GlazeWM Ghost Windows Bug: Lingering After App Close

Have you ever experienced ghost windows stubbornly sticking around after you've closed an application in GlazeWM? This frustrating issue, where windows persist even after their associated process has terminated, can disrupt your workflow and clutter your workspace. This article dives deep into the GlazeWM ghost windows bug, exploring its causes, impact, and potential solutions. If you're a GlazeWM user facing this problem, read on to understand why these phantom windows appear and how you can address them.

Understanding the GlazeWM Ghost Windows Bug

The ghost windows bug in GlazeWM arises when the window manager fails to properly clean up window references after an application process terminates. This is particularly noticeable with applications that create multiple child windows, such as design tools or IDEs. When these applications close (either intentionally or due to a crash), GlazeWM sometimes fails to recognize that the windows are no longer valid. As a result, these ghost windows remain tracked in GlazeWM's internal window tree, continuing to occupy layout space within your workspace. Imagine closing a program, but its empty frames remain, blocking your view and messing up your layout – that's the essence of this bug. Let's delve deeper into the specifics. The core issue lies in GlazeWM's handling of window lifecycle events. Ideally, when an application window is destroyed (either through normal closure or process termination), the operating system sends a signal (like WM_DESTROY on Windows) to inform window managers like GlazeWM. GlazeWM should then respond by removing the window from its internal tracking and re-flowing the workspace layout. However, in the case of this bug, GlazeWM either isn't receiving these signals correctly or isn't processing them effectively. This leaves the ghost windows lingering, like digital specters haunting your desktop. This issue is more pronounced with applications that spawn numerous child windows, such as dialog boxes, tool palettes, or floating panels. When the main application terminates, these child windows may also disappear, but their references remain within GlazeWM. This can lead to a significant amount of wasted screen space and a very disorganized workspace. Reproducing this bug is relatively straightforward. You can start by opening an application known to create multiple windows, such as Affinity Designer or a similar program. Work with the application normally, opening and closing various windows and panels. Then, close the main application window (or simulate a crash by force-quitting the process). If the bug is present, you'll notice blank spaces in your workspace where the ghost windows are still allocated. Running GlazeWM's query tools (like glazewm query windows and glazewm query workspaces) will confirm the presence of these phantom windows, showing entries for processes that are no longer running.

Impact of Ghost Windows on Your Workflow

The impact of ghost windows extends beyond mere visual clutter; they actively hinder your workflow and reduce your screen real estate. These phantom windows consume valuable layout space, leading to incorrect workspace arrangements and a frustrating user experience. Imagine you have carefully arranged your windows for optimal productivity, only to have blank spaces appear, throwing off your entire setup. This is a common scenario for users encountering this GlazeWM bug. The most immediate consequence is the loss of usable screen space. Ghost windows occupy portions of your workspace, preventing you from placing other windows in those areas. This effectively shrinks your available working area, forcing you to constantly rearrange windows and adjust layouts. Furthermore, layout ratios become skewed. GlazeWM, like many tiling window managers, aims to distribute screen space intelligently among open windows. However, the presence of ghost windows disrupts this balance. Visible windows may only occupy a fraction of the screen, while the remaining space is allocated to these invisible entities. This can lead to cramped working conditions and make it difficult to view and interact with your applications. The problem is further compounded by the fact that ghost windows are tracked by GlazeWM's query tools. Commands like glazewm query windows and glazewm query workspaces will list these phantom windows alongside your active applications, making it difficult to manage your window setup and identify the real windows you need to interact with. This can be particularly confusing when you have multiple instances of the same application running. Imagine trying to close a specific window, only to find a long list of entries, many of which are ghost windows. This makes it challenging to target the correct window and can lead to accidental closures or other unintended actions. Beyond the immediate usability issues, the ghost windows bug can also impact your system's performance. While the performance impact may be minor, the accumulation of numerous ghost windows could potentially contribute to increased memory usage and slower window management operations. This is because GlazeWM is still tracking these windows, even though they are no longer visible or functional. In summary, the impact of ghost windows on your workflow is significant. They waste screen space, disrupt layouts, clutter your window lists, and potentially impact system performance. Addressing this bug is crucial for maintaining a productive and efficient working environment with GlazeWM.

Workarounds and Solutions for Ghost Windows

Dealing with ghost windows in GlazeWM can be a frustrating experience, but thankfully, there are workarounds and solutions available, although some are more effective than others. It's important to understand which methods work and which ones don't, saving you time and preventing further frustration. Let's start by exploring some common attempts that unfortunately don't work. One might instinctively try the `glazewm command