AltTab UI sometimes is invisible/transparent when invoked on another monitor

[alt-tab-macos-bot]

This issue was opened by a bot after a user submitted feedback through the in-app form.

From: [email protected]

Message:

Inconveniently stops working weekly. Interestingly even this "Send feedback" stops working. However Quit + restart fixes again app for a while.

I've 3 monitor setup, with multiple virtual desktops on each screen (and naturally disconnecting monitors happens almost daily), in case that relates to topic.

Otherwise, sadly, I don't have any details how to trigger problem, since so far haven't noticed any pattern, except at some day noticing that ALT + TAB does not work any longer.

Debug profile

• App version: 6.22.1
• App preferences:
  • MSAppCenter310AppCenterUserDefaultsMigratedKey: 1
  • MSAppCenter310CrashesUserDefaultsMigratedKey: 1
  • MSAppCenterInstallId: D00B88EE-5D3A-4A2D-89CB-888E1DF79969
  • MSAppCenterPastDevices: {length = 1127, bytes = 0x62706c69 73743030 d4010203 04050607 ... 00000000 00000375 }
  • MSAppCenterSessionIdHistory: {length = 452, bytes = 0x62706c69 73743030 d4010203 04050607 ... 00000000 0000014e }
  • MSAppCenterUserIdHistory: {length = 447, bytes = 0x62706c69 73743030 d4010203 04050607 ... 00000000 00000149 }
  • NSWindow Frame SUStatusFrame: 4120 516 400 129 3360 -180 1920 1057
  • NSWindow Frame SUUpdateAlert: 4010 318 620 392 3360 -180 1920 1057
  • NSWindow Frame com.sindresorhus.Preferences.FrameAutosaveName: 2495 171 523 502 0 0 1440 877
  • SUHasLaunchedBefore: 1
  • SULastCheckTime: 2021-06-08 07:55:53 +0000
  • SUUpdateGroupIdentifier: 2321859219
  • SUUpdateRelaunchingMarker: 0
  • arrowKeysEnabled: true
  • cancelShortcut: ⎋
  • closeWindowShortcut: W
  • crashPolicy: 1
  • fontHeight: 12
  • hideAppBadges: false
  • hideShowAppShortcut: H
  • hideSpaceNumberLabels: true
  • hideStatusIcons: true
  • hideThumbnails: true
  • hideWindowlessApps: true
  • holdShortcut: ⌥
  • iconSize: 16
  • maxWidthOnScreen: 80
  • minDeminWindowShortcut: M
  • nextWindowShortcut: ⇥
  • nextWindowShortcut2: F13
  • preferencesVersion: 6.22.1
  • previousWindowShortcut: ⇧⇥
  • quitAppShortcut: Q
  • rowsCount: 5
  • showOnScreen: 1
  • theme: 1
  • updatePolicy: 1
  • windowDisplayDelay: 82
  • windowMaxWidthInRow: 15
  • windowMinWidthInRow: 15
• Applications: 50
• Windows: 36
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 1, spaceIndex: 2}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 1, spaceIndex: 2}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 9, spaceIndex: 4}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 6, spaceIndex: 1}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 6, spaceIndex: 1}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 6, spaceIndex: 1}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 9, spaceIndex: 4}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 10, spaceIndex: 6}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 6, spaceIndex: 1}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 10, spaceIndex: 6}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 10, spaceIndex: 6}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 9, spaceIndex: 4}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 9, spaceIndex: 4}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 111, spaceIndex: 3}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 9, spaceIndex: 4}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
  • {isFullscreen: false, isWindowlessApp: false, isMinimized: false, isHidden: false, isTabbed: false, isOnAllSpaces: false, shouldShowTheUser: true, spaceId: 19, spaceIndex: 5}
• OS version: Versio 10.15.7 (Build 19H524)
• OS architecture: x86_64
• Locale: fi_FI (current)
• Spaces: 7
• Dark mode: Light
• "Displays have separate Spaces": checked
• Hardware model: MacBookPro11,2
• Screens: 3
  • {x: 0.0, y: 0.0, width: 1440.0, height: 900.0}
  • {x: 1440.0, y: -180.0, width: 1920.0, height: 1080.0}
  • {x: 3360.0, y: -180.0, width: 1920.0, height: 1080.0}
• CPU model: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770HQ CPU @ 2.20GHz
• Memory size: 17,18 Gt
• Active CPU count: 8
• Current CPU frequency: 2.2 Ghz
• Resource utilization:
  • CPU: 0.4%
  • Memory: 59M-
  • Threads count: 14

[lwouis]

Hi,

Could you please really precisely clarify what "stops working" means here? The shortcuts don't work? How about the menubar icon, is it still visible? How about bringing the preference window, or feedback window? You mentioned the latter is not working but what exactly happens?

You mention using virtual desktops? What does that mean? macOS Spaces? Virtual machines? VMs have special handling by AltTab that ignores shortcut if you're focusing a fullscreened window of a VM. Maybe that's what you're experiencing?

[kikonen]

When hitting "ALT + TAB" then windows are not switched nor selector dialog comes up (and also "feedback" functionality does not open dialog at all, i.e. not any dialog appears on screen). Ok, switching between apps works partially, if I keep tabbing ALT + TAB, then occasionally switch between windows happens. After closing and restarting application, they start working again without hickup.

One idea: Since I've been disconnecting and connecting monitors. Could it be that "popup offset" goes somehow messed up and dialogs are opened outside of visible display area?

I mean whatever MacOS calls these virtual desktops mapped into monitors. If they are called "spaces" so be it :)

[lwouis]

@kikonen could you please share a video showing the issue at play? It's hard to imagine everything in the abstract. I don't know your monitors setup, when the issue happens exactly, how it manifests exactly, etc. A video from your phone for example would help visualize what's happening to you

[kikonen]

Next time I encounter it then can try if something can be captured. It's clearly something that there is not pattern which makes it directly reproducible, thus I'm not quite sure what actions I need to trigger it to happen. I.e. right now system has behaved fine several days.

[lwouis]

I was working on #1070, and noticed an issue that only happens with multiple monitors. Sometimes, I would display AltTab on the other monitor, and it would fail to display. The VoiceOver overlay would still show, and if I press tab it would move to the next thumbnail, except there is no UI from AltTab. VoiceOver is kind of outlining where the thumbnails are supposed to be, but it's fully invisible. When I release alt, the window is focused.

It's basically AltTab UI being invisible. It happens randomly and rarely. It tends to happen if I invoke AltTab on screen 1 then screen 2 then screen 1 etc until it does it.

@kikonen Are these the symptoms you were mentioning in this ticket?

If so, then I now understand the symptoms. I think it has to do with the way macos recreates the window on another display, doing some black magic (the constructor is not called, but the panel is re-created somehow).

[kikonen]

That kind of sounds something similar, so yeah, might be root cause.

[lwouis]

@kikonen I wonder if you still get the issue recently. There was a breakthrough fix on v6.27.0 which may have eliminated this issue. Please let me know so I can close this ticket if it's gone 👍

[kikonen]

Just close it, I cannot confirm origial issue now since working env changed and not having osx setup in daily use