Transparency input threshold

[smithjd15]

Copy and paste is always a PITA on a single-monitor system. Compiz might just have a killer selling point by implementing a transparency threshold whereby at a certain transparency the window under the currently selected one is given focus. This would allow a copy and paste between two maximized windows without the need to minimize and interrupt human context-switching.

1)Alt-scrollwheel to hit the transparency limit (e.g. 10%)
2)Window input focus switches to the window below.
3)Action is performed, Alt-click is toggled and scrollwheel is invoked to bring the upper window to the forefront.
4)Complementary action is performed on the top window.

Compiz is about pushing the envelope, and this would be a serious selling feature.

From a cool-factor standpoint, one could layer a fullscreen movie over a web browser with all input going into the browser window.

The context-switch is what I'm attempting to get away from here.

1) Alt-tab isn't convenient when the window underneath is not the last one open. e.g. Amarok minimized to the system tray.
2)Middle clicking to lower it means a time investment to find the top window and return it to the forefront.

I'm not sure the new behavior would be a concern. It would only mean that the window would lose focus below the threshold (and if it loses focus the first instinct would be to use Alt+Scroll to bring it back up). If the operator didn't want it to lose focus below the threshold, he could simply use the 'Always On Top' toggle to keep the input on the top window regardless of the threshold.

[stjepan]

What about middle click on the window decoration (or lower_window_key option in /apps/compiz/general/allscreens/options)?

[mikedee]

The problem with lowering is that if the window you lower is small it will disappear right to the bottom and you will have to dig it back up again.

This idea is interesting and I think it would be fairly easy to accomplish once we have input redirection. Even without IR you could just unmap/move off screen windows which fall below the threshold and then just paint their texture to the screen in its original position. It should be possible to mock up very easily in python ;)

The hard part would be coming up with a natural control for it. I am not sure about the threshold idea, but I am sold on the click through the window idea :) Obviously the window would have to go to around 10% opacity for it to be useful. There would need to be some other indication that it is a click through window other than just being opaque or it would lead to a lot of support issues.

[smithjd15]

The problem with lowering is that if the window you lower is small it will disappear right to the bottom and you will have to dig it back up again.

This idea is interesting and I think it would be fairly easy to accomplish once we have input redirection. Even without IR you could just unmap/move off screen windows which fall below the threshold and then just paint their texture to the screen in its original position. It should be possible to mock up very easily in python ;)

The hard part would be coming up with a natural control for it. I am not sure about the threshold idea, but I am sold on the click through the window idea :) Obviously the window would have to go to around 10% opacity for it to be useful. There would need to be some other indication that it is a click through window other than just being opaque or it would lead to a lot of support issues.

I would think that indication would be useless or at least redundant as the Alt key is held regardless for transparency changes. Intuitive behaviour would be to decrease transparency if input issues arise; if one reaches for a modifier key in the first place, one is an intermediate user and the natural response would be to do the opposite of what caused the issue in the first place. The Alt key is bound to Compiz so dropping below threshold won't change input focus for that key.

I would say the natural control would be a transparency threshold. If one wants input to go into a below-threshold threshold transparency window they can toggle always on top.

[smithjd15]

Bump.

How long would this take to piece together? And does anyone else think it might actually be a useful feature? I'm thinking along the lines of break-through Xerox. It has potential to be the first actually productivity-increasing feature that compiz has to offer.

[mikedee]

Once we have input redirection, this sort of thing will be easy. I am sure the feature will be implemented in one way or another then.