If I switch workspace, focus moves to different VS Code instance

[wivory]

Issue Type: Bug

I have 2 VS code instances running, each using a different workspace. If I switch the second instance to a third workspace, I'm immediately 'moved' to the other VS Code instance. When I move back, I can see that the workspace has been changed, but it's not exactly helpful being forcibly moved to the other VS Code instance. This worked fine prior to the most recent upgrade, though IIRC it did happen at one point in the past and I had to revert to an earlier version for a while.

Has the default value of some setting been changed? It's incredibly annoying being moved between instances of VS Code, especially when they are in different linux virtual workspaces.

VS Code version: Code 1.49.0 (e790b93, 2020-09-10T13:20:50.359Z)
OS version: Linux x64 5.4.0-47-generic

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7820HQ CPU @ 2.90GHz (8 x 3588)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled flash_3d: enabled flash_stage3d: enabled flash_stage3d_baseline: enabled gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on oop_rasterization: disabled_off opengl: enabled_on protected_video_decode: unavailable_off rasterization: disabled_software skia_renderer: enabled_on video_decode: unavailable_off vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled
Load (avg)	1, 2, 2
Memory (System)	62.43GB (45.55GB free)
Process Argv	--no-sandbox
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	cinnamon
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	X-Cinnamon
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	cinnamon
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	x11

Extensions (18)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
cpputest-test-adapter	bne	0.1.6
yacc	car	1.3.1
gitlens	eam	10.2.2
go	gol	0.16.2
vscode-test-explorer	hbe	2.19.1
workspacesort	ici	1.5.9
plantuml	jeb	2.13.13
kite	kit	0.123.0
autoconf	mae	0.1.0
code-groovy	mar	0.1.2
python	ms-	2020.8.108011
vscode-pylance	ms-	2020.9.4
cpptools	ms-	1.0.0
vscode-groovy-lint	Nic	1.2.8
vscode-print	pdc	0.7.15
rf-intellisense	Tom	2.8.0
vscode-workspace-explorer	tom	1.5.0
yang-vscode	typ	2.0.3

[bpasero]

@wivory can you post exact steps how to reproduce from zero preferrably with a fresh user data dir code --user-data-dir <empty dir>

[wivory]

First, I have reverted from 1.49.0 to 1.48.2 and the problem has disappeared, so whatever is in my user data dir used to work just fine prior to the latest release. So, for now at least, I can't see any use in using a fresh user data dir.

I'm running Ubuntu 20.04 with Cinnamon window manager. I have 5 virtual workspaces in use (I'll call these Cinnamon-workspaces below for clarity). To reproduce the problem:

• start 'code' in one Cinnamon-workspace; it starts and opens the last used code-workspace
• start 'code' in a second Cinnamon-workspace (it comes up not set to any workspace, as expected)
• select code-workspace 'B' in second code instance. I'm immediately moved to the Cinnamon-workspace containing the first instance of 'code'. If I move back to the Cinnamon-workspace containing the second instance of 'code', it has switched to the requested workspace.

In Code 1.48.2, when I select the code-workspace B in the second code instance, this instance of code opens the requested workspace, and I remain viewing this code instance in this Cinnamon-workspace, as you would expect.