virtualbox.org

Hello,

For a while now (sorry don't remember exactly) it happens that when clicking in the Guest disturbs my MacOs selected spaces. Sorry I'm not sure of the wording on Mac.

Here are the details:

• I have 2 monitors, the mac's built-in and and external one.
• Each monitor has 3 spaces.
• VB first starts on Mac's display, let say space #1, the leftmost.
• The guest window opens on the external monitor, let says also space #1, the leftmost.
• On Mac's display, I select another space, ie #2 and another application, let say Finder.
• When I click in the guest window (external monitor, space #1), that windows takes the focus - this is expected.
• When I click again in the guest (same location or not) then the Mac's spaces changes back from #2 to #1 !!

I don't expect any change in my displayed desktops/monitors just because I click in the guest.
Not sure it's a VB problem, but I have this behaviour only with VB, so I imagine...


The host:

• Nom du modèle : iMac
  Identifiant du modèle : iMac17,1
  Nom du processeur : Intel Core i7
  Vitesse du processeur : 4 GHz
  Nombre de processeurs : 1
  Nombre total de cœurs : 4
  .../...
  Version SMC (système) : 2.34f2
  Version du système : macOS 10.13.5 (17F66a)
  Version du noyau : Darwin 17.6.0

Virtual box:

• Version 5.2.12 r122591 (Qt5.6.3)
  GA on Guest
  3D enabled

Guest:

• Ubuntu 18.04
  X11
  Gnome

Not sure what other info I can report... Any clue here ?
Thanks

System Preferences ---> Mission Control

here is the full list of macOS tutorials that has satisfied every VBox and VMWare Fusion user with same complaint

• Essential Tools & Tips for Working With Multiple Mac Monitors
• Mission Control 101: How to Use Multiple Desktops on a Mac
• How to avoid a blank second display when using full-screen mode in an OS X app | Macworld
• How to Keep the Mac Dock on One Screen in a Dual Monitor Setup
• Windows apps steal focus after choosing app fro...
• Window focus issues in Unity mode

Thanks for all these resources. Checked them, but I think I need to restart everything to get it working as expected...
Will mark it solved later if I can fix it...

Well, I thought I had to reboot the mac, or restart VB - I did both, but no way ! This problem is still there.
It seems to be related to one of the Mission control option, "When switching to an application, activate a Space with the application windows", but even this one is unselected (like all others), the problem remains.
Unlike some of the post described, it's not a focus problem, but rather Spaces that change just because I click (not 1st click, but the second one).
What I even found today again, is that there are even case where the space slides automatically - without any action from me ! It's like it's recalled by a spring, back to the previous space (the one containing Virtual box application, not the Guest window).

Exact steps, with the same setup as described above:

• The guest window opens on the external monitor, let says also space #1, the leftmost.
• On Mac's display, I select another space, from #1 to #2 by swiping 2 fingers on the magic mouse to the right.
• Space #2 appears...but only shortly !! Space #1 is immediately "recalled" !! No need to click, just swipe...
• On Mac's display, I select another space, from #1 to #3 by QUICKLY swiping 2 fingers on the magic mouse to the right TWICE.
• Space #3 appears...and remains !

Back to the first problem, triggered by a click, what is quite surprising is the space that is recalled is not the one that shows VB - If I move VB window from space #1 to #3, above steps will have the same behaviour exactly.
Only thing I can tell is VB was started on that space, #1.

So, even it looks like a Mission control settings or bug, this happens only with Virtual box. For example, maybe not good, but Firefox that also can have plenty of different windows does not trigger this behaviour...

Unfortunately, still open ...

AALLeeXX wrote:So, even it looks like a Mission control settings or bug, this happens only with Virtual box. For example, maybe not good, but Firefox that also can have plenty of different windows does not trigger this behaviour...

Funny you mentioned Firefox in the last paragraph, because as I was reading your message I was thinking of replying:

"This is not a VirtualBox issue, this is an OSX issue. I've never seen the exact same thing that you describe happening, but not with VirtualBox, I see it all the time happening with other apps, mainly Firefox."

My answer still is the same...

@AALLeeXX

Unfortunately, still open ...

I suggest Apple's discusion forums for additional help.

This forum is for VBox issues, not how is use your host