FM 2020 -- File, Edit, and two other menus collapse and disappear before I can select options

[uakinci]

When I launch my FM 2020, I am asked twice in a row if I want to allow FM to make any changes to my system. I click "Yes" twice and launch the FM. Then when I click File, Edit, Insert, or Format menus, they collapse and disappear, and the focus jumps to the Review or Window menu. This is a weird behavior that I never experienced before. Restarting my PC machine does not help either. 

Can anyone tell me what's going on and how I can fix this so that menu drop-downs persist until I select an option? Thank you.

[Barb Binder]

We have heard about this in the past, though it has been a while. I'm remembering (perhaps incorrectly) that it relates to a dual monitor system and the resolution settings of each. 

• Are you working with two monitors?
• Are both at the recommended resolution?

~Barb 

[uakinci]

Yes, I am using two monitors but not sure about their recommended resolutions. What do you suggest Barb to fix the resolution issue? Many thanks.

[uakinci]

It is definitely a 2-monitor issue because when I drag the FM window to my original laptop screen the problem disappears.

[Winfried Reng]

I doubt whether dual monitors can cause the questions (make changes to your system).

Do you have admin privileges?

Was FrameMaker installed with admin privileges?

What's the installation directory?

Here is a description from Microsoft:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/applications-continue-to-ask-if-i-want-it-to-m...

[uakinci]

Winfried, thanks for your reply. I am using FM with admin privileges.  And I am using two monitors. The problem persists.

[Barb Binder]

I think this is what I was remembering, although it was a different version...

https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker/menu-items-not-working-from-cursor-in-framemaker-2017/td-p...

Can you tell us your setup? And I wonder if resetting preferences would help? If it doesn't, you can restore the current settings. 

https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-framemaker-resetting-preferences/

~Barb 

[uakinci]

Barb, thanks again for your help. But I do not have a FrameMaker subfolder inside the AppData folder.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

It's a hidden folder - you'll have to change your View preferences to show hidden files.

[uakinci]

Jeff, I did that. I turned on "display hidden files" from View options but it still is not displaying any FM subfolder.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Do a search for your maker.ini in there - you should have 2 - one in the program area & one in your profile folders.

[uakinci]

Jeff, thanks! What do I do once I find it?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Thought you were trying Barb's suggestion - https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-framemaker-resetting-preferences/ 

[uakinci]

Yes indeed, but my problem is, even though I selected "view hidden files" I cannot see a FrameMaker subfolder inside the Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe folder. I'm stuck, unfortunately. Any ideas?

[LinSims]

If that folder doesn't exist, then something went wrong with the installation or somehow it got deleted. I would suggest reinstalling FrameMaker and checking for it's presence again. 

I think I may have been one of the people posting about issues with menus disappearing before you can click on them. It was an issue for my coworker, who used an external monitor and his laptop, and the two screens had different resolutions. Weirdly, I think once he changed the laptop to screen 1 and the monitor to screen 2 the issue resolved, but he's no longer with my company so I can't ask him.

[uakinci]

LinSims the issue is definitely with the fact that I am using 2 monitors. Let me switch monitors and see what happens. That's an excellent suggestion that I didn't think of before. Thank you. Ugur

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Did you find the second maker.ini file?

[uakinci]

Jeff, no, I haven't found the second maker.ini file but I'll try switching my monitors and see what happens. Many thanks for your continuing interest and support.

[uakinci · Accepted solution]

PROBLEM SOLVED! In Control Panel, I switched my monitors (1>2 and 2>1) and the issue disappeared. FM drop-down menus work appropriately now. But instead of moving my cursor from right to left (my natural direction as a rightie), I have to move it from left to right to move to the second monitor. I believe this is a bug that the FrameMaker developers should look into. I can't think of any logical reason why this should be happening except for a bug.

I thank all of you. Glad you are here. Best regards, Ugur

[LinSims]

You could just leave them as is in the control panel and switch the cables...

(Note that for me, my monitor 1 is on the left of the pair.)

[uakinci]

One of the monitors is the laptop's built-in monitor. So there's no separate cable for it but it's still a good suggestion. Very smart actually. Thank you.

[LinSims]

My coworker originally had his laptop physically located on the right of his desk as monitor 2 and his external monitor physically located on the left as monitor 1 when he had this issue. When he changed the display settings so that the laptop was monitor 1 and the external was monitor 2, the issue cleared up. 

This made things tough for me when I would try to help him troubleshoot something, though, because he didn't change the physical orientation of the laptop to the external monitor. You had to move the mouse from left to right to get from the laptop screen on the right to the monitor on the left.

[Barb Binder]

We are always happy to help, @uakinci.

Remember that you can log feature requests and bug reports here: https://tracker.adobe.com/#/home.

~Barb 

[uakinci]

Barb, thanks much! I'll actually file a bug report for this annoying problem since it seems I'm not the only one who's having it. Best regards, Ugur