Topic: Always on Top - how to prevent - help please (Read 2087 times)

MusicBringer · « **on:** July 11, 2022, 10:22:05 am »

Hello,
I have MC 29. MC is set to Always on Top. I cannot see other windows unless I first minimize MC. I have failed to find a setting to change this unwelcome behaviour. Any ideas please.
Thanks,

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2022, 10:23:25 am »

Are you in Theater View? What view?

MusicBringer · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2022, 12:02:49 pm »

Theater View? Why do you think I might be in Theater View. I never use Theater View.
I use audio only, on a Win 10 PC. And MC stays on top, covering other apps / programs windows; it is not view specific.

JimH · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2022, 12:47:04 pm »

Theater View is the only part of MC that is always on top. I don't know what your problem is.

MusicBringer · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2022, 01:54:04 pm »

Can anyone else help me please.
I cannot see other windows unless I minimize MC.

Awesome Donkey · « **Reply #5 on:** July 11, 2022, 02:16:55 pm »

Yeah, as far as I know Media Center doesn't have any sort of "always on top" setting. Are you using any other apps, like ones that skin Windows (e.g. WindowBlinds) or anything like that?

JimH · « **Reply #6 on:** July 11, 2022, 02:33:31 pm »

Did you try a Google search for similar problems?

MusicBringer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 11, 2022, 02:38:50 pm »

Hello AD, other apps? none.
Jim, Did you try a Google search for similar problems—a nice idea—and funnily enough I did, and failed to find a answer. Never mind I can live with it. Ho Hum
thanks for trying
🙂

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** July 11, 2022, 03:04:42 pm »

Quote from: JimH on July 11, 2022, 02:33:31 pm

Did you try a Google search for similar problems?

I think you should look again.

MusicBringer · « **Reply #9 on:** July 11, 2022, 04:30:40 pm »

Over the years many folk have said how unhappy they are with the unwelcome behaviour.
2004 "This has been a problem since long back"
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=23287.0

JimH · « **Reply #10 on:** July 11, 2022, 04:49:48 pm »

Are you trying a general search? Not just at JRiver?

I think you've done something in Windows that caused it. I don't think it's specific to JRiver.

Here's an example of what you may find if do a good general search:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/c667c9f0-0ad9-497f-b084-6e1d3fbc87ec/windows-stuck-in-always-on-top-mode?forum=WinPreview2014General

JimH · « **Reply #11 on:** July 11, 2022, 06:14:37 pm »

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Detached_Display#:~:text=Detached%20Displays%20can%20be%20set,even%20when%20playback%20is%20stopped.

HPBEME · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2022, 09:04:53 pm »

I am very familiar with this functionality, because I really like being able to toggle "always on top" on/off for any window that I want, when I want. I searched far and wide on how to do it, and you simply can't directly via Windows. It has to be done through scripting, via AutoHotKey for example, or a GUI app that has the "always on top" toggle functionality built in, for example Stardock's Windows FX.

So... Music Bringer, have you ever installed a GUI specific program to enhance the appearance/usability over stock Windows? Stardock programs are certainly a strong candidate, but there are a ton of programs out there that could be the source. Even if it seems unlikely, it may have "always on top" as one of its features, which you may have accidentally activated for MC.

_______________________________________________
On a side note, to address my desire for total control over "always on top" functionality, I personally use a program called StrokesPlus.net, which has a mouse gesture built in to toggle always on top. I personally have 50 different mouse gestures programmed in to launch a plethora of common tasks (cut, copy, paste, escape, undo, redo, save, reload, maximize, minimize, restore, show desktop, etc., not to mention 20 commands specific to MC).

It is impossible to overstate how spectacularly useful this program is. To top it off, it is FREE (he does accept donations however), updated regularly (like multiple times per month), and the developer of the program runs a forum that is amazingly responsive to all queries (directly from the developer himself, who is a one-man operation). I would paste the hyperlink, but I don't want to violate any forum rules… Just do a search on strokesplus.net.

If anybody does decide to try this program out, I would be happy to provide my config file that I've optimized over five years which will save you a lot of time upfront... Send me a PM if interested.

EnglishTiger · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2022, 08:55:29 am »

I also occasionally find MC will not "allow another app" to come into the foreground. It usually happens when MC is trying to do more than 1 thing at the same time but can sometimes happen when the only thing MC is doing is playing a track.

blgentry · « **Reply #14 on:** July 12, 2022, 08:56:44 am »

@HPBME: It's too bad I don't use windows. I find these kinds of extensions and tweaks to be very useful in some circumstances. I would try your suggested program if I was able. Very generous of you to offer your knowledge and your configuration.

Brian.

Mastiff · « **Reply #15 on:** July 12, 2022, 12:50:51 pm »

As a member of the original zombie thread (2004! That's almost 20 years ago, you can't seriously use that as proof of anything now!) I can say that this hasn't been a problem for me for as long as I can remember. Of course I can't remember 2004, I'm 56, for god's sake!

JimH · « **Reply #16 on:** July 12, 2022, 02:27:40 pm »

Quote from: Mastiff on July 12, 2022, 12:50:51 pm

I'm 56, for god's sake!

We're lucky you're still alive.

Mastiff · « **Reply #17 on:** July 13, 2022, 01:22:46 am »

I feel lucky to have me alive too...

HPBEME · « **Reply #18 on:** July 14, 2022, 12:46:34 am »

Hopefully the OP will post whether he was able to solve this by finding an installed GUI application that had inadvertently activated always on top for MC. If not, the OP can always download strokes+, which can then be used to override any program that is stuck always on top by invoking its built-in command.

I am happy to share my config file with anybody who is interested, but my rationale is not entirely altruistic. I want to make sure as many people use this program as possible and end up loving it as much as I do, and then donate to this very worthy developer to make sure he keeps the program alive! I am not sure I could live without it. In fact, when negotiating for my last job, I told them I would not accept unless I was able to install this program. Let me tell you, that was no small feat to get them to agree to that as I work in nuclear energy, and the level of scrutiny and security around software (well… Everything actually) is extremely high.

And Brian, it may be worth switching back to Windows just so you can use this program... it is that great. One person did request I send them the config file, which they imported and said it worked without issue. I am hoping to hear an update after they have played with it for a few days to get their thoughts on the program.

thecrow · « **Reply #19 on:** July 14, 2022, 09:26:45 am »

Interestingly enough, I have been seeing this behaviour in MC recently myself but not found the time to look into it.
As it does not seem to be a universal problem I was thinking about what has changed for me recently, and I have just bought a new laptop which is my first Windows 11 machine.
Could it be a Windows 11 thing? I will check my old Windows 10 laptop, which still has MC installed and on which I don't recall having this issue.

Mastiff · « **Reply #20 on:** July 14, 2022, 11:24:55 am »

If it's a Windows 11 thing, I will luckily never experience it...

JimH · « **Reply #21 on:** July 14, 2022, 01:12:48 pm »

Quote from: Mastiff on July 14, 2022, 11:24:55 am

If it's a Windows 11 thing, I will luckily never experience it...

Windows 11 is generally fine.

MusicBringer · « **Reply #22 on:** July 14, 2022, 05:12:08 pm »

Quote from: HPBEME on July 14, 2022, 12:46:34 am

Hopefully the OP will post whether he was able to solve this by finding an installed GUI application that had inadvertently activated always on top for MC. If not, the OP can always download strokes+, which can then be used to override any program that is stuck always on top by invoking its built-in command.

I am happy to share my config file with anybody who is interested,

Hello HPBEME,
sorry been busy listening to my music 😉
No I have no dodgy GUI application installed. [Win10x64]
Yes I will download strokes+
Yes I would like a copy of your config file please.
thanks for taking an interest.

HPBEME · « **Reply #23 on:** July 14, 2022, 06:23:44 pm »

Hello MusicBringer… P. M. Sent with link to config file for download.

MusicBringer · « **Reply #24 on:** July 15, 2022, 08:14:02 am »

Quote from: HPBEME on July 14, 2022, 06:23:44 pm

Hello MusicBringer… P. M. Sent with link to config file for download.

Ta. 👍

zybex · « **Reply #25 on:** July 15, 2022, 09:02:45 am »

Some nVidia drivers used to have an option to set any windows always on top (nView Desktop Manager).
Microsoft's Powertoys and other tools like Deskpins and TurboTop also allow this. AutohotKey is another one that can be configured for this, with some minimal scripting.

It's possible you have one of these (or another that also has the feature) and activated it with some key combination without realizing.

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Author Topic: Always on Top - how to prevent - help please (Read 2087 times)