Mailing List Archive: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window

Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Mar 12, 2021, 6:32 AM

Post #1 of 16 (1146 views)

Yesterday afternoon, both Chrome and Chromium started behaving oddly.

When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
(this is something I do a lot, every day), it works normally until I
release the mouse button. Then, instead of staying where it's put the
new window will follow the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime
Chrom(e|ium) has focus. If I move the mouse quickly, the window will
lag behind enough to loose focus, and then the new window will stay
put -- as long as Chrom(e|ium) doesn't have focus. But if I move the
mouse back to the original window, the new one will jump back to the
new window and merge with it. If I move the mouse back to the new
window, it will again start following the mouse cursor around the
desktop.

There also seems to be a limit on how far I can initially drag the new
window before it gets "stuck" and I have to release the mouse buttin,
grab the banner and drag it further.

If I press ctrl-alt-backspace this behavior will stop, and the new
window will behave normally.

If I right-click on a tab and select "Move tab to new window" the new
window will behave normally.

No other application seem to have a similar problem.

I'm not aware of any changes in configuration in the past few days,
and it's been three days since the last emerge.

The window manager is openbox, and it's been untouched for at least
two months.

I've logged out, restarted X11, and even rebooted, and Chrome's odd
behavior persists.

Any suggestions on how to diagnose/fix this?

--
Grant

Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Mar 12, 2021, 6:57 AM

Post #2 of 16 (1146 views)

On 2021-03-12, Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:

> When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
> [...] instead of staying where it's put the
> new window will follow the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime
> Chrom(e|ium) has focus.
[...]
> If I press ctrl-alt-backspace this behavior will stop, and the new
> window will behave normally.

I just realized that any keypress will cause the weird behavior to
stop.

I've also tried removing .config/chromium and .cache/chromium, and the
problem persists.

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

chris at osugisakae

Mar 12, 2021, 8:17 AM

Post #3 of 16 (1146 views)

On 2021/03/12 at 02:57pm, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2021-03-12, Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:

> > When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
> > [...] instead of staying where it's put the new window will follow
> > the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime Chrom(e|ium) has focus.
> [...]
> > If I press ctrl-alt-backspace this behavior will stop, and the new
> > window will behave normally.

> I just realized that any keypress will cause the weird behavior to
> stop.

I have the same problem. Started recently. Right clicking on the tab and
choosing "Move tab to new window" (if there is only one window) or "Move
tab to another window" => "New window" (if there is already more than
one window) works without problem.

I've no idea what is causing the problem. Fluxbox is my window manager.

--
Chris Spackman (he / him) chris@osugisakae.com

ESL Coordinator The Graham Family of Schools
ESL Instructor Columbus State Community College
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Wajima, Ishikawa 1995-1998
Linux user since 1998 Linux User #137532

Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Mar 12, 2021, 8:48 AM

Post #4 of 16 (1146 views)

On 2021-03-12, Spackman, Chris <chris@osugisakae.com> wrote:
> On 2021/03/12 at 02:57pm, Grant Edwards wrote:
>
>> > When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
>> > [...] instead of staying where it's put the new window will follow
>> > the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime Chrom(e|ium) has focus.
>> [...]
>> any keypress will cause the weird behavior to stop.
>
> I have the same problem. Started recently. Right clicking on the tab
> and choosing "Move tab to new window" (if there is only one window)
> or "Move tab to another window" => "New window" (if there is already
> more than one window) works without problem.

Yep, same here.

> I've no idea what is causing the problem. Fluxbox is my window
> manager.

I'm using openbox.

The most recent upgrade of Chrome/Chromium was about 3 days before the
problem started. libXt and wayland got upgraded about 2 days before
the problem started. I haven't tried downgrading anything yet.

Now that I know to just hit a key to stop it, it's not so bad, so I'll
probably just try to wait it out until it gets fixed. For the first
day or so it was infuriating...

--
Grant

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

antlists at youngman

Mar 12, 2021, 2:20 PM

Post #5 of 16 (1146 views)

On 12/03/2021 16:48, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2021-03-12, Spackman, Chris <chris@osugisakae.com> wrote:
>> On 2021/03/12 at 02:57pm, Grant Edwards wrote:
>>
>>>> When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
>>>> [...] instead of staying where it's put the new window will follow
>>>> the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime Chrom(e|ium) has focus.
>>> [...]
>>> any keypress will cause the weird behavior to stop.
>>
>> I have the same problem. Started recently. Right clicking on the tab
>> and choosing "Move tab to new window" (if there is only one window)
>> or "Move tab to another window" => "New window" (if there is already
>> more than one window) works without problem.
>
> Yep, same here.
>
>> I've no idea what is causing the problem. Fluxbox is my window
>> manager.
>
> I'm using openbox.
>
> The most recent upgrade of Chrome/Chromium was about 3 days before the
> problem started. libXt and wayland got upgraded about 2 days before
> the problem started. I haven't tried downgrading anything yet.
>
> Now that I know to just hit a key to stop it, it's not so bad, so I'll
> probably just try to wait it out until it gets fixed. For the first
> day or so it was infuriating...
>
I don't use Chrome/Chromium, but I've notice similar behaviour. istr it
was Windows though ...

Cheers,
Wol

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

vic.m.ivanov at gmail

Mar 13, 2021, 4:18 AM

Post #6 of 16 (1146 views)

On 12/03/2021 16:48, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2021-03-12, Spackman, Chris <chris@osugisakae.com> wrote:
>> On 2021/03/12 at 02:57pm, Grant Edwards wrote:
>>
>>>> When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
>>>> [...] instead of staying where it's put the new window will follow
>>>> the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime Chrom(e|ium) has focus.
>>> [...]
>>> any keypress will cause the weird behavior to stop.
>>
>> I have the same problem. Started recently. Right clicking on the tab
>> and choosing "Move tab to new window" (if there is only one window)
>> or "Move tab to another window" => "New window" (if there is already
>> more than one window) works without problem.
>
> Yep, same here.
>
>> I've no idea what is causing the problem. Fluxbox is my window
>> manager.
>
> I'm using openbox.
>
KDE here. I don't use Chrome so I only just fired it up (completely
clean "install") and have the same behaviour.

As to what's causing it I can only guess but I did notice that when I
try to move a tab - even on a single tab window - my mouse pointer jumps
to the title bar area above it which presumably causes the window
manager to pick up the "click & hold" gesture and leads to the whole
window moving about.

However, this only seems to be happening when using the "System titlebar
and borders". If you right click on the tab area (not on the tab itself)
and untick said option the issue will disappear. At least it does on my
machine and I can move tabs about as normal.

- Victor

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

neil at digimed

Mar 13, 2021, 1:21 PM

Post #7 of 16 (1146 views)

On Sat, 13 Mar 2021 12:18:03 +0000, Victor Ivanov wrote:

> KDE here. I don't use Chrome so I only just fired it up (completely
> clean "install") and have the same behaviour.

KDE here too and I use Chromium all the time and have never seen this
behaviour.

> However, this only seems to be happening when using the "System
> titlebar and borders". If you right click on the tab area (not on the
> tab itself) and untick said option the issue will disappear. At least
> it does on my machine and I can move tabs about as normal.

I have that option set.

--
Neil Bothwick

For every action, there is an equal and opposite malfunction.

Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Mar 13, 2021, 5:49 PM

Post #8 of 16 (1146 views)

On 2021-03-12, Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:

> When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
> (this is something I do a lot, every day), it works normally until I
> release the mouse button. Then, instead of staying where it's put the
> new window will follow the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime
> Chrom(e|ium) has focus. [...]

A second machine (which I mostly access via ssh) has started doing the
same thing. It's also using openbox as the WM.

--
Grant Edwards grant.b.edwards Yow! Why is everything made
at of Lycra Spandex?
gmail.com

Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Sep 27, 2021, 7:24 AM

Post #9 of 16 (1053 views)

On 2021-03-12, Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yesterday afternoon, both Chrome and Chromium started behaving oddly.
>
> When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
> (this is something I do a lot, every day), it works normally until I
> release the mouse button. Then, instead of staying where it's put the
> new window will follow the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime
> Chrom(e|ium) has focus.

It looks like this has been fixed!

But now the "Use system title bars and borders" option doesn't work.

--
Grant

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

markknecht at gmail

Sep 27, 2021, 8:56 AM

Post #10 of 16 (1053 views)

On Mon, Sep 27, 2021 at 7:25 AM Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> On 2021-03-12, Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Yesterday afternoon, both Chrome and Chromium started behaving oddly.
> >
> > When I drag a tab out of it's parent window to create a new window
> > (this is something I do a lot, every day), it works normally until I
> > release the mouse button. Then, instead of staying where it's put the
> > new window will follow the mouse cursor around the desktop anytime
> > Chrom(e|ium) has focus.
>
> It looks like this has been fixed!
>
> But now the "Use system title bars and borders" option doesn't work.
>
> --
> Grant
>

Strangely the dragging a tab problem has never occured for me on
Kubuntu.

I run stable so I haven't seen the fix in Chrome beta yet but
good to know it's coming. In my case I took Frank's suggestion
and implemented the window on a virtual desktops and now I
don't have to mess with my mouse and the title bar pin.

Cheers,
Mark

Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Sep 27, 2021, 10:47 AM

Post #11 of 16 (1053 views)

On 2021-09-27, Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 27, 2021 at 7:25 AM Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> But now the "Use system title bars and borders" option doesn't work.
>
> Strangely the dragging a tab problem has never occured for me on
> Kubuntu.

I think the window dragging problem only happened with some window
managers.

[regarding titlebar breakage]
> I run stable so I haven't seen the fix in Chrome beta yet but
> good to know it's coming. In my case I took Frank's suggestion
> and implemented the window on a virtual desktops and now I
> don't have to mess with my mouse and the title bar pin.

Did you try the fix mentioned elsewhere: go to chrome://flags and
disable something with the words "ozone" and "X11" in it?

That fixed the titlebar problem for me.

--
Grant

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

markknecht at gmail

Sep 27, 2021, 11:23 AM

Post #12 of 16 (1053 views)

On Mon, Sep 27, 2021 at 10:48 AM Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> On 2021-09-27, Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Mon, Sep 27, 2021 at 7:25 AM Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com
>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> But now the "Use system title bars and borders" option doesn't work.
> >
> > Strangely the dragging a tab problem has never occured for me on
> > Kubuntu.
>
> I think the window dragging problem only happened with some window
> managers.
>
> [regarding titlebar breakage]
> > I run stable so I haven't seen the fix in Chrome beta yet but
> > good to know it's coming. In my case I took Frank's suggestion
> > and implemented the window on a virtual desktops and now I
> > don't have to mess with my mouse and the title bar pin.
>
> Did you try the fix mentioned elsewhere: go to chrome://flags and
> disable something with the words "ozone" and "X11" in it?
>
> That fixed the titlebar problem for me.
>
> --
> Grant

Yes, I tried that. In my case it just made no difference. Everything worked
on Chromium as suggested but I couldn't (easily - I'm very busy right now)
figure out how to get Chrome and Chromium to sync bookmarks and
passwords and I want Windows, Android and Linux (all flavors) to
be in sync if possible.

For me Frank's Meta-a solution is a really good one for right now.

Will investigate more in a few weeks when my workload gets
more normal.

Cheers,
Mark

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

neil at digimed

Sep 27, 2021, 11:31 AM

Post #13 of 16 (1053 views)

On Mon, 27 Sep 2021 11:23:58 -0700, Mark Knecht wrote:

> Yes, I tried that. In my case it just made no difference. Everything
> worked on Chromium as suggested but I couldn't (easily - I'm very busy
> right now) figure out how to get Chrome and Chromium to sync bookmarks
> and passwords and I want Windows, Android and Linux (all flavors) to
> be in sync if possible.

I use Chromium on my computers and Chrome on my phone and the bookmarks
are kept in sync without any action on my part. It seems there is no
difference between Chrome and Chromium in this regard.

--
Neil Bothwick

Profanity, The Language of Computer Professionals.

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

chris at osugisakae

Sep 27, 2021, 4:02 PM

Post #14 of 16 (1053 views)

On 2021/09/27 at 07:31pm, Neil Bothwick wrote:
> On Mon, 27 Sep 2021 11:23:58 -0700, Mark Knecht wrote:

> > I couldn't (easily - I'm very busy right now) figure out how to get
> > Chrome and Chromium to sync bookmarks and passwords and I want
> > Windows, Android and Linux (all flavors) to be in sync if possible.

> I use Chromium on my computers and Chrome on my phone and the
> bookmarks are kept in sync without any action on my part. It seems
> there is no difference between Chrome and Chromium in this regard.

Is sync still working? I thought that Google had closed whatever
loophole had allowed not-Chrome browsers to sync with Google Chrome.

https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/122570052/sync-and-login-no-longer-works-in-chromium?hl=en

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/01/chromium-sync-google-api-removed

I also remember that on the Twit network, either This Week In Tech or
maybe Security Now talked about Google closing that "bug".

If it is still working, that is great news for users of Chromium-based
browsers that aren't Google Chrome, but I don't think it is safe to
expect the behavior to continue.

--
Chris Spackman (he / him) chris@osugisakae.com

ESL Coordinator The Graham Family of Schools
ESL Instructor Columbus State Community College
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Wajima, Ishikawa 1995-1998
Linux user since 1998 Linux User #137532

Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

grant.b.edwards at gmail

Sep 27, 2021, 4:07 PM

Post #15 of 16 (1053 views)

On 2021-09-27, Spackman, Chris <chris@osugisakae.com> wrote:

> If it is still working, that is great news for users of Chromium-based
> browsers that aren't Google Chrome, but I don't think it is safe to
> expect the behavior to continue.

It's Google. It's not safe to expect _any_ behavior to continue. :)

Re: Re: Odd Chrome behavior when dragging tab to create new window [ In reply to ]

chris at osugisakae

Sep 27, 2021, 4:33 PM

Post #16 of 16 (1053 views)

On 2021/09/27 at 11:07pm, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2021-09-27, Spackman, Chris <chris@osugisakae.com> wrote:
>
> > If it is still working, that is great news for users of
> > Chromium-based browsers that aren't Google Chrome, but I don't think
> > it is safe to expect the behavior to continue.
>
> It's Google. It's not safe to expect _any_ behavior to continue. :)

It's funny because it's true.

*Sigh*

--
Chris Spackman (he / him) chris@osugisakae.com

ESL Coordinator The Graham Family of Schools
ESL Instructor Columbus State Community College
Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Wajima, Ishikawa 1995-1998
Linux user since 1998 Linux User #137532