Do Not Activate ArcGIS Pro Window While Loading if User has Switched Applications

[NathanHeickLACSD]

Well, I'm not versed in the proper terminology for this, but I hate it when I open ArcGIS Pro and start it loading up and then I switch to another app to do work in the mean time.  Routinely, it will reactivate ArcGIS Pro, what seems like multiple times.  If I switch from ArcGIS Pro to another app while it is loading, it should keep loading in the background and not reactivate itself. 

[BradleyThompson1]

@WilliamBuerger Thank you for your feedback - are you using Pro as part of a multi-monitor environment? It sounds like you're using a local machine and aren't connecting over RDP. Hate to be a pedant but as many of those bullet points that you can answer with specifics would be stellar if you have the time for it. Not positive if a pattern will become obvious, but given the variety of versions, configurations etc. I'm seeing I greatly want to try my best at finding one. 

[Luke_Pinner]

• Are you using Pro on a physical machine, a VM, or either a physical/VM through RDP?
  • Physical 
• What version of Pro are you using & encountering this problem with?
  • Currently 2.8.x but all 2.x versions I can remember did this
• Is this machine being used in a multi-monitor setup?  If so:
  • Yes 
• How many monitors?
  • 2 
• Does focus shift when Pro opens on your Main monitor (it should open there by default) and you're working within an application on a secondary/tertiary monitor; when Pro opens on your Main monitor and you're working within an application also on the Main monitor; or both?
  • Focus is stolen from apps on main monitor. I don't tend to actively use 2nd monitor for anything other than Pro secondary panes (catalog, TOC, toolbox etc) or if comparing documents so haven't noticed Pro focus shift from apps on 2nd monitor.
• Does this issue only occur while Pro is launching in Full Screen mode, in Windowed mode, or both modes?
  • Occurs when launching full screen. I always launch full screen, so don't know about windowed.
• Does this issue only occur while you're launching Pro standalone (i.e. searching for ArcGIS Pro in Start & launching it/double-clicking on the 'ArcGIS Pro' shortcut on your Desktop or Task Bar), when you're launching Pro via Opening a Project/aprx file, or both?
  • I always launch Pro from a pinned taskbar icon, either as a new window or by right-clicking and selecting a recent project
• Do you have any custom configurations or admin settings that load while ArcGIS Pro is launching? If so, do any of these configurations modify the Home page that displays after Pro launches?
  • No
• Do you have any custom Add-Ins installed?
  • Yes, still focus shifts with it removed.
• Are there any observations you've made that don't fall into any of the questions above? If so, please include them. 
  • PC is a laptop with 4K screen plugged into dock running 2x 1080 monitors. 4K laptop screen is off when docked.

[WilliamBuerger]

RDP
Pro 2.9.5
Physically 3 monitors but RDP is just a single monitor
Same when Pro is Windowed or Full Screen
Same when Pro is opened through Start menu or from opening an APRX
No custom configurations
Yes, I have my own custom add-in I use.  But I did test removing it and the same results were seen
I am connected to my PC remotely today and was reviewing this and noticed it's now doing it consistently any time I open ArcPro.  My previous post was when I was physically at my PC and I only saw it when debugging.  When I'm at my PC physically again, I'll test through these same options and report again.

[BradleyThompson1]

Thank you both for the pointed information, terribly appreciate your time.

@WilliamBuerger one quick question for clarity - when you're using Pro on a single monitor via RDP, am I correct in saying that Pro's focus over that RDP connection is being stolen from an app you've also opened over that same RDP connection? Focus-stealing isn't occurring when you're working outside of the RDP window, right? 

[WilliamBuerger]

Correct, this is all within the RDP session.  Nothing related to my local session connecting to the RDP.

[BradleyThompson1]

Awesome, thank you - figured as much but wanted to be certain. 

[WilliamBuerger]

-Physical
-Pro 2.9.5
-3 monitors
-Seems to be the same no matter what monitor the application starts in
-Same when Pro is Windowed or Full Screen
-Same when Pro is opened through Start menu or from opening an APRX
-No custom configurations
-Yes, I have my own custom add-in I use.  But I did test removing it and the same results were seen
-I'm seeing inconsistent results.  I was initially seeing very few focus stealing especially when running normally and not debugging with Visual Studio.  But as I was testing these different options, it seemed to get worse to where it almost always steals focus now even when not debugging.

I can also try testing after rebooting to make sure my session is clean.  I normally keep my session logged in for weeks at a time and only log off when updates are needed or some other specific requirement.

[BradleyThompson1]

All, 

Thank you for your patience - despite the time that's passed, I've still been attempting reproduction of this issue on a weekly/bi-weekly basis as I review other Bugs and Enhancements that've been requested of my team. 

So far, I have not been able to reproduce this problem on any of my test machines, including those I've re-attempted repro over RDP on. While debugging builds of ArcGIS Pro w/ Visual Studio on unrelated issues, I also attempted to be cognizant of this problem and remain observant in case I stumbled upon reliable repro. It's not that I haven't been able to reliably reproduce this issue; I haven't been able to reproduce it at all, which is frustrating to document. 

Among those loosely-described attempts I've written above, and those attempts previously-documented by y'all in your posts prior, I've tried the following more specific attempts:

- Launching Pro while unlicensed: This causes the 'Sign In' WebView2 Browser Control to appear, and two text boxes requesting my User and Password are present. This was repeated with various different software products (Office Suite, Chrome/Brave/Firefox, Notepad/Notepad++) 

- I created a test project that had an Active Layout View open, along with the Element pane being docked to the right (on-top of the default placement of the Catalog pane). The Element pane was open & in focus within the client prior to closing the project because I had activated a Text Element in the layout and had inserted some text. Double-clicking the project & typing in some of the software products listed above didn't produce reliable reproduction. 

- Both of the above over an RDP session that's set to full-screen

Regrettably because my attempts haven't produced something I can deliver to our developers, I'm unable to advocate for keeping BUG-000151047 open in our repo and have to close it as non-reproducible for the time being. That comes with the understanding that if new repro steps appear that can reproduce the behavior on a Support Analyst's and/or my test machines, it can be re-opened for investigation without issue. Terribly dislike having to close this bug after so much contribution from you folks, and collective time spent between you & myself getting this fleshed out. Sincerely apologize y'all, because I am strongly aware of how disruptive of a problem this is for you.

One thing I'd like to say in passing (and would only recommend pursuing with the guidance of your IT teams, as this would impact all downloaded software for your Windows User Profile) is investigating the value of the ForegroundLockTimeout registry entry, found in your registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Since Windows 10 released this value should, by default, already be set to a hexidecimal value of 30d40 - if it's not, or it's set to a value of 0, you may find improvement with having it set to 30d40:

https://superuser.com/questions/1113512/is-it-possible-in-windows-10-to-prevent-an-opening-applicati...

Again, if for whatever reason this value is not already set to 30d40, please consult with your IT staff before making any changes, on the off-chance you have client software downloaded that calls different application windows that require focus after launching - you wouldn't want to break that (I wouldn't want you to, neither). 

Although the bug will be closed for the time being, I'll also continue attempting to test for this behavior while doing other work - if I stumble upon reliable repro myself, I'll re-open the bug and note this action here as well.  

Thank you all for your time reporting this, and for providing information on your test steps and environments; I apologize that I couldn't catch this myself. 

[NathanHeickLACSD]

Hi Bradley,

I just launched ArcGIS Pro and then opened Google Chrome while I was waiting for ArcGIS Pro to load.  Chrome loaded and then ArcGIS Pro stole the focus after 10-20 seconds.  I didn't do anything fancy.

Obviously, there is a missing ingredient here.  The only thing I can say is that we use Citrix Workspace.  I do get the problem whether remoting into the office or working from the office.  I will see if some of our staff with new machines have the same issue.

I checked the registry setting you mentioned and it was set to 30d40 already. 

Thanks for your effort.

[WilliamBuerger]

Just thought I would add to this again.  I was running Pro 3.1.1 on a completely different PC and saw there was an update to 3.1.2.  I click to update and then attempted to continue on with my other work.  I was constantly interrupted by the installation stealing my focus as different parts of the installation happened.  In addition, the UAC popup popped "under" the installing message so I didn't see it except that there was a flashing item on my task bar.  This is really bad.  I don't see any other applications I use behave like this and it's still an issue on the newest versions of Pro.