Tool Windows stacking order in macOS

[zoomer]

Like in this example when I went from one OS X Space with VW to another

Space with Safari to write that post and come back to VW Space again >>>

(Maybe that will happen also without using Spaces simply by switching between Apps,

but I do use Spaces between different Tasks/Apps)

 

when I had Tool Windows like "Organization" with some of its Sub Windows open,

after coming back, the stacking order of those Windows will be flipped.

 

That means that the most upper "active" Window,

that you have to OK or Cancel to be able to reach and re-activate the other parent Windows "below" again,

will be hidden in the back.

 

You will only realize that there is another active Window because the Window you can see is locked

and by that error sound from OS X.

The only way to reach that active Sub Window again is by moving the covering locked Windows above away.

Even if you can see your active Window partly again, clicking into that Window will not bring it to front again.

You have to clear your View until you reach the OK/Cancel buttons.

 

And that gets even worse when there where more than on Sub Window dialogs.

Like Organization >Design Layers > New > Import

 

Edited April 13, 2017 by zoomer

[PVA - Admin]

I have seen what you describe before, but I am not able to replicate it now on 10.12.4 with 2017 SP3. To replicate, I used these steps:

1) Using Mission Control add another space via the + button near the top right.

2) Launch Vectorworks, then move the application window to the new Space.

3) Launch Safari and Chrome in another separate space.

4) In Vectorworks, open Tools > Organization, and then I also edited a class to get a stack of dialog boxes up.

5) Switch to the browsr space by double clicking either of the browser icons in the dock.

6) switch back to Vectorworks by double clicking the Vectorworks icon in the dock.

I repeated 5 and 6 a number of times, but was unable to replicate what you describe. The stacking order of the dialogs stays as it should. I have seen the issue where the color picker hides behind the Edit Texture dialog and that has been confirmed and filed, but it is unrelated to spaces in my tests here.

[zoomer]

Interesting, thanks Jim.

Hmmh, it happens always.

 

1. I don't double click on Dock Icons to switch between Apps but single click.

It doesn't matter if I double click anyway.

 

2. I set my System Settings > Mission Control : jump to correspondent Space when switching Apps : activated

 

3. I set my Apps to always use that special Space

(RMB on App Dock Icon > Options > This Space)

 

Do you have that too or would that make a difference for you ?

Edited April 13, 2017 by zoomer