PowerToys: [PowerToys Run / KBM; BUG] PT Run opens behind Start menu

Environment

Windows build number: 10.0.18363
PowerToys version: 0.18.0
PowerToy module for which you are reporting the bug (if applicable): PowerToys Run

Steps to reproduce

Press Win key to open start
Press shortcut (Win+R) to open PT Run
Type search string
Press escape to close start.
Press escape to close PT Run.

Expected behavior

PT Run’s window is in focus. The typed text will be entered in PT Run. I can close PT Run while pressing escape to close start and then press escape the second time to close PT Run.

Actual behavior

The typed text will be entered in start/windows search. Pressing escape two times to close start and PT Run doesn’t close PT Run. I have to first click on PT Run to close it while pressing escape or clicking on the desktop background.

Screenshots

Shortcut mapping:

PT Run behavior: PT_run_notontop

About this issue

Original URL
State: closed
Created 4 years ago
Comments: 16 (5 by maintainers)

Most upvoted comments

There seems to be some very weird interaction happening here. I was able to reproduce this, so my first thought was maybe KBM is doing something wrong with Win key, because in the above scenario after you open start menu if you just press Ctrl+R, start menu closes and launcher is in focus. However instead of Win+R I just tried Alt+R instead and the same issue occurs. And its not just that launcher doesn’t appear in focus and start menu doesn’t go away but also that launcher appears in an off-center position in my screen

arjunbalgovind on May 21, 2020

@crutkas I’m confused, this started working for me a bit ago 😅

Edit: nvm, missed context that this is while start is open.

bnb on Sep 2, 2020

This also occurs the same if the Action Center is open.

I feel like I’ve run into other cases too, but can’t recall specific circumstances at the moment.

It also happens when other Taskbar menus are in focus. I see the same behavior if I enter my shortcut (Alt+Space) after clicking any icon in the notification area (e.g., volume, network, calendar, power) or right clicking an open app icon.

If I press Esc while any of these menus are open and then enter my shortcut, PT Run gets focus back. Start Menu is an exception to this, I always have to manually click on the PT Run prompt to close it if the Start Menu was the last shell view I’d opened.

lmurph37jhu on Aug 4, 2020

if start menu is up, can we detect and somehow send a key or dismiss it programmatically so we cna do our stuff? or we can’t detect our keys due to it being up?

I think the interesting question is why PT’s window is not activated.

htcfreek on Jul 10, 2020