how can I make windows appear on unfocused monitor

fozzy

1/4/24, 6:05 PM

I am on ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS on the gnome window manager and have became very annoyed over a feature - or absence of a feature, where when I open a new window it covers up whatever I am on, when there is a clear monitor to the left that it could appear on. So my question(s) are:

How can I make it prioritise making windows appear on the monitor with the least windows on it? If that's not possible can I make it appear on the monitor the mouse is not on? And finally is it possible to make it easily configurable, e.g. toggle between the default mode and the mode I suggested with python, or an app that people know of?

EDIT: You might be thinking why cant you just alt tab or super shift arrow off it, and your right, but if I’m reading something I find myself losing my place, and if I’m gaming - you can imagine the disasters that can happen :)

1 + 0

multiple-monitors

window

Score:0

Ubuntu

sean

1/4/24, 6:22 PM

If you're using the Ubuntu Desktop then you can use Shift-Super-Left or Right Arrow to throw the window into the previous or next monitor. (Super key is the one between Ctrl and Alt.) Page Up or Page Down with the first two keys will throw the window into the previous or next workspace.

On other window managers you might be able to do it with program settings, and in KDE you can just right click the title bar to send it to a particular place. In I3 and Awesome, you can send the program to particular virtual desktops and monitors and they will always open in there. (Or you can just do Super+Shift+2 to instantly send to the second desktop for example.)

Anyway, these are bunch of "ways" to do it and a through discussion of all the options of each window manager would be too much for a post. All of these will let you do it. If you really like "no mouse" though, I recommend i3 as you can do EVERYTHING without the mouse. And, I mean everything. :D

+ 6

fozzy

1/6/24, 6:58 AM

Thanks, but the point was I didnt want to have to click anything with keyboad or mouse

sean

1/6/24, 10:45 AM

@fozzy i3 / i3-gaps / sway (wayland version of the same thing) all support loading applications into particular virtual desktops/real desktops. So, you can have spotify always load on the 3rd, terminals 2nd, browser on 1st. Nothing else supports that as far as I am aware. You probably can do it in awesome wm as well, but that thing is a pain to use and you'd have to be good with lua programming to get the max out of it. Windows doesn't support anything like this either, so it's a rare feature. :D

sean

1/6/24, 11:40 PM

@fozzy KDE lets you right click on any programs title bar too and then "Configure Special Settings" and then you can add a new property which will let you pick the exact desktop it opens on.

fozzy

1/7/24, 12:09 PM

I appreciate the help - but the question was if I could get it to open on the monitor my mouse isn’t on, not for it to open on a specific monitor

sean

1/7/24, 3:01 PM

@fozzy the answer is yes for either kde, i3/Sway, awesome, it is no for anything else. I'm not sure you're understanding my comment. If you have memory to burn KDE is always better than GNOME/Ubuntu on features.

fozzy

1/8/24, 8:21 PM

Oh ok - sorry I’m not very smart by Linux Guru standards :)

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