@@ -434,6 +434,11 @@ *a = NULL;
     }
 }
 
+void setup_action_focus(ObAction **a, ObUserAction uact)
+{
+    (*a)->data.any.client_action = OB_CLIENT_ACTION_OPTIONAL;
+}
+
 void setup_client_action(ObAction **a, ObUserAction uact)
 {
     (*a)->data.any.client_action = OB_CLIENT_ACTION_ALWAYS;
@@ -494,7 +499,7 @@ },
     {
         "focus",
         action_focus,
-        setup_client_action
+        setup_action_focus
     },
     {
         "unfocus",
@@ -1159,15 +1164,22 @@ }
 
 void action_focus(union ActionData *data)
 {
-    /* similar to the openbox dock for dockapps, don't let user actions give
-       focus to 3rd-party docks (panels) either (unless they ask for it
-       themselves). */
-    if (data->client.any.c->type != OB_CLIENT_TYPE_DOCK) {
-        /* if using focus_delay, stop the timer now so that focus doesn't go
-           moving on us */
-        event_halt_focus_delay();
+    if (data->client.any.c) {
+        /* similar to the openbox dock for dockapps, don't let user actions
+           give focus to 3rd-party docks (panels) either (unless they ask for
+           it themselves). */
+        if (data->client.any.c->type != OB_CLIENT_TYPE_DOCK) {
+            /* if using focus_delay, stop the timer now so that focus doesn't
+               go moving on us */
+            event_halt_focus_delay();
 
-        client_focus(data->client.any.c);
+            client_focus(data->client.any.c);
+        }
+    } else {
+        /* focus action on something other than a client, make keybindings
+           work for this openbox instance, but don't focus any specific client
+        */
+        focus_nothing();
     }
 }
 

@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ Time time;
 } ObFocusDelayData;
 
 static void event_process(const XEvent *e, gpointer data);
-static void event_client_dest(ObClient *client, gpointer data);
 static void event_handle_root(XEvent *e);
 static void event_handle_menu(XEvent *e);
 static void event_handle_dock(ObDock *s, XEvent *e);
@@ -164,7 +163,6 @@ IceAddConnectionWatch(ice_watch, NULL);
 #endif
 
     client_add_destructor(focus_delay_client_dest, NULL);
-    client_add_destructor(event_client_dest, NULL);
 }
 
 void event_shutdown(gboolean reconfig)
@@ -176,7 +174,6 @@ IceRemoveConnectionWatch(ice_watch, NULL);
 #endif
 
     client_remove_destructor(focus_delay_client_dest);
-    client_remove_destructor(event_client_dest);
     XFreeModifiermap(modmap);
 }
 
@@ -395,11 +392,8 @@ {
     switch(e->type) {
     case FocusIn:
     case FocusOut:
-        if (!wanted_focusevent(e)) {
-            ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS, "focus event ignored\n");
+        if (!wanted_focusevent(e))
             return TRUE;
-        }
-        ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS, "focus event used;\n");
         break;
     }
     return FALSE;
@@ -442,29 +436,6 @@ break;
             }
         }
 
-    if (e->type == FocusIn || e->type == FocusOut) {
-        gint mode = e->xfocus.mode;
-        gint detail = e->xfocus.detail;
-        Window window = e->xfocus.window;
-        if (detail == NotifyVirtual) {
-            ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS,
-                          "FOCUS %s NOTIFY VIRTUAL window 0x%x\n",
-                          (e->type == FocusIn ? "IN" : "OUT"), window);
-        }
-
-        else if (detail == NotifyNonlinearVirtual) {
-            ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS,
-                          "FOCUS %s NOTIFY NONLINVIRTUAL window 0x%x\n",
-                          (e->type == FocusIn ? "IN" : "OUT"), window);
-        }
-
-        else
-            ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS,
-                          "UNKNOWN FOCUS %s (d %d, m %d) window 0x%x\n",
-                          (e->type == FocusIn ? "IN" : "OUT"),
-                          detail, mode, window);
-    }
-
     event_set_curtime(e);
     event_hack_mods(e);
     if (event_ignore(e, client)) {
@@ -495,9 +466,9 @@ or the root window, so fall back to something other than the
                window which had it. */
             focus_fallback(FALSE);
         } else if (client && client != focus_client) {
-            focus_set_client(client);
             frame_adjust_focus(client->frame, TRUE);
             client_calc_layer(client);
+            focus_set_client(client);
         }
     } else if (e->type == FocusOut) {
         gboolean nomove = FALSE;
@@ -510,6 +481,8 @@ if (!XCheckIfEvent(ob_display, &ce, look_for_focusin, NULL)) {
             /* There is no FocusIn, this means focus went to a window that
                is not being managed, or a window on another screen. */
             ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS, "Focus went to a black hole !\n");
+            /* nothing is focused */
+            focus_set_client(NULL);
         } else if (ce.xany.window == e->xany.window) {
             /* If focus didn't actually move anywhere, there is nothing to do*/
             nomove = TRUE;
@@ -528,8 +501,6 @@ }
         }
 
         if (client && !nomove) {
-            /* This client is no longer focused, so show that */
-            focus_hilite = NULL;
             frame_adjust_focus(client->frame, FALSE);
             client_calc_layer(client);
         }
@@ -594,8 +565,7 @@ e->type == MotionNotify) {
                     mouse_event(client, e);
                 } else if (e->type == KeyPress) {
                     keyboard_event((focus_cycle_target ? focus_cycle_target :
-                                    (focus_hilite ? focus_hilite : client)),
-                                   e);
+                                    client), e);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -1374,12 +1344,6 @@ static void focus_delay_client_dest(ObClient *client, gpointer data)
 {
     ob_main_loop_timeout_remove_data(ob_main_loop, focus_delay_func,
                                      client, FALSE);
-}
-
-static void event_client_dest(ObClient *client, gpointer data)
-{
-    if (client == focus_hilite)
-        focus_hilite = NULL;
 }
 
 void event_halt_focus_delay()

@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include <glib.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
-ObClient *focus_client, *focus_hilite;
-GList *focus_order;
-ObClient *focus_cycle_target;
+ObClient *focus_client = NULL;
+GList *focus_order = NULL;
+ObClient *focus_cycle_target = NULL;
 
 struct {
     InternalWindow top;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ 
         client_add_destructor(focus_cycle_destructor, NULL);
 
         /* start with nothing focused */
-        focus_set_client(NULL);
+        focus_nothing();
 
         focus_indicator.top.obwin.type = Window_Internal;
         focus_indicator.left.obwin.type = Window_Internal;
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ 
 void focus_set_client(ObClient *client)
 {
     Window active;
-    ObClient *old;
 
     ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS,
                   "focus_set_client 0x%lx\n", client ? client->window : 0);
@@ -165,37 +164,26 @@ /* uninstall the old colormap, and install the new one */
     screen_install_colormap(focus_client, FALSE);
     screen_install_colormap(client, TRUE);
 
-    if (client == NULL) {
-        ob_debug_type(OB_DEBUG_FOCUS, "actively focusing NONWINDOW\n");
-
-        /* when nothing will be focused, send focus to the backup target */
-        XSetInputFocus(ob_display, screen_support_win, RevertToNone,
-                       event_curtime);
-        XSync(ob_display, FALSE);
-    }
-
     /* in the middle of cycling..? kill it. CurrentTime is fine, time won't
        be used.
     */
     if (focus_cycle_target)
         focus_cycle(TRUE, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE);
 
-    old = focus_client;
     focus_client = client;
 
-    /* move to the top of the list */
-    if (client != NULL)
+    if (client != NULL) {
+        /* move to the top of the list */
         push_to_top(client);
+        /* remove hiliting from the window when it gets focused */
+        client_hilite(client, FALSE);
+    }
 
     /* set the NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW hint, but preserve it on shutdown */
     if (ob_state() != OB_STATE_EXITING) {
         active = client ? client->window : None;
         PROP_SET32(RootWindow(ob_display, ob_screen),
                    net_active_window, window, active);
-
-        /* remove hiliting from the window when it gets focused */
-        if (client != NULL)
-            client_hilite(client, FALSE);
     }
 }
 
@@ -280,10 +268,23 @@ /* unfocus any focused clients.. they can be focused by Pointer events
        and such, and then when I try focus them, I won't get a FocusIn event
        at all for them.
     */
-    focus_set_client(NULL);
+    focus_nothing();
 
     if ((new = focus_fallback_target(allow_refocus, old)))
         client_focus(new);
+}
+
+void focus_nothing()
+{
+    /* Install our own colormap */
+    if (focus_client != NULL) {
+        screen_install_colormap(focus_client, FALSE);
+        screen_install_colormap(NULL, TRUE);
+    }
+
+    /* when nothing will be focused, send focus to the backup target */
+    XSetInputFocus(ob_display, screen_support_win, RevertToPointerRoot,
+                   event_curtime);
 }
 
 static void popup_cycle(ObClient *c, gboolean show)

@@ -29,14 +29,6 @@ struct _ObClient;
 
 /*! The client which is currently focused */
 extern struct _ObClient *focus_client;
-/*! The client which is being decorated as focused, not always matching the
-  real focus, but this is used to track it so that it can be resolved to match.
-
-  This is for when you change desktops. We know which window is *going to be*
-  focused, so we hilight it. But since it's hilighted, we also want
-  keybindings to go to it, which is really what this is for.
-*/
-extern struct _ObClient *focus_hilite;
 /*! The client which appears focused during a focus cycle operation */
 extern struct _ObClient *focus_cycle_target;
 
@@ -49,6 +41,9 @@ 
 /*! Specify which client is currently focused, this doesn't actually
   send focus anywhere, its called by the Focus event handlers */
 void focus_set_client(struct _ObClient *client);
+
+/*! Focus nothing, but let keyboard events be caught. */
+void focus_nothing();
 
 struct _ObClient* focus_fallback_target(gboolean allow_refocus,
                                         struct _ObClient *old);

@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ }
 
 void screen_set_desktop(guint num)
 {
+    ObClient *c;
     GList *it;
     guint old;
      
@@ -459,19 +460,10 @@ client_hide(c);
         }
     }
 
-    focus_hilite = focus_fallback_target(TRUE, focus_client);
-    if (focus_hilite) {
-        frame_adjust_focus(focus_hilite->frame, TRUE);
-
-        /*!
-          When this focus_client check is not used, you can end up with
-          races, as demonstrated with gnome-panel, sometimes the window
-          you click on another desktop ends up losing focus cuz of the
-          focus change here.
-        */
-        /*if (!focus_client)*/
-        client_focus(focus_hilite);
-    }
+    /* reduce flicker by hiliting now rather than waiting for the server
+       FocusIn event */
+    if ((c = focus_fallback_target(TRUE, focus_client)))
+        frame_adjust_focus(c->frame, TRUE);
 
     event_ignore_queued_enters();
 }
@@ -895,21 +887,12 @@ client_focus(it->data))
                 break;
         }
     } else {
+        ObClient *c;
+
         /* use NULL for the "old" argument because the desktop was focused
            and we don't want to fallback to the desktop by default */
-        focus_hilite = focus_fallback_target(TRUE, NULL);
-        if (focus_hilite) {
-            frame_adjust_focus(focus_hilite->frame, TRUE);
-
-            /*!
-              When this focus_client check is not used, you can end up with
-              races, as demonstrated with gnome-panel, sometimes the window
-              you click on another desktop ends up losing focus cuz of the
-              focus change here.
-            */
-            /*if (!focus_client)*/
-            client_focus(focus_hilite);
-        }
+        if ((c = focus_fallback_target(TRUE, NULL)))
+            client_focus(c);
     }
 
     show = !!show; /* make it boolean */