RHBA-2010:0245 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated metacity package that fixes numerous bugs and adds several
enhancements is now available

Description

Metacity is the default window manager for the GNOME desktop.

This update fixes the following bugs:

• if a modal dialog box was open, its associated window could not be moved

to another workspace. The dialog box would stay on the current desktop but
the main window would vanish as it moved and then returned but no longer
displayed correctly. The meta_workspace_focus_default_window() has
been modified so that windows can now be dragged to other
workspaces even if a modal dialog box is open. (BZ#237158)

• dragging a maximized window between monitors on a system configured to

use a Xinerama dual-screen configuration caused flickering. Metacity has
been modified to allow one to move maximized windows meaning they can be
dragged between monitors without flickering. (BZ#495939)

• Metacity was preventing applications such as Maya from stacking windows

correctly. This was caused by the focus-stealing prevention mechanism. A
patch
has been added to allow stacking to occur, meaning module windows for tools
like Maya now work in the expected fashion. (BZ#503522)

• the /apps/metacity/general/strict_focus_mode option can be activated via

GConf to prevent focus from being stolen from a terminal window. On x86_64
systems, terminals were sometimes not recognized as this function was
incorrectly implemented: it was looking for res_name instead of res_class.
Metacity now checks the res_class to determine if a window is a terminal
and focus is no longer lost. (BZ#504223)

• if the user switched between workspaces, any open KDE applications would

start to flash in GNOME as Metacity mistakenly marked them
as needing user intervention. Metacity now checks the window to determine
if it has a "startup ID" and sets the initial_timestamp and
initial_workspace properties accordingly. As a result KDE applications
no longer flash in these circumstances. (BZ#506537)

• Metacity could not handle closing application windows run remotely via X.

A
BadWindow error would occur. A patch has been added to trap this error. As
a
result, the error message no longer appears. (BZ#523777)

• when the /apps/metacity/general/raise_on_click GConf key was set to

"false" this option incorrectly combined the ability to intercept user
clicks with the intended use of intercepting calls coming
from applications. Consequently, windows for many non-EWMH (Extended Window
Manager Hints) compliant applications could not be raised or lowered. This
issue has now been rectified so that, if the key is set to false,
older applications not yet using net_window_activate can be raised
and lowered. (BZ#526045)

This update also adds the following enhancements:

• in Metacity's "mouse" and "sloppy" focus modes, it is possible to have

the pointer hover over a window without it becoming focused. This happens,
for example, if another window steals focus away. Previously, it was
necessary to move the mouse out of the window and then back into it, or to
click on it, to give it focus. (BZ#530261)

• the /apps/metacity/general/place_on_current_monitor feature was added. If

this option is set to "true", new windows will always be placed on the
current monitor, rather than be placed on any monitor with free space.
(BZ#523841)

• if an application displays a window without setting its appropriate

properties, it steals focus from the current window and thereby steal the
user's keystrokes. (This usually happens with older applications written
without modern toolkits.) The new no_focus_windows option allows one to
specify
which windows should not be given the keyboard's focus. (BZ#530262)

• when a new window is not given keyboard focus, it is placed underneath

the current window and entry flashes. When the new
/apps/metacity/general/new_windows_always_on_top key is set to "true",
windows are always placed on top, iirespective of keyboard focus.
(BZ#530263)

Users are advised to upgrade to this updated Metacity package, which
resolve these issues and adds these enhancements.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to
use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 237158 - Cannot drag an application window to another workspace if a modal dialog is active
• BZ - 495939 - Maximized window flickers when moving from a monitor to another
• BZ - 503522 - metacity prevents applications from changing stacking order for wins of different groups
• BZ - 504223 - metacity strict focus mode still not working; should look for res_class, not res_name
• BZ - 506537 - KDE apps trigger focus stealing prevention in metacity on workspace change
• BZ - 523777 - Metacity terminates unexpectedly with BadWindow (invalid Window parameter)
• BZ - 526045 - Disabling "raise_on_click" prevents windows from changing stacking order
• BZ - 530261 - Handle windows under pointer without focus better
• BZ - 530262 - Allow configuring windows that should not be focused
• BZ - 530263 - Allow configuring new windows to be always placed on top

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)