Arugh! End the focus stealing!!!!

FireAza · Post by **FireAza** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:53 am

I'm getting really sick of background windows stealing focus from the window I'm currently viewing. I've tried TweakUI, which helped for a bit, but now it seems that if a window does the tiniest bit of loading it's enough to drag me to a window I don't care about at the present time. It's getting worse, I really need help. How can I tell Windows to never, ever pop a window in front of the current window?

Infin8Cyn · Post by **Infin8Cyn** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:12 pm

In respect to what? Explorer windows? AIM? Browser windows?

FireAza · Post by **FireAza** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 2:16 pm

Mostly browser windows.

pc486 · Post by **pc486** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:18 pm

In Firefox you get Javascript popup blocking and the ability to edit what Javascript can do. The basic options are accessed via Edit->Preferences->Web Features->Javascript Advanced:

FireAza · Post by **FireAza** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:16 am

No, I don't think Java is the problem, Windows seems to be the one a fault. For example, if I'm in a game, and say.... Zonealarm pops up a warning diolog, that brings me out of the game and puts Zonealarm on top.

Penguin · Post by **Penguin** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:40 am

That happens to me as well. Rather annoying when I'm the last one left and my Zone Alarm decides to remind me my subscription is almost up. Any way to change this would be appreciated here, as well.

Infin8Cyn · Post by **Infin8Cyn** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:48 am

The "Prevent Focus Stealing" checkbox in TweakUI (IIRC) is for applications, not internet explorer. I know that in Maxthon focus stealing never happens, but I've never seen any good fixes for it in MSIE.

Found this on the web (but I'm guessing it's what that checkbox in TweakUI changes...)

17. Stop 'focus stealing' by background applications and pop-ups

If you get annoyed when pop-up windows or other applications you have running replace the window you are currently working on, here's a registry edit that can help you deal with this behaviour.

Start Regedit and navigate to 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.'

Double click the 'ForegroundLockTimeout' key. Change the notation to decimal. This key controls the amount of time that Windows will wait for user input in the currently active window before shifting focus to whatever other window is demanding attention. The default is 200000 milliseconds decimal, or 200 seconds. Change this to a greater millisecond value if you want to prevent Windows XP from stealing the focus while you are occupied.

That may help. Are you sure you're clean of spyware? After that, I'd say you may want to look into an alternative browser.
As pc486 mentioned, FireFox may help. (and I should have seen his post coming)
I'd also recommend Maxthon.

OniNeko · Post by **OniNeko** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 6:12 am

[quote="FireAza";p="439135"]No, I don't think Java is the problem, Windows seems to be the one a fault. For example, if I'm in a game, and say.... Zonealarm pops up a warning diolog, that brings me out of the game and puts Zonealarm on top.[/quote]I have not checked the reghack infin just posted, but dudes, READ!!!!. It's not firefox. It's not IE. It is anything and everything that steals the focus. In a game, zonealarm pops up and essentally makes it like you ALT+TABed out of the game, which can often lead to disasterous results, system freezing or missing that perfect shot.

when typing in any program (word proccessor, email, programing) you don't want to suddenly find yourself typing in a different program.

pc486 · Post by **pc486** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:44 am

Recap:

Windows are loosing focus. FireAza is annoyed. Sometimes the hijacker is a browser window and sometimes it is Zonealarm. Other windows might be included (posts are ambiguous).

FYI, I don't know Windows in and out (not many do). Fixing that pile of an OS is just a day job for me. But I do know that browser popups are caused by spyware or advertisments. I assumed that FireAza is clean of spyware so I went the advertisment route. Since Firefox is the webbrowser of my choice and is what I know the best I post a solution to part of FireAza's problem. Infin8Cyn does the same but also covers the spyware base as well as the window manager base (which I wouldn't have the slightest clue about).

So, what's wrong with that?

-- off topic --

Infin8Cyn wrote:As pc486 mentioned, FireFox may help. (and I should have seen his post coming)
I'd also recommend Maxthon.

And I don't recommend Maxthon or any mshtml browser because 4chan.org doesn't support it anymore. 4chan is life

.

TopCat · Post by **TopCat** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:19 am

[quote="pc486";p="439273"]And I don't recommend Maxthon or any mshtml browser because 4chan.org doesn't support it anymore. 4chan is life

.[/quote]

I know of 4chan but never really got into it.

And, I have this problem with: everything

usually the problems with me and games include various things like
1) msn "oh shit that guy got on i'm dead sure you want to talk to him" (but it doesnt seem to do this when i'm in busy mode which is automatically on in fullscreen apps...)
2) aim (period, that stuffs lame, all the little 'msn ripoff' popups, the 'lets take some focus' chat windows unless you got away & queueing [which is how i fixed it in gaim], just everything)
3) start menu. i damn the winkey when i accentally hit it.

thats about it that i can think of thos. usually programs do let you turn off their annoying crap, but if they dont, well, you find a replacement program.

Ryom · Post by **Ryom** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:34 am

Windows keys... windows keys... (looks at keyboard) nope, don't have any

http://www.trickingq3.com/misc/Gaming_Key_Setup.png

FireAza · Post by **FireAza** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:32 am

[quote="pc486";p="439273"]Recap:

Windows are loosing focus. FireAza is annoyed.[/quote]
Indeed, I couldn't have put it any better myself. To add a bit more info:
I am using Firefox
I am free of spyware

Looking at Infin's reg edit, while changing the timeout would help, what I really want is to make it so that Windows cannot change my focus window at all. I remember seeing a program that claimed to do this, but I'll be damned if I can remember what it was called...

Infin8Cyn · Post by **Infin8Cyn** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:26 pm

I think that's the registry entry TweakUI changes, but I'm not positive. However, based on what that Key is supposed to do, I think chaning it to a miniscule value will resolve the focus issues.

Having looked over 4chan.org a time or two, I've got no clue what it's purpose on the intraweb is.

Ryom, You're the second person I know who seems to like the old keyboard layout w/the large backwards L shaped enter key. I don't get you guys.

Deacon · Post by **Deacon** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:46 pm

[quote="Ryom";p="439281"]http://www.trickingq3.com/misc/Gaming_Key_Setup.png[/quote]
...awful.

TopCat · Post by **TopCat** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:19 pm

[quote="Infin8Cyn";p="439316"]Ryom, You're the second person I know who seems to like the old keyboard layout w/the large backwards L shaped enter key. I don't get you guys.[/quote]

in the rare case i'm using one of those keyboards, i'm like "ok http://" and its like "omg enter enter?" and i'm like "omg >:(" so i run and get a better keyboard to replace it quickly.

Real Life Forums

Arugh! End the focus stealing!!!!

Arugh! End the focus stealing!!!!

Re: Arugh! End the focus stealing!!!!

Who is online