InDesign v19 workspace comes and goes erratically

Question

I feel like an idiot having to finally give up and ask this, but how do I get my chosen workspace to stay up and available? (Win 11, ID 19.0.1 but persistent since first v19 release.)
 
What I want is simple: if ID is open, I want my workspace (all panes and palettes) visible. I use an enormous spread of panes that I've optimized over the years, and hate having to go look for things. Through the end of v18, other than the occasional glitch after an update or prefs reset, ID has quietly met this requirement and displayed my workspace from startup to exit, regardless of what doc I may or may not have open.
 
Since v19, ID seems to refuse to open a workspace until I open a document. Bad enough, except that I have occasionally opened ID to find my full workspace laid out, so it must be possible, right? And then it's a crapshoot as to whether the workspace will open even when I do open a regular work doc, one that has been closed multiple times with the full and proper layout around it. (I get a nearly empty ID screen with just the menu bar and doc window in those cases.)
 
No other problems with the UI or workspaces, even when I switch (I sometimes use a compact layout when I am working across apps).
 
So what changed, or what can I change, to have ID bring up my full, preferred workspace at all times, without playing this hide-and-seek game?

James Gifford—NitroPress · Accepted Answer

And yes, that was it. My whole workspace now comes up regardless of the open doc status.

Mike Witherell · Answer

Whenever you make a custom workspace, you should quit and restart InDesign afterwards. This firms up the permanence of the custom workspace.

Bear in mind this simple thing: if you press Tab, all the panels hide. Press Tab again, they panels return to view.

Similarly, pressing Shift-Tab hides the dock of panels. Pressing Shift-Tab again returns the dock of panels to view.

And oddly...

Home Workspace comes into view if you close all documents, but you cannot simply choose it from the Workspace menu. It has its own Monopoly® House Icon (should be green) to click on. Conversely, tho, you can be in the Home Workspace and choose one of the preset/custom workspaces, even if not documents are open.

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