Backdrop issues

[stam]

Hi all,
(MacOS Ventura/LC 9.6.9)

when I first started using LC I had the backdrop on all the time and it worked as intended - in other words it would separate all LC windows from any other app, to make it easier to move between LC and other apps.

For a while I had need of directly accessing stuff desktop files while still in the IDE, so I switched off the backdrop.

However having now gone back to using this I'm getting several issues I'm not sure I ever had before:
1. Clicking on the backdrop itself causes a massive flicker, showing underlying things like desktop icons
2. The backdrop no longer separates LC from other apps. Really annoyingly the back drop just behaves like another LC window, so I get other apps' windows interspersed between backdrop and other LC windows.

As an example, I alt-tabbed into LC writing this and this and the browser is hiding most things except a floating palette - supremely annoying:

Is there anyway to fix this, so when switching to LC all other apps are hidden by the backdrop, I'm I'm sure it used to do?

Many thanks
Stam

[richmond62]

I have just been fiddling around with LC 963 and am getting what you get when I change between apps by clicking on their windows.

HOWEVER, switching between apps using their icons on the Macintosh Dock works as things should.

[dunbarx]

Stam.

I never use or have used the backdrop.

When you say "separate all LC windows from any other app" I assume you mean that the backdrop covers everything except LC. True? If i turn on backdrop the only way to access other apps is through the dock, correct? Anyway, I get no distinct flicker when moving between LC and the rest of the world, though I do get one when simply clicking on the backdrop itself.

Ventura, LC 9.9.9.

Craig

[RCozens]

Hi Stam,

Did you set the hideBackdrop property to true or set the backdrop to none? In either case you might try the other approach and see if you get a different result.

Cheers!

Rob

[RCozens]

However having now gone back to using this I'm getting several issues I'm not sure I ever had before:
1. Clicking on the backdrop itself causes a massive flicker, showing underlying things like desktop icons
2. The backdrop no longer separates LC from other apps. Really annoyingly the back drop just behaves like another LC window, so I get other apps' windows interspersed between backdrop and other LC windows.

A couple more thoughts:

1. The flickering may not be related to the backdrop issue. While I (Win 10, LC 9.6.9) regularly change the backdrop color in my app, I had never turned it off until testing your issue this morning; however I have occasionally experienced the flicker. It hasn't happened with enough frequency to pinpoint what triggers it.

2. If I bring an open app (eg: the calculator) to the front or open a new app, it appears over LC, but if I then select LC from the task bar that app is once again hidden.

Rob

[stam]

Thanks all, but this annoyance persists...

windows from any other app" I assume you mean that the backdrop covers everything except LC. True?

True

Anyway, I get no distinct flicker when moving between LC and the rest of the world, though I do get one when simply clicking on the backdrop itself.

Hi Craig, the flicker I mentioned is only on clicking on the backdrop, which I'm fairly certain it never used to do. And yes, the idea of the backdrop is to obscure other apps, but when I switch between apps, the last used app appears in front of LC even though the active app is LC (if I 'hide other apps' then it's like it's supposed to be, but to me that indicates incorrect functionality).
What I don't know is if there is a MacOS setting that will make this work as intended...

HOWEVER, switching between apps using their icons on the Macintosh Dock works as things should.

Hi Richmond - that does seem. to work, until I click on an LC window - then the last used app pops in front to give the same appearance as my screenshot above; the active app is still LiveCode, but the window I see is the last used app.

Did you set the hideBackdrop property to true or set the backdrop to none? In either case you might try the other approach and see if you get a different result.

Hi Rob - made no difference (not that I expected it to!)


This is quite the annoyance... I only used the backdrop again because I was getting issues with other windows being interspersed between LC windows and thought the backdrop should help.
I wonder if there is some change in MacOS' app switching causing this issue in Ventura...?

[stam]

Further to this: I disabled the backdrop - this is clearly malfunctioning for me, with the flicker on clicking the backdrop and the issues on app-switching.

I also found a system setting Group Windows By Application in the Desktop and Dock System Setting. With this on, at least app switching seems to work as intended with the backdrop switched off. But if I put the backdrop back on, it all goes to pot...

Not sure if others are experiencing the same? (LC 9.6.9 on MacOS Ventura 13.3.1) If yes, will submit a bug report for this annoyance...

S.

[jacque]

I'm not on Ventura yet but what you describe sounds like a bug to me. It's probably worth a report.

[stam]

I'm not on Ventura yet but what you describe sounds like a bug to me. It's probably worth a report.

Thanks Jacque,
Bug report submitted: https://quality.livecode.com/show_bug.cgi?id=24200

[FourthWorld]

Thank you for submitting that. And kudos to the team for the fast confirmation.

[stam]

Thank you for submitting that. And kudos to the team for the fast confirmation.

Indeed I see the Panos has pretty immediately confirmed this to be a bug with Ventura - interestingly someone independently posted the same bug today