Is there any way (a setting or configuration) to have all Cubase windows stay visible when input focus is moved to another application?
Child windows of Cubase that have been set to “Always on top” is hidden when another application gets the input focus.
This is annoying when working with multiple applications, moving the input focus to and from Cubase.
One solution would be to not use the “Always on top” option, but then the window (e.g. the mixer or a VST GUI) will not stay top-most (obviously), and can not be moved outside the main window of Cubase.
(Setting a window “Always on top” for some reason also implies that it can be moved freely outside the Cubase main window.)
An option in the preferences to chose if “Always on top” windows should be hidden would be great.
I don’t use it, but some choose to extend Cubase’s desktop across all monitors. If having all windows visible is that important, it may be a workaround for you. There may also be a Windows key command that would shift focus of the apps as needed.
There are a number of issues related to Cubase’s implementation of ‘windows’ in Windows. The above link is a lengthy discussion about some basic design decisions that are possibly related to your annoyance.
Short story: your annoyance with the disappearance of ‘child windows’ probably reflects a deeper design issue that precludes having Cubase’s ‘windows’ operate as you’d wish.
Unfortunately, drawing the main program window across multiple monitors does nothing to address this. I use Novation Automap, and its GUI will appear ‘on top’ of the Cubase window with Cubase still with active ‘focus’ and showing all its windows within an extended program window. I can operate the midi controller and watch the Automap GUI while Cubase is running. But the minute I touch the GUI with a mouse or use the controller to remove the view of the GUI … Cubase loses focus and all child windows disappear. Only the project window or the editor windows are still visible in the greyed out main Cubase window.
‘Always on top’ only applies while Cubase has the ‘focus’ in the Windows environment.
But then there are so many great things it’s hard not to forgive the quirks.
