Feature Request: Specify cursor behaviour on window focus / unfocus #3235

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opened 2026-01-30 23:16:30 +00:00 by claunia · 0 comments
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Originally created by @flindeberg on GitHub (Aug 7, 2019).

Originally assigned to: @PankajBhojwani on GitHub.

Description of the new feature/enhancement

Currently I find it hard to find focus, and confusing to pasting text into unfocused terminals, since you cannot change cursor behaviour in unfocused terminals. For example by changing color or opacity (I do not know the feasability of this).

Proposed technical implementation details

(Speculating without looking at actual code for ease of implementation, and images curtesy of Google image search along the lines of "terminal [window] focus") Since I like box cursors, I will provide three examples with box cursors which can be extended to other types of cursors.

An example from Code (possible today, terminal in focus shows unfilled box as cursor, terminal out of focus does not):
terminal-split-pane

An example from Linux (possible today, specifically Kali and Gnome terminal, focused terminal shown filled box while unfocused terminal shows nothing)
root@TheHackerToday-_185

Another example from Linux (not possible today, specifically Ubuntu and Tilix terminal emulator, focused terminal shows filled box while unfocused terminal shows unfilled box)
Tilix-Interface

I do not propose that the result should be static, rather that the user can select what the cursor should look like in a focused window and an unfocused window. I.e.:

... profiles.json ...
"cursorShapeWindowFocus" : "filledBox",
"cursorShapeNoWindowFocus" : "emptyBox",
...

Of course taking height for #1203 so that the "filledBox" setting becomes more meaningful.

Originally created by @flindeberg on GitHub (Aug 7, 2019). Originally assigned to: @PankajBhojwani on GitHub. <!-- 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 I ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLLOWING BEFORE PROCEEDING: 1. If I delete this entire template and go my own path, the core team may close my issue without further explanation or engagement. 2. If I list multiple bugs/concerns in this one issue, the core team may close my issue without further explanation or engagement. 3. If I write an issue that has many duplicates, the core team may close my issue without further explanation or engagement (and without necessarily spending time to find the exact duplicate ID number). 4. If I leave the title incomplete when filing the issue, the core team may close my issue without further explanation or engagement. 5. If I file something completely blank in the body, the core team may close my issue without further explanation or engagement. All good? Then proceed! --> # Description of the new feature/enhancement <!-- A clear and concise description of what the problem is that the new feature would solve. Describe why and how a user would use this new functionality (if applicable). --> Currently I find it hard to find focus, and confusing to pasting text into unfocused terminals, since you cannot change cursor behaviour in unfocused terminals. For example by changing color or opacity (I do not know the feasability of this). # Proposed technical implementation details <!-- A clear and concise description of what you want to happen. --> (Speculating without looking at actual code for ease of implementation, and images curtesy of Google image search along the lines of "terminal [window] focus") Since I like box cursors, I will provide three examples with box cursors which can be extended to other types of cursors. An example from Code (possible today, terminal in focus shows unfilled box as cursor, terminal out of focus does not): <img width="692" alt="terminal-split-pane" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/11232267/62599791-728b4300-b8ed-11e9-8176-dfdf50184fc3.png"> An example from Linux (possible today, specifically Kali and Gnome terminal, focused terminal shown filled box while unfocused terminal shows nothing) ![root@TheHackerToday-_185](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/11232267/62599986-fc3b1080-b8ed-11e9-8420-b7de035534b1.png) Another example from Linux (not possible today, specifically Ubuntu and Tilix terminal emulator, focused terminal shows filled box while unfocused terminal shows unfilled box) ![Tilix-Interface](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/11232267/62600093-47edba00-b8ee-11e9-9228-e2eb34f0aa03.png) I do not propose that the result should be static, rather that the user can select what the cursor should look like in a focused window and an unfocused window. I.e.: ``` ... profiles.json ... "cursorShapeWindowFocus" : "filledBox", "cursorShapeNoWindowFocus" : "emptyBox", ... ``` Of course taking height for #1203 so that the "filledBox" setting becomes more meaningful.
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Reference: starred/terminal#3235