When I’m reading my mail in a workspace and I click on a link, how do I stop the desktop changing workspace to the Firefox workspace running elsewhere.
When I click on a link, I want the link to open in Firefox but I don’t want the focus to go to another workspace.
Thanks in advance.
Nobody replied or had a clue about this problem so I have gone back to Ubuntu Mate.
I actually like to see this as well, workspaces should work as virtual desktops.
To be honest I think it makes perfectly sense if a call is done to an application on another workspace, the desktop moves to that workspace.
Other way around, I feel it would be silly if it doesn’t.
Maybe I am missing what you mean.
For example 2 users on a laptop. One has a Firefox browser running in workspace 2. The other, me, now clicks on a link in a PDF file on my workspace, 1. I expect a new browser to open on my workspace. As I do not know if she has a browser running and don’t want to mess with the apps running in her workspace. Also her browser configuration/layout may be completely different.
One step further: bind a Firefox user profile to a specific workspace 
For me, if Firefox is my default and it is already running in workspace 1, if I click a link in my email in workspace 2, it opens a new instance of Firefox on workspace 2.
I think its because I have Firefox set to open links in new windows instead of new tabs.
Hmmm, I must be really missing something, are you using the same laptop by two users, but on one and the same user account?
Ah yes correct. No need for 2 user accounts, just 2 browser profiles is enough separation. But I get your point. For my use case the solution is simple: use 2 user accounts.
yeah! That would stop the “but you deleted my file” type arguments!
Well that wouldn’t happen has we have our own folder in Documents.
Binding a Firefox user profile to a workspace would be enough for me. But it’s not a big deal, for those moments you click on a link outside the browser, you can copy paste.
This is your opinion and that is what you think, that is fine, you’re entitled to it.
However, it should be a choice and an option.
I know, it’s a year late.
we have our own folder in Documents
Ok but under the same /home/$USER then, meaning those folders and files belong to the same $USER so these files and folders can be deleted by both humans ( since it’s one and only same $USER ). It may be « dangerous ».
Why not setting one session per human ? It’s not that hard to switch between session ( lock then change user ). Indeed it should be easier than that but that’s how it’s done in Budgie.
This way each human’s documents have their own …owner and own /home/name
If file sharing is needed between those 2 users, just add each user to each other’s group - then both will be able to only read other’s files. Eventually add write-right to group on folders where both users need to write, or on folder + its content if both users need also to modify other’s files and folders…
…Linux is fundamentally a multi-users system so grab it 
And deal with configuring each user account separately? You forget that many settings, configurations of Budgie, Ubuntu and installed applications (even the application executables sometimes) are per-user. Not only would I have to deal with that, I would have to manage it as well.
It’s not about how easy it is to create a new user and switch. It’s about having uniformity for everyone who uses this shared home laptop. Firefox profile is the only exception. Since one has their own bookmarks, history, passwords on their mobile phone (which is synced to the desktop).
For individual files, each has its own folder in /userdata (a BTRFS root subvol) symlinked to $HOME and each is 2-way-synced to my webDAV server via NextCloud Desktop Client (which supports multiple accounts). Besides that, a third account syncs the shared folders $HOME/Documents $HOME/Desktop. But now I am massively off topic.
Due to the fractional scaling issues that won’t be solved in the future UB releases, I am currently playing with Manjaro KDE. I will test Manjaro Gnome as well. KDE is a bit different, less minimalistic. I need to figure out how to do the post install bash script. That’s the main reason I haven’t switched.
Manjaro in itself is awesome, no fractional scaling issues found yet. I can even take screenshots (impossible with fractional scaling on Budgie).
Also I love the fact I already used Arch wiki often for Ubuntu and now use an Arch based distribution.
What I really did not like about Ubuntu: even though there is a lot written about Ubuntu and it has its own wiki, most information is incorrect, outdated or incomplete.
I still love Budgie. But I only have HiDPI screens now. Making it quite unusable.
That’s the point - and a strength, depending of context. In the end, in your setup, documents for each user have their own « home ».
If you may use snap app’s, beware they won’t access to /userdata ( at the root of system ), unless using bind~mounts eventually.
What I suggested is : using « fundamental » users, rights and permissions may be easier and simpler in the long run.
All paths lead to Roma, anyway.
A year later…
Let’s say you have an already FF in workspace #4.
You’re actually on workspace #1. If you open there a new instance of FF, any link clicked anywhere will open into the FF in that #1 workspace.
In other words, if you have many instances of FF running, links from anywhere will open in the « last » FF you were using , the last one you focused on.
Knowing that, just be sure to leave « focused » the FF instance of your choice.