Creo Fails to Switch windows.

[CS_10428158]

I have a problem with switching windows. When I attempt to go to another window.  It will attempt to activate the window and then switch back to the original window.  This leaves me with no way to actually get to that window that I want to work on because it keeps switching back.  
The only manner to work around this issue is to hide or close the window that Creo keeps attempting to return to.  I cannot find a reason for this behavior. There are no active tools.

Does anyone else have this issue?

[Chris3]

Yes. We have this issue. I think it is a bug that was introduced in Creo 7? I have not been able to get a non-proprietary repeatable case to send into Tech Support though.

Our work around as you mentioned is to close the window that it jumps back to.

I think this happens because of the hidden background family table instances that Creo makes. 

[CS_10428158]

My assemblies do not have any family table member. It seems to occur even with simple parts.

[StephenW]

The only time I think I have had this problem is with large assemblies and/or large drawings where creo seems to want to shift focus back on the big assembly/drawing.

The "hidden background family table instances" Chris is refering to is associated to assembly cuts and flexible modeling. The features create "hidden" family tables. 

I believe your issue could be related to graphics card/driver issues or possibly a 3d mouse if used.

[CS_10428158]

Well this occurs with a large assembly, but what will happen is I will try to shift from a small part back to the main assembly, however, it will shift back to the original small part window.  

I don't have a 3d mouse.  I do have the latest drivers and they don't seem to have improved or worsened the issue. 

There may be external references in the main assembly. However, I'm pretty sure the single part that is being jumped back to doesn't have any.

[Dale_Rosema]

When you say you have the "latest drivers", is it the latest approved drivers, or the latest drivers?

[Chris3]

It is not mapkey related. For us it only happens with large assemblies which are not something I can give to PTC thus making it hard to troubleshoot. I *suspect* that Creo is opening a window for the hidden family table, does it's modification and then closes it (without the user ever seeing it). When it closes the hidden instance window it reverts to activating the large assembly where that instance reports. This is all pure speculation on my part though.

[tbraxton]

I have this issue constantly (Creo 7.110) and also in Creo 4. I have not figured out what triggers it, but I suspect it may be the use of mapkeys.

Using a single monitor. When I am using copy/paste special between two models and mapping references the reference window only comes to focus once, after I make the initial reference pick the reference window will not come back to focus. This is also true when placing subordinate UDFs, the reference window is only visible one time and does not automatically come back into focus as it should.

If I open a new session of Creo and test it without using mapkeys it works as expected.

[kdirth]

Is there anything in the trail file that could give a clue as to what is happening.  I have not noticed this issue with any version of Creo. I am currently using 7.10.

Using window selection menu in Creo I see this in trail file:

~ Command `ProCmdWinRadio` `P6700_WK2230_LH_SP.PRT.1`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
~ Command `ProCmdWinRadio` `S46965.PRT.1`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid

Clicking between windows I see this in trail file:

~ Trail `UI Desktop` `UI Desktop` `ActivateOnFocus` \
`main_dlg_w2`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
~ Move `main_dlg_cur` `proe_win` 9 341 138 0 1 406 903 1600 1200 20880835
~ Trail `UI Desktop` `UI Desktop` `ActivateOnFocus` \
`main_dlg_w3`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
~ Move `main_dlg_cur` `proe_win` 9 120 158 0 1 1368 809 1600 1200 20882313

Using the windows task bar to switch focus I see this in the trail file:

~ Trail `UI Desktop` `UI Desktop` `ActivateOnFocus` \
`main_dlg_w2`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
~ Trail `UI Desktop` `UI Desktop` `ActivateOnFocus` \
`main_dlg_w3`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 1 : MT Part Solid

[CS_10428158]

I'll look into the trail file.

[CS_10428158]

Below is a portion of the trail file when attempting to switch to the main assembly.  It seems that there is a notification manager that is bringing it back to the original part.

*********************************************************************************************************

~ Command `ProCmdWinRadio` `ASSEMBLY.ASM.1`
!Command ProCmdInfoNmgrLightDlg was pushed from the software.
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 6 : MT Asm Design
!Command ProCmdInfoNmgrLightDlg was pushed from the software.
~ Wheel `main_dlg_cur` `proe_win` 9 273 258 458752 1536 1595 950 1920 1200 54309394
~ Trail `UI Desktop` `UI Desktop` `ActivateOnFocus` \
`main_dlg_w2`
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 6 : MT Asm Design
~ Command `ProCmdWinRadio` `ASSEMBLY.ASM.1`
!Command ProCmdInfoNmgrLightDlg was pushed from the software.
!MT_CUST - Applied settings for mode # 6 : MT Asm Design
!Command ProCmdInfoNmgrLightDlg was pushed from the software.

[kdirth]

Based on "ProCmdInfoNmgrLightDlg" in the trail file, I found this article that may help:

CS337697 

[StephenW]

Once it happens to me once or twice, I generally try to order or move my windows so I don't have to fight with it. Honestly, if I have a large assy or large drawing, I try not to have too many windows open, mostly due to this issue. It can be frustrating to try to micro-manage windows

[tbraxton]

When copying features from one model to another. in Creo 7.110. Here is an example of the advanced reference configurator being lowered and rendered inaccessible. I can reproduce this on demand with multiple models. Does anyone think that this is intended behavior? The paradigm in the past (long past) was to have focus go to this window for the selection of each reference and then to confirm the completion of the paste special operation.

[TomU]

I'm noticed that same problem the other day, and it's worse in Creo 9 since each window is full screen by default, meaning you can't tell if another window popped up or took focus.

[Domen]

Hi.

I noticed the same behavior when working with large assemblies.

I noticed this problem when there are multiple windows open and notification center shows a notification (yellow or red flag). If there are no problems in notification center, then switching between windows is normal.

So I made a few test. If I set a few Notification center options (Outdated mass properties, Outdated placement or feature, Reference not in session) to Do not show, then switching stared working normally.

Did anybody notice similar behavior with Notification Center options solving the problem?

Regards,

Domen

[ChrisStro]

This is a very repeatable bug and I have seen this from Creo 4 to 10. It requires a large assembly and other Creo documents to be open. When switching windows to the large assembly the Windows spiny circle will appear for however long it takes followed by the stop process sign on the bottom display bar. Once processing is complete, Creo will then switch to the last window prior to the large assembly.

To stop this from happening, after switching to the large assembly window, immediately shift Windows focus to some other window which is not Creo, such as a web browser, for example.

You can then hover the mouse over the Creo assembly window, WITHOUT clicking it and activating it, to see the Windows spiny circle followed by the stop process sign on the bottom display. Once the process is complete, IE the stop process sign disappears, you can then click the window and continue working.