87592 - Pop-up dialog boxes should transfer focus to the parent window

Status: NEW

(Core :: DOM: UI Events & Focus Handling, defect)

Description

[Sameer D. Sahasrabuddhe]

This is what happens when I try to log into bugzilla (for example): There are
two different user names saved for that particular form, so that a dialog box
pops up prompting to select one. If a different window is currently in focus,
the dialog box over-rides that and brings the login form to the front. This is
all fine, the problem is that on pressing OK, the data is entered into the form,
but the previous window again regains focus. But the user now expects to press
the Login button on the form, and has to switch focus to that window again.
Instead, the dialog box that stole focus in the first place should now transfer
it to its parent login window. The bugzilla site is just one place where I
noticed this, but I guess it could occur anywhere where more than one entries
have been stored for the same form.

Comment 1

[Ben Ruppel]

I've seen this with other pop-ups too.  While Mozilla might think it's being
considerate by returning me to my previous window, it's actually quite jarring.

Comment 2

[joki (gone)]

Focus memory is controlling the focus here.  Not sure of the correct behavior
but I'll let saari make the call.

Comment 3

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

This is a dup of that other bug asking dialogs to go only in front of their 
parent windows, and not in front of other Mozilla windows.

Comment 4

[Tony Tovar]

I suspect this bug should be added as a blocker to a bug specific to, e.g.,
"Pop-ups and dialogs shouldn't steal focus" but I couldn't find such a bug.  I
did, however, find the following bugs among the other blockers for the general
Focus Stealing tracking bug 140346.  

bug 101140 - Warning dialog hidden inaccessibly behind new window
bug 124192 - POP error Alert dialog steals focus away from Navigator window
bug 124728 - Allow Cookie or Allow Window dialogs steal focus
bug 232083 - mail and newsgroups preview loses focus on new mail notification