Dialogs disappear on Mac Catalina, Affinity Photo full screen mode

[deannak]

I just upgraded my MacBook Air to Catalina, and now have occasional issues with dialog boxes disappearing on Affinity Photo.  It's inconsistent, but happens to me several times a day with different dialogs.

Here's an example:
 - I'm adding Levels adjustment layer to an image.  Sometimes I can see the window where I can adjust the levels, other times it disappears and I can't see any way to work with that adjustment.

What's happening is that I work with Photo in full screen mode on the Mac, to maximize my limited screen size.  Sometimes the dialog gets "hidden" behind the full screen Photo app.  If I change my Photo app out of full screen mode, then I can move its window and find the missing dialog hiding behind it.  I can do what I need to do there, and then go back into full screen mode.

This was never an issue before the Catalina upgrade.

Thanks!   -  Deanna.

 

[stokerg]

Hi deannak,

I've tried replicating this on a Macbook with Affinity Photo in full screen mode and each time i applied the adjustments they came to the front of the UI.  Can you let me know what other display settings you have set in System Preferences>Display, is it Default for display or one of the scaling options?

I'll also see if i can hunt down a Macbook Air as i'm currently using a pro with what i suspect will be a slightly bigger screen than the air.

[deannak]

Thanks for checking into this!  My system preferences are set to Default for display.  The screen size on this is quite small.  When it's not in full-screen mode, the zoom tool is off the bottom of the left side toolbar, so I use full-screen all the time.

Here's one scenario where this seems to happen:

 - I add a Levels adjustment layer, and all works fine - I can adjust as I want
 - With that Levels window open, I highlight a different layer in the Layers list
 - The Levels window goes away
 - I can't get it back by double clicking on the Levels adjustment layer again
 - If I exit full screen mode, I can find it behind the main Photo window

Thanks!   -  Deanna.

 

[R C-R]

5 hours ago, deannak said:

- I can't get it back by double clicking on the Levels adjustment layer again

I can only test with my 27" iMac but in FullScreen Mode for me double-clicking on the adjustment layer brings the adjustment window back to the front. Are you sure you are double-clicking on the thumbnail of the adjustment layer & not something else?

[deannak]

Hi again. -

Yes, I'm definitely clicking on the thumbnail of the adjustment layer.

I've been doing some more testing, and here's what I've found.  

 - Create a levels adjustment layer and adjust to my heart's content

 - If I CLOSE the Levels adjustment window, then click on another layer, then I can double click on the adjustment layer thumbnail and the window reappears

 - If I do NOT close the Levels adjustment window, but just click on another layer, then the adjustment window disappears and I cannot get it back by double clicking the thumbnail for the adjustment layer.

Hope that helps!    -  Deanna.

 

[R C-R]

43 minutes ago, deannak said:

- If I do NOT close the Levels adjustment window, but just click on another layer, then the adjustment window disappears and I cannot get it back by double clicking the thumbnail for the adjustment layer.

I have tested both ways & double-clicking on the adjustment thumbnail brings it back to the front. Maybe this is something specific to Macbook Airs?

[deannak]

3 hours ago, R C-R said:

I have tested both ways & double-clicking on the adjustment thumbnail brings it back to the front. Maybe this is something specific to Macbook Airs?

Maybe, I don't know.  I just updated my macOS to 10.15.1, and the same thing still happens.  

 - When it's not in full screen mode, the adjustment window always returns when I double click the thumbnail, as expected.  
 - When in full screen mode, it depends on whether that window was open or not when I clicked on a different layer, as described above.

Good luck with it!   -  Deanna.