SUMMARY When multiple monitors are connected KWin assumes the active screen, where to currently (or last) active window is located. This default behavior may confuse users when they are using different Window placement settings. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Disable Active screen follows mouse ("Window Behavior" -> Focus). 2. Change Window Placement to "Under Mouse" for example. ("Window Behavior" -> Advanced) 3. Focus on window on a monitor 4. Open a new window on a different monitor OBSERVED RESULT New window opens on the corner of the "active" screen (where the last focused window is). EXPECTED RESULT Setting should be enabled by default. SOFTWARE VERSIONS KDE Plasma Version: 5.14.0 Qt Version: 5.12.0 KDE Frameworks Version: 5.50.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION There is this recording I made for an older bug report showcasing this behavior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4jNBqiEX8c
I'm sorry but there are also good arguments for the current default. If we would change the setting those users would be unhappy. As it's not possible to have a default which suits everyone the current default is as good as changing. So we leave it as it is.
But shouldn't it be displayed more prominently? I didn't find that setting before a developer pointed me to it.
There is currently a project to reorganize systemsettings.
One potential problem with switching defaults is that sometimes the optimal choice isn't represented by any of them. In such a case, changing them around will simply benefit some at the expense of others, when what's really needed is more design work to arrive at something that's better for everyone (or at least most people). For example, while the "Under mouse" placement mode would solve the problem of the window opening on the wrong screen, you may not actually want it to be directly under the cursor, and a different placement mode within that screen may be preferable. There is currently (to my knowledge) no option for "always open new window on the screen with the mouse, but otherwise respect the specified Placement mode". One option I would personally like is "on the screen with the mouse cursor, centered, with additional windows cascading if more are opened." Such a thing is not possible today. Initial window placement is probably a subject that needs to be looked at more in depth by VDG rather than just changing the default settings from one to another.
@Nate: (In reply to Nate Graham from comment #4) > There is currently (to my knowledge) no option for > "always open new window on the screen with the mouse, but otherwise respect > the specified Placement mode". > Of course there is and Sefa aks for this being the default.
Oh! Does it only show up when you plug in a second display?
(In reply to Nate Graham from comment #6) > Oh! Does it only show up when you plug in a second display? No. The option is called "active screen follows mouse" - it's a checkbox iirc