strange to me that minimize commands would be so much more intensive than what compiz is already doing. But anyway...

Unless you think it would be completely unusable I would still love to see it. You could put a little check box that says "show minimized windows" and then put a little warning that says it's a workaround or that it's cpu intensive or whatever.

[Just John]

So, any more info on this situation?

[Diceman]

Don't bother requesting anything related to minimized windows, you're wasting your time. If you search the forums on topics related to this many have asked and none who have the ability to do anything about it have bothered. Rather than give the users the choice of usability enhancements in this area with temporary fixes, we have to bear this serious deficit as a side effect of code perfection zealotry.

Additionally with the glacial rate of Xorg's development concerning minimization and input redirection, it'll be years before any changes are made that allow a "proper" implementation.

So don't get your hopes up. Inevitably someone with say "do it yourself" but that kind of arrogance assumes we all have the ability and the time.

[some-guy]

So don't get your hopes up. Inevitably someone with say "do it yourself" but that kind of arrogance assumes we all have the ability and the time.

None of the devs are actually paid to work on compiz/fusion (with the exceptions of KristianLy and David Reveman, but compiz isn't their only projects), and they don't have all day to search the forums and grant wishes

As for it taking a large amount of cpu would probably be due to the fact that, it has to registered to X, then its pixmap has to be drawn, and for compiz to use it, a GL texture has to be made from that pixmap, causing huge amount of cpu change if there are many windows

[zekopeko]

can't we simply take the last snapshot of the window before we minimized it and simply show that?

BTW vista also hasn't got this fixed. they use icons of minimized window.