Autocad keeps stealing focus.

[tlveik]

Autocad keeps stealing focus.  How do I make this stop?

Autocad LT

Version Q. 111.0.0 AutoCAT LT 2020.1.3

Windows 10

Happens maybe once an hour.  I could be working in Excel or whatever and up pops the Autocad screen.  Even if there isn't a drawing loaded in Autocad.

How do I make this stop?

Tom

[ferdi.jafar]

This is a quick fix, in the command line type 'taskbar' and change the value to '0'

[Anonymous]

Taskbar value already set to 0. Thanks anyway.

[pendean]

Not seeing any of that here in 2022.1 in Win10, so let's dig deeper with your setup information:

>>>...This issue is now happening with AutoCAD 2022.1 in our office...<<<
What change on everyone's computers all of a sudden? Something did.

>>>...It occurs with an auto save event...<<<\
Every single time? As in you can watch it happen?
SAVETIME is set to what? anything less than 10 may be the culprit.
Do you folks manually save often to always beat the autosave?

>>... but can happen with simple mouse movement...<<<
As in all the time, or just occasionally and never on demand?
Mouse is...? Mouse driver is...? wired or wireless?

Does your mouse driver set to autofocus a window the cursor hovers over by chance?

[tlveik]

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@ferdi.jafar wrote:
This is a quick fix, in the command line type 'taskbar' and change the value to '0'

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This doesn't help.  Still doing it.

[Anonymous]

Have 5 users on 2022.1 for several weeks now, all 5 experiencing the issue, 3 using Logitech wireless "Lightspeed" G-Series, 2 using basic Logitech wired mouse.  SAVETIME set to 10 for all users.  Not been able to find a sequence of events yet that will reproduce the issue on demand.  No one saw the issue until install of 2022.1 update but given the little time spent on initial version of 2022, cannot confirm the issue is only with 2022.1 update.  The issue never occurred with exact same setup on 2021, 2020, 2019... with 20 users working daily.  We do utilize custom LISP and third party plug-ins.  When time allows, will see if issue occurs with barebones default install of 2022.1.

[pendean]

>>>...Not been able to find a sequence of events yet that will reproduce the issue on demand...<<<
@Anonymous That may be the issue in trying to get help from fellow end users in these forums too.

I suggest you start a support ticket with Autodesk instead, here is how to do that https://knowledge.autodesk.com/customer-service/account-management/users-software/support-options#:~:text=To%20contact%20support%3A,to%20access%20help%20and%20support.

[tlveik]

Ticket submitted.  @Rx3&43 I hope you submit one as well.

[Craig.Brownlie]

Hi, I've had this issue in Autocad and Plant 3D. I suspect it is caused by the Start Tab displaying. The messages and tips etc update frequently and each time this happens AutoCad steal focus. After disabling the start tab the issue is gone. See this link: How to turn off the Start Tab in AutoCAD | AutoCAD 2020 | Autodesk Knowledge Network

[tlveik]

@Craig.Brownlie 

Well that aligns with my observation that it only seems to happen if I don't have a drawing loaded.  I'll check it out.

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[Anonymous]

Update...found one of the factors responsible for our situation and was able to develop workaround.

Our system utilizes a DWG reactor (Save Complete) which gets executed with QSAVE and Ctrl+S but also with each Auto Save.  It appears the execution of a this reactor will cause some computer systems to treat it as a more elevated task, bringing focus to AutoCAD over other apps.  This behavior started with 2022.1 for our office, all previous versions still do not steal focus despite having same reactor.  Reactors are defined using Visual LISP so this may not be applicable to LT.

You can easily check if you have a DWG reactor active by typing (vlr-reactors) at the command line.  If it returns nil, you don't, if returns ((:VLR-DWG-Reactor #<VLR-DWG-Reactor>)), then you do.

Our workaround was to disable this reactor by deleting the code that defined this reactor, in our case it was in <enterprise>.MNL file.  It could also be in any of the files loading LISP code at startup, such as ACAD.LSP.

[jeff.lentz]

I've been having this problem for years now. Autocad steals focus at least 2 times when opening a file, so it's impossible to work in another application without being jerked back mid-typing. Even when Autocad is open with no other files open, it randomly steals focus from other applications.

I'm not sure why there's any question about if it's doing it. I'd also like a fix.

[jeff.lentz]

It does seem to coincide with the Start tab update, but the Start tab is actually somewhat useful and not something I'd like to disable.

Would be nice if the default were for Autocad to just never steal focus from other programs.

[tlveik]

Still doing it to me too.  Annoying.  I think it's related to the start tab too.  Possibly when it checks for new announcements.

[GaryAiken1964]

Check this variable - LISPSYS.

Set it to '0' and see if that helps.  It appears to have stopped AutoCAD stealing focus when doing autosaves etc. for us.

[pobrienFNE96]

I'm trying this. If it makes any difference, I'll post here.

[tjdean]

I'm having the same issue. AutoCad Mechanical 2022. It's driving me nuts.

just installed 2024. still doing the same thing.

[pendean]

@tjdean https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-lt-forum/autocad-keeps-stealing-focus/m-p/11278228#M195625 

[hencoop]

Autodesk has acknowledged reactors will cause focus stealing and, if active, they may be triggered by SYSVARMONITOR  checking system variable status even if nothing else is being done that would:
https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Civil-3D-Window-be... 

Our office uses reactors to log significant events in AutoCAD (save, open, saveas, etc.) and I use SYSVARMONITOR to make sure I know when AutoCAD (bless their heart) has changed a system variable to match THEIR preferred setting instead of mine.
Does anyone know how I can keep using reactors with SYSVARMONITOR without SYSVARMONITOR's checks triggering focus stealing?

Perhaps Autodesk could have a look at their code which is ultimately responsible for this!?

If not, does anyone know how to query windows to determine what window has focus?  Perhaps I can capture the last window that had focus and return focus to that window as part of my reactors?

[pendean]

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@hencoop wrote:

Autodesk has acknowledged reactors will cause focus stealing and, if active, they may be triggered by SYSVARMONITOR  checking system variable status even if nothing else is being done that would:
https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Civil-3D-Window-be... 

Our office uses reactors to log significant events in AutoCAD (save, open, saveas, etc.) and I use SYSVARMONITOR to make sure I know when AutoCAD (bless their heart) has changed a system variable to match THEIR preferred setting instead of mine.
Does anyone know how I can keep using reactors with SYSVARMONITOR without SYSVARMONITOR's checks triggering focus stealing?

Perhaps Autodesk could have a look at their code which is ultimately responsible for this!?

If not, does anyone know how to query windows to determine what window has focus?  Perhaps I can capture the last window that had focus and return focus to that window as part of my reactors?

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We're not seeing any issues like that here in AutoCAD/LT/ARCH 2020-21-22-23-24 in Win10 over over the years since this topic started, and we all use SYSVARMONITOR extensively.

Considering this post started in the year 2020 there is not going to be a universal solution, but perhaps a more focused local one to each sufferer. These look promising if you wish to explore

https://superuser.com/questions/1603097/prevent-any-app-from-stealing-focus-in-windows

https://superuser.com/questions/1622725/prevent-apps-from-putting-themselves-in-the-foreground 

I see lots of recommendation for 3rd party tools too https://www.thewindowsclub.com/prevent-applications-from-stealing-focus#:~:text=Use%20WindowFocusLog.... 

Best of luck.

[scot-65]

Continuing this topic:

R2024 LT on w10

My workstation steals focus when an Auto sv$ event occurs.

Other workstations here with R2024 LT seem to be fine.

I do not have any type of reactor linking to any type of save event.

I have turned TASKBAR to 0 and STARTMODE to 0.

Another issue is one of my programs calls (TEXTPAGE).

The text page turns on momentarily, then closes.