Powertoys: Xmouse

[belg4mit]

Please update xmouse!

I have a freeware tool that is serviceable, but it does not always play well with various pop-up UI elements, such as color palettes in tools like FileMaker, or the Windows system tray.

[jaimecbernardo]

Hi @belg4mit ,

Xmouse would be the PowerToy for Windows 95 that would focus Windows under the mouse without requiring a click. Is this the specific feature you're requesting from this PowerToy?

[belg4mit]

Yes.

[joho1968]

I personally think Xmouse behavior/functionality should be in the core OS window manager in any modern OS. It can be disabled by default, but this discussion is getting quite old :) Focus follows mouse (with option to raise window underneath cursor, default no) should not be a "powertoy" or "tweakui" function, but if that is what we get, then I'm all for at least getting the functionality.

[klaernie]

A really reliable "focus follows mouse" is something I would really like built into Windows. X11 got this really right. But Xmouse for example also raises some windows unintentionally, which makes it awkward to use long term.

[tjsuominen]

Would love that too! Currently having that "simulated" via "Winaero Tweaker" (great utility btw!) X-mouse option, but the problem with Winaero Tweaker is that it also changes focus in input fields (e.g. in Outlook when typing To: Subject: Body etc.) and I would NOT like to have that to happen. Just the app windows.

[philsward]

+1 for this as well.

I've used the reg hacks since windows Vista because true x-mouse quit working after XP (I think that's right... been a while)

While Win10 has follow, it interferes horribly with the start bar and app hovers, regardless of how you set the timing. I never use raise because it defeats the purpose. The one thing that took me a while to get used to with true mouse was the "Click the title bar to raise". I hated it at first but came to actually like and prefer it. It was baked into the app and you couldn't change it, but ultimately you could click all day long inside a "lowered" window and it would never raise to the front unless you clicked the title bar. It made data copy between spreadsheets, or across browser windows amazing to work with. Now, you have to make sure you're in the right field before bringing up the raised window and hope to god you don't accidentally click the lower window...

IMO, this functionality needs to be more than "in the registry". The reg settings only go so far but since Windows hasn't ever been designed around x-mouse style workflow, everything I have tried have been simple hacks or registry tweaks that are very half-baked.

Those of us looking for a good XMouse enhancement within PowerToys, are looking for something that lets us work faster, gets out of our way and ultimately "just works".

[joho1968]

Since Microsoft loves Linux, I can't see why this isn't implemented ...