Mac Sonoma - window disappears when open new window in front

Targets macOS
1

My app works fine when not maximised.

I click a button to open a smaller Window (Document type). It appears in front of the main window (Document type). I do stuff then click the Close button and the main window is still there. Good!

Maximise the main window and click the button and the main window slides off the screen to the right and the new window slides in from the left.
Close the new window and there is nothing on the screen and the main window is minimized to the dock. Bad!
Is this a new thing with Sonoma?

2

I did not receive any replies to this post so I have included a video.
Problem with new windows

3

What type of window is the little window? Document? Try changing it to Modeless Dialog.

4

They are all Document type.

5

Isn’t that the default behavior when you have the window maximized?
I have seen that in several programs that open show a new window.
Control+right arrow moves you to the maximized window.

6

Looks like auto switching virtual desktops.

7

It wouldn’t be a problem but the main window remains minimised after you close the new window. I don’t think that is a desirable thing. I don’t expect users to have to take extra steps to get back to the original window after closing. It’s confusing.

8

You won’t be able to make this work in full screen mode as long as you keep that window as type Document. Try Modeless Dialog.

9

It always worked before Sonoma. I never saw slide-in windows before.

10

Modeless Dialog doesn’t make any difference. Also tried changing Default location no options make any difference.

11

Try Floating Window.

FYI I’m using macOS 13.6.7 and I see the same.

1 Like
12

My guess is that on your windows you didn’t use the ‘Has Full Screen Button’ option before and the window was just Maximized and not Full Screen.

The Full Screen behavior that you describe is not new for Sonoma, is what happens with the Full Screen option and some type of new window.

For me is Off by default:
image

13

Yes, it looked like that to me. It’s switched to a different space to open the new window.

2 Likes
14

Turning off all button on the new Window except the CLOSE button works. The original window remains on the screen.
Thankyou AlbertoD for the idea of changing the button choices.
I’m not sure whether this suits every application. Could those that have experienced the same behaviour please try this?

15

Look how your windows behaviors are set:

image

Seems like Xojo/Sonoma are moving it to a different “location” / Space / Desktop / virtual monitor.

16

This is a macOS feature, if you want you can test with Safari

  • run Safari
  • make it full screen by clicking the green dot (as you do on your video)
  • select the menu Safari - About Safari and you will see a window with only the close button active (what you did to fix your issue)
  • now go to the menu Safari - Safari Extensions and see how the new window jumps out of the space into your ‘normal’ desktop

This tested with macOS 13.6.7 and not new to Sonoma.

Can confirm that works. ‘Floating Window’ also works.

1 Like
17

Yes I have tried all these options. I think having resizing buttons on the new form is the problem. (see my solution above).
Makes sense to me that if a workspace has a maximised app then no other window can occupy it so any new window is moved to a new workspace.
However, the new window is allowed to share the workspace if it doesn’t have the capability to be maximised or resized.

18

Yes floating Window works but I specifically need type Document so users can drag and drop information between different opened windows. There were also other advantages in this app.

19

This may be a bit confusing, the sliding effect seems used to make it more noticeable. But I don’t like the final UX Apple thinks it is the best one.

1 Like