Tracktion's plugin windows "always on top" behavior can interfere with system modal dialogs

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:help: I have run into a slight usability issue. I like to run Tracktion for Windows in full screen mode on my notebook computer. Sometimes when I am working with plugins and synths in Tracktion, some of my plugins (e.g. Kontakt 5) need to pop up a small modal confirmation dialog box in the center of the desktop screen:
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Unfortunately, I cannot interact with it because the audio plugin windows (e.g. the active Tracktion plugin window, and the active Rack Filter window) insist on being on top. Since the popup confirmation dialog box in the middle of the screen is modal, the audio plugins windows are unresponsive, and so I cannot move them out of the way.

I have tried pressing Windows + D to minimize all windows, but the audio plugin windows stay-put on top of every window. I tried pressing ALT+TAB to switch to the confirmation popup, but the "always on top" behavior of the audio plugin windows prevent the modal popup from getting the focus long enough for me to properly acknowledge it.

My only recourse has been to select the window from the window tab bar and click the red X to dismiss the modal dialog (cancel action). To perform my originally intended action, I have to temporarily resize the Tracktion window to expose enough of the Windows desktop so that when I perform the originally intended action again, I will be able to properly deal with the anticipated modal dialog box which appears in the center of the display screen.

Is there a better way to deal with this issue that I have not discovered yet? :dog: If not, would it be possible to add an option in the settings tab to turn off the "Always on top" behavior of Tracktion's own windows?

EDIT: I discovered that one can still send a single keypress to the window being hovered over in the Windows tab bar. This allows for actions such as clicking the currently focussed button by pressing the spacebar; advancing the focus to the next button by pressing the "TAB" key; etc. It can still be quote clumsy to deal with modal dialog boxes this way.
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[Core i7 8700 | 32GB DDR4 | Win11 x64 | Studio One 7 Pro | WASAPI ]

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This is still the case, and is becoming a pain in the neck right now.

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jonatello wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:18 pm This is still the case, and is becoming a pain in the neck right now.
I'm sorry to hear that the issue I reported here over six years ago never really got resolved. :(

I did like using Tracktion a lot but started using it less after it became Waveform; not simply because I did not like the name change, but for the following reasons: some plugins (e.g. many from Waves) would not work properly within it; and VST3 plugin presets retrieval seemed to be faulty. I mostly no longer use Waveform at all, since I discovered PreSonus Studio One and was won over by it; Studio One is not perfect either, but the workflow resonates with me (just as well as it did with Tracktion), and I run into less problems when using it then I did with Tracktion/Waveform. Everyone's mileage may vary.
[Core i7 8700 | 32GB DDR4 | Win11 x64 | Studio One 7 Pro | WASAPI ]

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tonedef71 wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:38 pm
jonatello wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:18 pm This is still the case, and is becoming a pain in the neck right now.
I'm sorry to hear that the issue I reported here over six years ago never really got resolved. :(

I did like using Tracktion a lot but started using it less after it became Waveform; not simply because I did not like the name change, but for the following reasons: some plugins (e.g. many from Waves) would not work properly within it; and VST3 plugin presets retrieval seemed to be faulty. I mostly no longer use Waveform at all, since I discovered PreSonus Studio One and was won over by it; Studio One is not perfect either, but the workflow resonates with me (just as well as it did with Tracktion), and I run into less problems when using it then I did with Tracktion/Waveform. Everyone's mileage may vary.
yeah i LOVE Tracktion/Waveform, but i have to admit, things like this will always be deal-breakers for a lot of ppl. When you have to CTRL ALT DEL your Daw *without saving* because you can't engage a popup box you triggered by simply doing something normal in a plugin, that's no small inconvenience for some...imagine losing your best take because you had to kill the program? It hasn't really burned me yet, but i don't blame you... it's still my favorite tho. I have pro, but super grateful I was able to use it for free for a long time, and would still highly recommend it to most ppl. Just gotta fix this issue.

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jonatello wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 4:16 pm
tonedef71 wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:38 pm
jonatello wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:18 pm This is still the case, and is becoming a pain in the neck right now.
I'm sorry to hear that the issue I reported here over six years ago never really got resolved. :(

I did like using Tracktion a lot but started using it less after it became Waveform; not simply because I did not like the name change, but for the following reasons: some plugins (e.g. many from Waves) would not work properly within it; and VST3 plugin presets retrieval seemed to be faulty. I mostly no longer use Waveform at all, since I discovered PreSonus Studio One and was won over by it; Studio One is not perfect either, but the workflow resonates with me (just as well as it did with Tracktion), and I run into less problems when using it then I did with Tracktion/Waveform. Everyone's mileage may vary.
yeah i LOVE Tracktion/Waveform, but i have to admit, things like this will always be deal-breakers for a lot of ppl. When you have to CTRL ALT DEL your Daw *without saving* because you can't engage a popup box you triggered by simply doing something normal in a plugin, that's no small inconvenience for some...imagine losing your best take because you had to kill the program? It hasn't really burned me yet, but i don't blame you... it's still my favorite tho. I have pro, but super grateful I was able to use it for free for a long time, and would still highly recommend it to most ppl. Just gotta fix this issue.
What sometimes works within MS Windows in these situations is to press the Windows Key + D key (to force the minimization of all open windows) and then press the Windows Key + Tab key to cycle to that popup dialog box, so that you can dismiss it with an Esc or Spacebar key. Sometimes after bringing up the list of active windows, you will need to invoke the system dialog menu (usually by right mouse button clicking) and then select "Move" (if available) and use the keyboard cursor keys to move the dialog box to somewhere visible on the screen, or select one of the "Snap left/right" menu options (if available) to force tiling of the windows. This procedure does not bring back every obscured dialog window into focus, but when it does work, it it is a real lifesaver.

I'm guessing that Tracktion has not fixed the issue because they just cannot do it reliably/safely; it might be one of those issues where if they fixed it in their UI library, the fix might break a whole bunch of existing applications already built with that UI library.
[Core i7 8700 | 32GB DDR4 | Win11 x64 | Studio One 7 Pro | WASAPI ]

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tonedef71 wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:14 pm
jonatello wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 4:16 pm
tonedef71 wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:38 pm
jonatello wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 2:18 pm This is still the case, and is becoming a pain in the neck right now.
I'm sorry to hear that the issue I reported here over six years ago never really got resolved. :(

I did like using Tracktion a lot but started using it less after it became Waveform; not simply because I did not like the name change, but for the following reasons: some plugins (e.g. many from Waves) would not work properly within it; and VST3 plugin presets retrieval seemed to be faulty. I mostly no longer use Waveform at all, since I discovered PreSonus Studio One and was won over by it; Studio One is not perfect either, but the workflow resonates with me (just as well as it did with Tracktion), and I run into less problems when using it then I did with Tracktion/Waveform. Everyone's mileage may vary.
yeah i LOVE Tracktion/Waveform, but i have to admit, things like this will always be deal-breakers for a lot of ppl. When you have to CTRL ALT DEL your Daw *without saving* because you can't engage a popup box you triggered by simply doing something normal in a plugin, that's no small inconvenience for some...imagine losing your best take because you had to kill the program? It hasn't really burned me yet, but i don't blame you... it's still my favorite tho. I have pro, but super grateful I was able to use it for free for a long time, and would still highly recommend it to most ppl. Just gotta fix this issue.
What sometimes works within MS Windows in these situations is to press the Windows Key + D key (to force the minimization of all open windows) and then press the Windows Key + Tab key to cycle to that popup dialog box, so that you can dismiss it with an Esc or Spacebar key. Sometimes after bringing up the list of active windows, you will need to invoke the system dialog menu (usually by right mouse button clicking) and then select "Move" (if available) and use the keyboard cursor keys to move the dialog box to somewhere visible on the screen, or select one of the "Snap left/right" menu options (if available) to force tiling of the windows. This procedure does not bring back every obscured dialog window into focus, but when it does work, it it is a real lifesaver.

I'm guessing that Tracktion has not fixed the issue because they just cannot do it reliably/safely; it might be one of those issues where if they fixed it in their UI library, the fix might break a whole bunch of existing applications already built with that UI library.
oh ok thanks! i'll try that technique out, next time i run into this issue. Fair point about possibly breaking stuff if they tried fixing this.

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I wonder--without any clue of what I'm talking about--if there's a way to macro this in Waveform so that you load the plug in and it automatically answers with the appropriate yes or no option. Can a Waveform macro handle a dialog box from a plug in?
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Watchful wrote: Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:37 pm I wonder--without any clue of what I'm talking about--if there's a way to macro this in Waveform so that you load the plug in and it automatically answers with the appropriate yes or no option. Can a Waveform macro handle a dialog box from a plug in?
I think the macro facility would need the ability to somehow identify the pertinent dialog window, change focus to it, and then send the appropriate key-strokes (Esc for cancel, space or enter for default button, Alt-Y for Yes, Alt-N for No, etc.).

I'm not sure if Waveform's scripting engine can do all that properly. :shrug:
[Core i7 8700 | 32GB DDR4 | Win11 x64 | Studio One 7 Pro | WASAPI ]

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