virtualbox.org

Hi all,

Seeing I run on a Linux host only, I am not sure that this is something specific to Linux hosts, or has a wider reach. Perhaps even it is just me. But since moving from 5.0.26 to 5.1.6 (first 5.1 version to have clean audio in windows clients), I have noticed I now need to select the client before interacting.

My windows clients run in the auto-resize mode, with a window that is pretty much a max size. The screen size is 1920x1029 on a FHD screen. The rest is borders and stuff. Under 5.0.26 (and for as long as I can remember), whenever I clicked on the client area, that first click would be sent to the app below the mouse. I have run the same client setup across VB versions, but since the 5.1.6 installation, my first click simply wakes up windows, the second click actually does something.

My taskbar auto hides in windows, and to get it to pop-up I need to click something in the client first, before, just hovering would work.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does anyone know if there's a default setting I can alter to get back to what I had? The former behaviour was much more fluid for me.

Rgds Chris

Out of interest, what sort of desktop environment do you use in Linux? I do not see what you describe here with Ubuntu 16.10 and the default Unity desktop. My test case was starting xev in an Ubuntu guest, giving the focus to another host window, then clicking straight on the xev window. The button press and release were reported by xev as I would expect. I would be interested to know what happens when you try that too.

I run Mint Debian (LMDE2), 64 bits, MATE desktop.

Could you try the xev test with a Linux guest?

sure, will have to set up one.... you wouldn't have a VB image ready for doing exactly this would you?

No, but you can download and install an Ubuntu installer image in about the same time it would take you to download and import a virtual machine image.

It's ok, I created one just now. Xev shows the events reaching, no click required. However, under Windows I still have to click to 'get Windows to notice'. Under Linux (I used Mint XFCE, 32bits), it clearly sees the mouse tracking across. But windows doesn't, it is very noticable when you set the menu bar to auto-hide in both. In XFCE, mouse tracking raises and lowers the bar correctly, in windows I need a click on the desktop to get the menu bar to respond correctly. Perhaps a change in the client software?

Would you be able to try removing the Guest Additions from your Windows guest to see if that makes a difference? I am very much a Linux person (I don't even currently have a Window guest available to test), so I would like to work out what is happening from tests on your side if possible.

I'm not sure that will work well, as I'd loose my video adapter as well. From the past I know (and this is seen when windows loads), you need to explicitly acknowledge the mouse capture inside the windows window when the client tools are removed and it will not mouse out of that window unless you tell it to. However, running the desktop at near FHD resolution, going back to VGA sizes would not be fun.

I did fire up a XP image, which I run at much lower resolution. That was interesting, as it works perfectly there. So it seems a Windows 7/10 issue (I don't have 8/8.1). Under XP, with client tools, it works perfectly. So there's no real need to deinstall, it works under XP, it requires one extra click under Windows 7.

Uninstalling the Guest Additions would not be a permanent thing - it would just be long enough to check the issue. If you have the machine set up to use an absolute pointing device in the machine settings you can still get mouse integration without the Additions. Of course, if you say the issue is too minor to be worth investigating that is fine too.

Well I did as you asked, but the results were somewhat predictable.
1. there is now one click required to switch on mouse capturing
2. Whilst captured, the mouse behaves correctly, i.e. menu bar raises and lowers. But you can't move the mouse outside of the client.
3. When you ' mouse out' of the client, the bar assumes the last state, but readjusts once you re-able mouse capture.

I then reinstalled the guest additions, fixed the mess the temporary drop to 640x480 caused (or is it 800x600, it is very low). and now it is back to what it was. Compared to the previous situation, the only difference is that I don't see the capture message on first click and it cleaves the client without requiring anything. Menu bar only reacts after the first click and keeps reacting until you leave the client window, after which another click is required. W7 SP1, 32bits.

Did you try enabling absolute pointer mode as I asked? (Machine Setings -> System ->Pointing Device -> USB Tablet) This lets you use the mouse without Additions without the click-to-capture.

When I do that, it makes no difference, except I don't get the message. When I click in the windows window, it works, and when I leave, the MATE desktop picks up the mouse. When I reenter the windows window, it takes one click to pick up the mouse.

So if I understand right, you have seen this behaviour with at least two Windows guests, one Windows 7, one Windows 10. You saw the same thing when you removed the Additions and enabled the absolute pointing device. If you have e.g. Notepad open in one of the affected guests with some text in it and you leave the guest (does that mean clicking outside of the guest window or just moving the pointer outside of it?), does the cursor move at once if you click inside Notepad? And I assume that Windows also has icons or menus or something that pop up text when you move the mouse over them without clicking. Do they work when the window is not activated?

The best way I can describe it is, when you move out, upon return, it requires one click. The trouble is that the click auto shits the focus to that window/app. The best mouse position trace I know is the menu bar's ability to raise and lower when the mouse is near, and the menu does not require to be active for that (some windows do require to be active). So in your example, if I am in Windows, in Notepad, click it, type something and only move the mouse to the taskbar, the menu appears. If I move the mouse out of the windows window and then back I need to click once (could be anywhere in the window, even that notepad app still sitting there) before the menubar appears when the mouse is close. Two W7 clients, one W10 client do this. And because I noticed this recently and not under the 5.0.x version (which I've used a long time), I am leaning towards this being something 5.1.x specific. I posted this in the forum to see if anyone else had noticed this also.