Dialog box opens up behind systemWindow stack

[raugert]

Note: I changed the title of the post for better clarity... I hope it ok..

I use the "systemWindow" command to keep my stack on top of other applications. When I open a dialog box like "answer file" or answer "yes" "no" to quit, the dialog box appears behind my application window. So to bring the dialog box to the front, I temporarily issue a systemWindow False command to my stack, but I get a "screen flash" when doing this. Is there another way to bring the dialog boxes to the front and leave the systemWindow true so I don't get the screen flash ? This only happens on Windows platform and not on Mac.

Code: Select all

case "Quit" 
         lock screen
         if the hilite of button "Always On Top" is true then set the systemwindow of stack "vMIx Panel Builder" to false
         answer "Do you really want to quit?" with "No" or "Yes"
         if it is "Yes" then
            send "quitMyProject" to stack "myApp" in 0 millisecs
         end if
         set the systemwindow of stack "myAppr" to hilite of button "Always On Top"
         unlock screen
         break

[richmond62]

I wonder why your dialog box is appearing behind the main stack:
is it a home-made dialog rather than the standard one built into LiveCode?

[raugert]

No, it's the standard Livecode dialog box. It only happens when I set systemWindow of my stack to true. Otherwise it appears in the front as normal.

[jacque]

A system window floats over everything else so it's to be expected that a dialog will appear behind it. When you change a window style, LC must destroy the old window and create a new one, which is why you see the flash. There is no way to ask the OS to change the style of an existing window, it has to be created new. A lockscreen won't help because screen locks only apply to the current window, and that one is about to be destroyed.

The only workaround I can see is to use a group in the system stack instead of a dialog. In other words, do everything inside the system window.

[raugert]

Thank-you jacque,

That is a great explanation. I could easily create a group for a simple yes/no dialog, but when I ‘open or save’ a file, I use the “answer file” dialog. That would be more complicated to create from scratch. I think I’ll live with the flashing in that case..

Thanks for your help,
Richard

[jmburnod]

Hi Richard,

That would be more complicated to create from scratch

Yes, if you want save to/ open from anyplace.
You may decide for one destination/source folder in documents folder or in the folder of your app to save/open file without answer/ask file.
Best regards
Jean-Marc

[karmacomposer]

I am having the same problem.

In Windows 10, everything works perfectly in the editor. However, after building, ask and answer dialogs are hidden or behind other items in the stack.

How can I fix this? I need answer and ask dialogs to appear like they should.

I can't seem to find anything in the build options that would fix this.

Thank you for any help.

Mike

[jacque]

Nothing has changed since the first responses. A system window floats above everything else, that's its purpose. Try the suggestion above, setting it to false before showing a dialog.

[FourthWorld]

Are there examples of apps from major vendors in which systemWindow-level windows are in front of dialogs opened from such a window?

True, systemWindow is designed to have a window above all others.

But modal dialogs are also designed to be above all others. And given their role, it seems reasonable that a modal dialog opened from any window - even a palette, even with systemWindow true - would be in front of the window invoking it.

I'd flag this as a bug.