Fixes reported issues with the mouse pointer

[hordepfo]

See
https://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/+bug/1308179
and
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=165942

[clefebvre]

Hi, I talked to monsta about this. It's important and I'd like to merge it, but I can't do so if it creates regressions with marco (namely the flickering issue).

[monsta]

It doesn't cause any regressions with marco. The flickering happens with Compiz.

[hordepfo]

Well, it isn't 100% true.
I was able to replicate all of eMcE's and others problems, and they probably happen for everyone who uses Compiz. This means that without these fixes the menu won't work with Compiz. So it has to be merged ASAP.
The flickering problem is already there in 5.5.3, both for Marco and Compiz so merging won't make any difference. The problem is simply more visible with Compiz.
eMcE didn't explain the problem clearly enough, but it's the following: when you use the mouse scroll button IN PLACE (when it can't scroll!) enter and leave notify events are generated. In Marco you can observe this by letting the tooltip pop and then scroll a fixed button. The tooltip will open and close. The buttons won't flicker by themselves both on Compiz or Marco, it only happens when you scroll on an unmovable button.
It's a minor thing and I don't know a solution yet. It probably happens due to the new behaviour with the pointer monitor. All X mouse events are now first redirected to that class so that it can calculate if the mouse is inside the menu or not. If they are inside they are replayed to the menu, if they are outside the menu is hidden. This means that the mouse enters and leaves the buttons on mouse click and scroll events.
A possible solution would be to not capture the mouse scroll events. This would mean the menu would not close when you hover and scroll other windows. This wouldn't be totally inconsistent due to the scroll behaviour of GTK, where you can scroll non-focused windows. In Windows 7, for example, scroll events simply aren't transmitted to non-focused windows, so scroll also doesn't close the start menu.
Another would be to reengineer it so that the pointer monitor only grabs mouse events when the pointer is outside the menu. I can't say offhand if this is possible.
What do you think?

[hordepfo]

Added a simple fix, might not be perfect. Tested with Marco and Compiz.

[monsta]

The flickering disappeared after this little fix. Tested with the tooltips (as you described) in Mint 13 with Compiz and in Mint 16 with Marco, both in Virtualbox.

[powARman]

This simple fix (commit 5a7b246) causes some issues for me: From time to time after clicking an item in MintMenu the menu gets stuck and my keyboard is captured by its search bar. The only way to get out and being able to use my keyboard again is by entering something and pressing enter so the menu gets closed. Sometimes Alt+Tab will get me out, too. I reverted the commit locally and all is working fine again.

I have this problem on Mint 13 MATE with backports enabled since the update to 5.5.3.1 and on Mint 17 MATE RC.

[monsta]

You mean after clicking on an item it doesn't get executed and menu gets stuck instead?

[powARman]

Yes, exactly. I can reproduce it quite well by starting e.g. Terminal 5 to 7 times using the menu. Sometimes it takes more tries. With the patch reverted I did not have it for more than one hour so I am quite sure its somehow the cause of it.

[monsta]

Does it happen in all mintMenu sections - Applications, Places, System, Favorites?
Do you use Compiz, by any chance?

[powARman]

I tested a bit and it happens basically everywhere in the mintMenu: Places, System, Applications, Favorites and also on the button that switches between Applications and Favorites. Also it happens when right clicking stuff, e.g. an item in the Favorites. I guess I am not using compiz as "Use compositing" in "Desktop settings/Windows" is not set.

[monsta]

New version 5.5.8 reverted the offending commit. Can you test it in Mint 17 and confirm whether the issue still happens or not?

[hordepfo]

Hmm, can't seem to replicate this on Mint 16, with Compiz or without.

[powARman]

I tested the new version for some time now in regular use and had this issue no longer.

[monsta]

Reverted it in #100 for Mint 13 backports too - Mint 13 users are complaining about mintMenu freeze...