UI: "Clean Up Floating Windows" (AfDesigner)

[thomaso]

I use a laptop + an external monitor, which is placed not next to but on top of each other.
I use AfDesigner in Separated Mode, to be able, to place the tool bar at the lower edge of the upper screen, to have it closer to the panels, which are placed on the lower (laptop) screen.

Now it happens occasionally that all these floating windows get mad and are spread somewhere, most of them outside of both screens. It may happen, if I switch persona to afpub and switch back, or if I switch between spaces of macOS. Then the tool bar prefers to hide below the lower edge of the lower monitor and can not – as the other panels - made appear back on screen via setting its visibility on/off in Studio panel but via "Customise Toolbar...".

Unfortunately all documents get opened in the lower screen (which has the system menu bar) and there BEHIND all panels. To make such a document window accessible I need to toggle UI off, then move the window to the upper screen, then toggle panel UI on again.

My questions:

1. Is it possible, to open documents NOT in the lower screen (which has the system menu bar) and behind the panels – but to force them at their place on the upper screen?

2. Is it possible to use "Merge All Windows" to make a newly opened document take place next to the existing on the upper screen?
(instead of make the existing window jump down to the newly opened document window)

3. What does "Clean Up Floating Windows" do in both of its options?
(I hazitate using it to avoid a mess and need to rearrange again the bits and pieces)

 

I found this thread from 2017 – 2018. But it seems the UI behavior hasn't changed yet in that issues. – Or do I miss or misuse something?
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/53744-lost-ability-to-move-tool-panels/

 

[Callum]

Hi Thomaso,

As far as I'm aware when using separated mode there is no way to get documents to open in a specific place on your screen. Merge all Windows will always make the floating windows snap back to the document instead of the other way around. Clean up floating Windows just moves the floating windows you have to one side of the screen so they aren't covering your document.

C

[thomaso]

On 7/8/2019 at 11:46 AM, Callum said:

Merge all Windows will always make the floating windows snap back to the document instead of the other way around.

In the meantime I found a way to make "Merge all Windows" remain my document main window at its position and make a new/opened window appear there:

After opening a document or creating a new one I need to click into my existing main window on the 2nd monitor before I select "Merge all Windows". Then the document from the 1st screen (which is at that time is covered by opened panels) jumps to the wanted position.

However, it would be helpful to be able to set the document window position in an application preference.

 

On 7/6/2019 at 8:12 PM, thomaso said:

3. What does "Clean Up Floating Windows" do in both of its options?
(I hazitate using it to avoid a mess and need to rearrange again the bits and pieces) 

I still would like to hear what this "Clean up ..." will do.
(sorry, I still won't just try it to avoid unwanted window and panel positions of my current setting which I can't save as preference yet.)