RH 2017 - Preview Window Stopped Working

[Jared Hess]

Hi RoboHelpers!

I'm using the latest RH 2017 on Windows 10. For some reason, my preview window stopped working today.

My usual configuration when my laptop is docked with my docking station is to have my laptop's monitor hidden (laptop is closed) and I use my two external monitors instead. Yesterday, I used RH with my laptop monitor visible and another external monitor working in a different location. I used Ctrl + W preview just fine yesterday.

Today, I plugged my laptop back into the docking station. But now the preview window never appears. The busy cursor flickers like it's trying to load it, but I suspect it might be somewhere off my visible dimensions.

I tried restarting RH. I tried restarting my computer, and it's still the same.

I then tried following this post and restarting RH but the preview window is still not appearing anywhere visible.
https://community.adobe.com/t5/robohelp/help-preview-topic-has-stopped-working/m-p/855903?page=1

The preview window is part of my essential workflow and I need it to work. I hope someone has some good ideas. I don't want to do a reinstall attempt.

[Peter Grainge]

I'm assuming you can't go back to the setup where it last worked as I think you would have tried that.

On the basis you have tried what was found and if no one comes along with another idea, I think this is one for Adobe Support.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

There used to be trick to get "roving" windows back on the main screen when going from dual (or more) monitors back to one, but I just don't recall the procedure - maybe Rick recalls it?

[Peter Grainge]

That rang a bell. A key combination? All the posts are still on the forum. Try Googling with RoboHelp in the search rather than using the forum search.

[Peter Grainge]

Try Alt Space M

[Jared Hess · Accepted solution]

Thank you Peter and Jeff. That spurred me to try something that actually worked.

What I did was change my screen resolution on my monitor to it's full (highest) resolution. For a variety of reasons, I typically run at 1980 x 1020 resolution on my 4k monitor, but temporarily setting it to the highest resolution suddenly made the preview window appear on my second monitor. Yay!

I was then able to drag it into position over RH and then set my monitor back to it's "normal" resolution, and it now appears. (whew!)

Thanks again both of you!

[Amebr]

Next tiime try the following:

1. Press Alt+Space+M.

2. Press any arrow key.

3. Waggle the mouse madly until the window appears. Then click to drop it somewhere convenient.

WinKey+Arrow Key a couple of times should theoretically work (in a slightly different way) but for some reason isn't for me at the moment.

[Jared Hess]

Amebr, thanks! I did try the Alt + Space + M approach trying to press arrow keys and moving the mouse pointer. But that didn't seem to work. But I didn't "waggle the mouse madly". For some reason, I have an intense desire to use the phrase in my end-user documentation somewhere. 🙂

[Amebr]

I constantly have to fight that desire myself. 😛