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focus (active window) not returning?



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 17th 12, 12:06 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,291
Default focus (active window) not returning?

I've had this from the year dot, so just assumed it was part of Windows,
but suddenly thought I'd ask if anyone knows a way round it:

Sometimes closing something leaves no window/process as the "active" one
(in default colour scheme, all title bars are grey none blue).

For example, if I'm doing something, and open Task Manager, then close
Task Manager, I have to click back on (or Alt-Tab to, use the Taskbar
button, etc.) the window I was working in to get focus back to it.

I've just experimented, and it's only _some_ applications: for example,
Firefox (11.0) and Explorer (Windows, not IE) both _do_ get focus back.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

'So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people
to work' - Peter Drucker, "management guru", quoted by Alan Howard in
Computing,
10 December 1998.
Ads
  #2  
Old March 17th 12, 02:56 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
SC Tom[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,089
Default focus (active window) not returning?


"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ...
I've had this from the year dot, so just assumed it was part of Windows, but suddenly thought I'd ask if anyone knows
a way round it:

Sometimes closing something leaves no window/process as the "active" one (in default colour scheme, all title bars are
grey none blue).

For example, if I'm doing something, and open Task Manager, then close Task Manager, I have to click back on (or
Alt-Tab to, use the Taskbar button, etc.) the window I was working in to get focus back to it.

I've just experimented, and it's only _some_ applications: for example, Firefox (11.0) and Explorer (Windows, not IE)
both _do_ get focus back.


Mine's been that way from day one, also. I find if I minimize my window, whatever is under it gets the focus. But if I
close it, then I have to click on either the old window or the task bar to change focus. In my case, not even IE picks
up the focus on closing a different app.

I posted a similar question years ago about the differences in focus for different programs, but never got a fix or even
a really reasonable explanation other than "that's just the way it is." My example was when in OE (or even WLM on my
Win7 machine), if I move the cursor from the Folders list to the Message side, I can scroll through the messages without
clicking on anything. But in Explorer, I have to click in the right-hand pane in order to scroll.
May be a different focus issue, but similar I think. Sorry, I can't help you, but I'll be following this thread, too :-)
--
SC Tom

  #3  
Old March 17th 12, 03:00 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In ,
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
I've had this from the year dot, so just assumed it was part of
Windows, but suddenly thought I'd ask if anyone knows a way round it:

Sometimes closing something leaves no window/process as the "active"
one (in default colour scheme, all title bars are grey none blue).

For example, if I'm doing something, and open Task Manager, then close
Task Manager, I have to click back on (or Alt-Tab to, use the Taskbar
button, etc.) the window I was working in to get focus back to it.

I've just experimented, and it's only _some_ applications: for
example, Firefox (11.0) and Explorer (Windows, not IE) both _do_ get
focus back.


I use AltDesk most of the time, so this behavior is different than stock
Windows. And I can have as many desktops as I want. One thing I really
like about AltDesk is not having to minimize one application and
restoring another. As I just use one hotkey to do both at the same time.

Anyway how it works here is each desktop has its own active window. And
it stays that way even using a hotkey to jump around from desktop to
desktop.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


  #4  
Old March 18th 12, 02:31 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,291
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In message , SC Tom writes:
[]
I posted a similar question years ago about the differences in focus
for different programs, but never got a fix or even a really reasonable
explanation other than "that's just the way it is." My example was when
in OE (or even WLM on my Win7 machine), if I move the cursor from the
Folders list to the Message side, I can scroll through the messages
without clicking on anything. But in Explorer, I have to click in the
right-hand pane in order to scroll.
May be a different focus issue, but similar I think. Sorry, I can't
help you, but I'll be following this thread, too :-)


It is a different focus issue, but at least you understood what I was on
about!

As for your one, I think some of the explorer alternatives _do_ offer
the behaviour you desire - I think some of them call it something like
Xerox-like, as other OSs do have this mode. Or it might be add-ons that
give you that mode - possibly even variations to the mouse (or touchpad)
driver. (I thought I'd seen it in the Synaptics settings, but I've just
had a quick look and can't see it.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
-Arthur C Clarke, science fiction writer (1917- )
  #5  
Old March 18th 12, 02:33 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,291
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In message , BillW50
writes:
[]
I use AltDesk most of the time, so this behavior is different than stock
Windows. And I can have as many desktops as I want. One thing I really
like about AltDesk is not having to minimize one application and
restoring another. As I just use one hotkey to do both at the same time.


(How does it know which two windows to minimise/maximise?)

Anyway how it works here is each desktop has its own active window. And
it stays that way even using a hotkey to jump around from desktop to
desktop.

I think that's a little radical for me at my stage, though thanks for
suggesting!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
-Arthur C Clarke, science fiction writer (1917- )
  #6  
Old March 18th 12, 03:25 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
SC Tom[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,089
Default focus (active window) not returning?


"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message ...
In message , SC Tom writes:
[]
I posted a similar question years ago about the differences in focus for different programs, but never got a fix or
even a really reasonable explanation other than "that's just the way it is." My example was when in OE (or even WLM on
my Win7 machine), if I move the cursor from the Folders list to the Message side, I can scroll through the messages
without clicking on anything. But in Explorer, I have to click in the right-hand pane in order to scroll.
May be a different focus issue, but similar I think. Sorry, I can't help you, but I'll be following this thread, too
:-)


It is a different focus issue, but at least you understood what I was on about!

As for your one, I think some of the explorer alternatives _do_ offer the behaviour you desire - I think some of them
call it something like Xerox-like, as other OSs do have this mode. Or it might be add-ons that give you that mode -
possibly even variations to the mouse (or touchpad) driver. (I thought I'd seen it in the Synaptics settings, but I've
just had a quick look and can't see it.)


There probably is an add-on or replacement that would accomplish that, but I don't feel like loading my system up with a
bunch of third-party stuff that may, after a Microsoft update or two, prove to be non-beneficial. It's really not that
big of a deal, but always thought it would be nice to have incorporated into the OS.
I looked at my Synaptic (touchpad) and SetPoint (Bluetooth Logitech mouse) settings and didn't see anything either. I
looked at my Intellipoint settings on my desktop PC, and there's nothing there, either. Oh well, I've lived with it this
long. . .

( Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
-Arthur C Clarke, science fiction writer (1917- )
very true :-) )
--
SC Tom

  #7  
Old March 18th 12, 04:16 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In ,
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , BillW50
writes:
[]
I use AltDesk most of the time, so this behavior is different than
stock Windows. And I can have as many desktops as I want. One thing
I really like about AltDesk is not having to minimize one
application and restoring another. As I just use one hotkey to do
both at the same time.


(How does it know which two windows to minimise/maximise?)


Easy, run one application per desktop and then just switch to the other
application (in this case desktop).

Anyway how it works here is each desktop has its own active window.
And it stays that way even using a hotkey to jump around from
desktop to desktop.

I think that's a little radical for me at my stage, though thanks for
suggesting!


It isn't radical or anything really. I think it is totally practical
myself. There are lots of free ones out there and most of the free ones
only have up to four desktops. AltDesk you can have zillions of them if
you want to. Here are some free ones to play with.

Desktops
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../cc817881.aspx

Moo0 MultiDesktop (Free) - A Simple Multi-Desktop Environment
http://www.moo0.com/software/MultiDesktop/

Virtual desktops have been used a lot on *nix systems for years. Most
Windows users don't know anything about them though.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


  #8  
Old March 18th 12, 07:10 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In ,
BillW50 wrote:
In ,
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , BillW50
writes:
[]
I use AltDesk most of the time, so this behavior is different than
stock Windows. And I can have as many desktops as I want. One thing
I really like about AltDesk is not having to minimize one
application and restoring another. As I just use one hotkey to do
both at the same time.


(How does it know which two windows to minimise/maximise?)


Easy, run one application per desktop and then just switch to the
other application (in this case desktop).

Anyway how it works here is each desktop has its own active window.
And it stays that way even using a hotkey to jump around from
desktop to desktop.

I think that's a little radical for me at my stage, though thanks for
suggesting!


It isn't radical or anything really. I think it is totally practical
myself. There are lots of free ones out there and most of the free
ones only have up to four desktops. AltDesk you can have zillions of
them if you want to. Here are some free ones to play with.

Desktops
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../cc817881.aspx

Moo0 MultiDesktop (Free) - A Simple Multi-Desktop Environment
http://www.moo0.com/software/MultiDesktop/

Virtual desktops have been used a lot on *nix systems for years. Most
Windows users don't know anything about them though.


I was playing with the above two free ones and there is an old XP
PowerToys one called "Virtual Desktop Manager" that I think I like
better out of all of the free ones. I can't find a direct URL for it,
but if you go to:

Windows XP downloads - Microsoft Windows
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...ads/windows-xp

And the website has a PowerToys tab. Click on that one. Then you should
be able to see the Virtual Desktop Manager. And if you download and
install, you probably won't find it anywhere. No problem, because you
need to right click on the Taskbar select Tools and then Desktop Manager
and it will show up on the Taskbar. To turn it off, just check it again.
The options for it is right clicking on it. There is even a little help
file.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


  #9  
Old March 18th 12, 07:32 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
J. P. Gilliver (John)
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,291
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In message , BillW50
writes:
[]
I was playing with the above two free ones and there is an old XP
PowerToys one called "Virtual Desktop Manager" that I think I like
better out of all of the free ones. I can't find a direct URL for it,
but if you go to:

Windows XP downloads - Microsoft Windows
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...ads/windows-xp

And the website has a PowerToys tab. Click on that one. Then you should
be able to see the Virtual Desktop Manager. And if you download and


Direct URL seems to be http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=211482

install, you probably won't find it anywhere. No problem, because you
need to right click on the Taskbar select Tools and then Desktop Manager
and it will show up on the Taskbar. To turn it off, just check it again.
The options for it is right clicking on it. There is even a little help
file.

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Nothing is more dangerous than a boss with a spreadsheet. (Scott Adams [via
Dilbert], 1998-12-12)
  #10  
Old March 18th 12, 08:35 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In ,
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , BillW50
writes:
[]
I was playing with the above two free ones and there is an old XP
PowerToys one called "Virtual Desktop Manager" that I think I like
better out of all of the free ones. I can't find a direct URL for it,
but if you go to:

Windows XP downloads - Microsoft Windows
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...ads/windows-xp

And the website has a PowerToys tab. Click on that one. Then you
should be able to see the Virtual Desktop Manager. And if you
download and


Direct URL seems to be http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=211482

install, you probably won't find it anywhere. No problem, because you
need to right click on the Taskbar select Tools and then Desktop
Manager and it will show up on the Taskbar. To turn it off, just
check it again. The options for it is right clicking on it. There is
even a little help file.


Yes that will download the PowerToys one.

I found a really nice free one. It almost has everything that AltDesk
has, but this one is free. Lots of features too and supports unlimited
number of desktops like AltDesk does. It might be a little tough to set
it up at first (default is one desktop for example which is basically
worthless) if you don't understand virtual desktops too well. Maybe
playing with the others a bit to get a feel for virtual desktops first.

Virtual Dimension v0.94
http://virt-dimension.sourceforge.net/

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


  #11  
Old March 19th 12, 04:13 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
jim
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 132
Default focus (active window) not returning?

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:06:58 +0000, in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
, wrote

I've had this from the year dot, so just assumed it was part of Windows,
but suddenly thought I'd ask if anyone knows a way round it:

Sometimes closing something leaves no window/process as the "active" one
(in default colour scheme, all title bars are grey none blue).

For example, if I'm doing something, and open Task Manager, then close
Task Manager, I have to click back on (or Alt-Tab to, use the Taskbar
button, etc.) the window I was working in to get focus back to it.

I've just experimented, and it's only _some_ applications: for example,
Firefox (11.0) and Explorer (Windows, not IE) both _do_ get focus back.


Let me suggest this:

If you OVERTLY minimize your windows before going to your current window,
they are no longer 'active' and will not get a re-focus when you close
your current one. (I.E., you will return to desktop)

If you allow Win XP to auto-minimize the window by you simply changing
focus to another app, then the auto-minimized window remains in an
'active' list and when you close your current window, Win XP WILL refocus
to the last window used .

(did that make sense?)

jim

  #12  
Old March 19th 12, 05:38 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In news jim wrote on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:13:29 -0500:

If you allow Win XP to auto-minimize the window by you simply changing
focus to another app, then the auto-minimized window remains in an
'active' list and when you close your current window, Win XP WILL
refocus to the last window used .


Huh? How do you tell Windows to auto-minimize the application that lost
focus?

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


  #13  
Old March 19th 12, 06:17 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In ,
SC Tom wrote on Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:25:40 -0400:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...

As for your one, I think some of the explorer alternatives _do_
offer the behaviour you desire - I think some of them call it
something like Xerox-like, as other OSs do have this mode. Or it
might be add-ons that give you that mode - possibly even variations
to the mouse (or touchpad) driver. (I thought I'd seen it in the
Synaptics settings, but I've just had a quick look and can't see
it.)


There probably is an add-on or replacement that would accomplish
that, but I don't feel like loading my system up with a bunch of
third-party stuff that may, after a Microsoft update or two, prove to
be non-beneficial. It's really not that big of a deal, but always
thought it would be nice to have incorporated into the OS. I looked
at my Synaptic (touchpad) and SetPoint (Bluetooth Logitech
mouse) settings and didn't see anything either. I looked at my
Intellipoint settings on my desktop PC, and there's nothing there,
either. Oh well, I've lived with it this long. . .


Are you two speaking about Xmouse? If so, I seem to recall it is under
some (not all) versions of Synaptic drivers. Also Windows TweakUI offers
Xmouse control to be enabled too. You can also enable Xmouse under a
registry hack too.

And Tom... I used to like to keep all of my systems as close to stock as
I can keep them. As helping lots of people, you have to know how to do
things the stock way. I also wanted to stay away from third party
enhancements due to the possibility of stability issues too.

But ending up with more and more test machines, I started to play with
them more and more. And quite frankly, some of them I wouldn't want to
live without. And my fears of stability problems were mostly unfounded.
Sure you run into one once in a blue moon or something, but it isn't
that big of a deal really.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


  #14  
Old March 19th 12, 06:49 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
SC Tom[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,089
Default focus (active window) not returning?


"BillW50" wrote in message ...
In ,
SC Tom wrote on Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:25:40 -0400:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...

As for your one, I think some of the explorer alternatives _do_
offer the behaviour you desire - I think some of them call it
something like Xerox-like, as other OSs do have this mode. Or it
might be add-ons that give you that mode - possibly even variations
to the mouse (or touchpad) driver. (I thought I'd seen it in the
Synaptics settings, but I've just had a quick look and can't see
it.)


There probably is an add-on or replacement that would accomplish
that, but I don't feel like loading my system up with a bunch of
third-party stuff that may, after a Microsoft update or two, prove to
be non-beneficial. It's really not that big of a deal, but always
thought it would be nice to have incorporated into the OS. I looked at my Synaptic (touchpad) and SetPoint
(Bluetooth Logitech
mouse) settings and didn't see anything either. I looked at my
Intellipoint settings on my desktop PC, and there's nothing there,
either. Oh well, I've lived with it this long. . .


Are you two speaking about Xmouse? If so, I seem to recall it is under some (not all) versions of Synaptic drivers.
Also Windows TweakUI offers Xmouse control to be enabled too. You can also enable Xmouse under a registry hack too.

And Tom... I used to like to keep all of my systems as close to stock as I can keep them. As helping lots of people,
you have to know how to do things the stock way. I also wanted to stay away from third party enhancements due to the
possibility of stability issues too.

But ending up with more and more test machines, I started to play with them more and more. And quite frankly, some of
them I wouldn't want to live without. And my fears of stability problems were mostly unfounded. Sure you run into one
once in a blue moon or something, but it isn't that big of a deal really.


Oh, don't get me wrong, I've used plenty of 3rd-party stuff (and still do LOL). My objection (if that's what it truly
is; maybe "dissatisfaction" would be more appropriate) is to something working one way in one native program, but not
that same way in another native program.

I tried Xmouse in TweakUI for XP, and it works fine for changing focus (even bringing the newly focused on window to the
forefront, if you want it to), but not within the same window. It doesn't change the focus from the Folder pane to the
File pane in Explorer. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
--
SC Tom

  #15  
Old March 19th 12, 07:13 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
BillW50
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,556
Default focus (active window) not returning?

In ,
SC Tom wrote on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:49:43 -0400:
"BillW50" wrote in message
...
In ,
SC Tom wrote on Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:25:40 -0400:
"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...

As for your one, I think some of the explorer alternatives _do_
offer the behaviour you desire - I think some of them call it
something like Xerox-like, as other OSs do have this mode. Or it
might be add-ons that give you that mode - possibly even variations
to the mouse (or touchpad) driver. (I thought I'd seen it in the
Synaptics settings, but I've just had a quick look and can't see
it.)

There probably is an add-on or replacement that would accomplish
that, but I don't feel like loading my system up with a bunch of
third-party stuff that may, after a Microsoft update or two, prove
to be non-beneficial. It's really not that big of a deal, but always
thought it would be nice to have incorporated into the OS. I
looked at my Synaptic (touchpad) and SetPoint (Bluetooth Logitech
mouse) settings and didn't see anything either. I looked at my
Intellipoint settings on my desktop PC, and there's nothing there,
either. Oh well, I've lived with it this long. . .


Are you two speaking about Xmouse? If so, I seem to recall it is
under some (not all) versions of Synaptic drivers. Also Windows
TweakUI offers Xmouse control to be enabled too. You can also enable
Xmouse under a registry hack too. And Tom... I used to like to keep
all of my systems as close to
stock as I can keep them. As helping lots of people, you have to
know how to do things the stock way. I also wanted to stay away from
third party enhancements due to the possibility of stability issues
too. But ending up with more and more test machines, I started to
play
with them more and more. And quite frankly, some of them I wouldn't
want to live without. And my fears of stability problems were mostly
unfounded. Sure you run into one once in a blue moon or something,
but it isn't that big of a deal really.


Oh, don't get me wrong, I've used plenty of 3rd-party stuff (and
still do LOL). My objection (if that's what it truly is; maybe
"dissatisfaction" would be more appropriate) is to something working
one way in one native program, but not that same way in another
native program.
I tried Xmouse in TweakUI for XP, and it works fine for changing
focus (even bringing the newly focused on window to the forefront, if
you want it to), but not within the same window. It doesn't change
the focus from the Folder pane to the File pane in Explorer. Thanks
for the suggestion, though.


Oh ok... but Xmouse does work from pane to pane too. I just tried it
with OE6 and it works wonderfully. But it isn't working with Explorer
(Tab key works jumping focus between pane to pane though). I'll play
with it with other applications and see what panes Xmouse works with and
which ones it doesn't. Since I edit my posts within Word 2000, I just
checked Split window and Xmouse doesn't work there either. You still
have to click on the split window to change the focus.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3


 




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