P: Panel windows stacking order changes after hitting tab twice

[bertfberry]

Hi,

I am having an issue when I press tab to turn my palettes on and off with the tab key. They are re-ordering themselves alphabetically instead of how I left them. For example the layers palette will be visible above other palettes, I will press tab then do some painting/working, then when i press tab to turn the palettes back on I find that it is buried underneath other palettes. Is there any reason that the palettes should not be exactly as I left them vs. re-ordering themselves alphabetically?

Thanks

[J453]

Hi Bert, what OS are you running on? Can you share a screen shot of your entire screen with a before and after of the Panel states/location?

[bertfberry]

Hi Jeff,

It is Sierra 10.12.6   

[bertfberry]

This is after/before- doing nothing else beside hitting tab twice. Thanks for your help!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

FWIW, MBP running HS, I see the same thing happen. Not always, so some stacking order (the height, or what PS thinks should be first in pecking order) seems to be the key. I always use the app frame with mostly docked panels, so haven't seen this before.

[J453]

Thanks. I've asked engineers to take a look at this.

[J453]

Hi Bert,

Checked with engineering.

This is as designed by Apple. Hidden windows do not have a z-order on macOS. The workaround is to not overlap floating panels (and/or keep them snapped together or the edge so they have the same z-order)

[bertfberry]

Hey Jeff,

I really appreciate you looking into this. I am confused though. Other apps on macOS seem to be able to remember their stacking order after they are hidden and un-hidden...

Bert

[J453]

Do you have an example? I can run it by them.

[bertfberry]

Thanks a lot! Here are some examples from safari, quicktime, itunes, and keynote-the only one that switches the order on un-hide is keynote, but it is not alphabetical...fwiw i am having the same problem with illustrator.

[J453]

You'll note that the apps that don't change z-order, their panels don't hide when cmd + tabbing away from them - which is why they don't have this problem.

[Earth Oliver]

Holy crap Bert! Your disorganized panels are triggering me. Why do leave them floating all over the place like that? You do know that you can dock and stack them into any config you choose?

Here's how i arrange mine if you need a little inspiration...

[bertfberry]

ahhh! the rigid order of those palettes all gridded and locked in place hurts my eyes :)!!!!