How to highlight the window in "Always On Top" state

Desktop Environments XFCE
1

I have set a shortcut to put windows in always on top stat. But I like to add some markers like a boarder to it. Like how on windows Always on Top feature of PowerToys work. Is there a way to do this on XFCE?

2

Use Alt+F12 to keep windows in the foreground.
You can also set this via the window menu with Alt+Space.
In Google Chrome this can be done with the above mentioned key combination or with a right click in the taskbar.

Hope this helps.

3

Thanks, but it is not my problem . I already have this to do it:

# Toggle always on top
alt + super + t
  wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -b toggle,above

What I need is a way to add some visual effect to know it is in this state.

4

Your wmctrl command only does what is much easier to accomplish with the keyboard shortcuts.

A colored frame like in your Microsoft example is not known to me.

5

Yeah I understand there is already hotkeys for this , but using a hotkey closer to home row of keyboard which could be chosen based on need is better for me.

6

You have posted in the XFCE category, while the posted keybinding suggests something like sxhkd.
If using a Windows Manager based session, it might be more possible to find an answer to your question. On XFCE it is AFAIK not possible.
What is your session environment?

7

Yes I use Xfce , but I have some rare keybindings with sxhkd for features Xfce already has like AlwaysOnTop. And I can add features eventho Xfce don’t have support for it. I was wondering if there is a way to do what I have said in OP in any way (with Xfce Window Manager or using something like sxhkd and xdotool).

8

Always-on-top is simple: right-click the running icon on panel and choose 'always on top"

I only set up function keys for wine and I use xbindkey together with sxhkd and xdotool.

My all wine apps are launched from icon launchers on xfce4-panel.
I do almost everythings on panel lanchers, including the virtualbox win-10, wine, carla disconnecting, connecting, virtual simultaneous sinks in carl, permanent configured ‘sudo thunar’ and frequent used linux apps, etc…

The following command is one of many commands executed in a file at ~/ initiated by an icon launcher on xfce4-panel and is applied to win-10 app in wine (the action takes place in win-10 app).

"xdotool key shift+p --window “name - Wine desktop” ; xdotool getactivewindow mousemove --window %@ 415 442 click 1 click --delay 450 1 click --delay 250 1 mousemove 2100 600 ; xdotool search --name “X_G_L_0__0W2_2HH_CES” windowactivate windowmove 1700 430 ; "
Mod2 + grave

9

I think you have misunderstood the OP question. There is no need for a keybinding, but a way to apply some extra theming to a window with an Always-on-top property.

This is a Window Manager Compositor feature, applying different theming/decoration on windows that are marked as On top. AFAIK, xfwm4 and all other WMs I know, differentiate on Active/Inactive (focused/unfocused).

Edit: Correction. The compositor is responsible for windows shades.

If you know of a WM that can do what you request, tell us. Maybe some reader has more experience and propose something.
:person_shrugging:

10

Thx for reminding my misunderstanding. I somewhat understand what he wants is somethings differentiating Active/Inactive, focused/unfocused and so on.
A few years ago, i did many themes with these features, but later i found if there are too many windows on desktop, confusing is more than simple visual effetcs. So, i don’t do that feature again. some styles in xfwm4 does have part of these features. The main features emphasize Active/Inactive, focused/unfocused windows actually depends on gtk themes designing.

1 Like
11

IAMOF you should be able to do it, if you disable xfwm4 compositing and use picom instead.
Install picom, if you haven’t already and check the example in this section in the configuration file:

$ grep -A8 "^wintypes" /etc/xdg/picom.conf                                                                                                                                         
wintypes:
{
  tooltip = { fade = true; shadow = true; opacity = 0.75; focus = true; full-shadow = false; };
  dock = { shadow = false; clip-shadow-above = true; }
  dnd = { shadow = false; }
  popup_menu = { opacity = 0.8; }
  dropdown_menu = { opacity = 0.8; }
};

I am sure you can find other picom config files with more examples, searching the web (start from EnOS github :wink: )

12

One solution could be to lower the opacity of the inactive windows.
In XFCE: Settings > Window management fine tuning > Composite

Since you probably prefer a colored frame I would evaluate these solutions. I know the thread is old but …!
https://askubuntu.com/questions/828557/highlight-window-with-focus-even-more
Please note; if you want to change the composite manager to disable the other.
Search term in the search engine was:
„highlight active window; linux"
I have not tested the instructions myself. But I am pretty sure that the approach via Theme.css will be a difficult one