NSApplication make window front on app switch

Question

When run my app(OSX, macOS SDK 10.15), it shows the main window, as expected. I then CMD-Tab to another app, but when I CMD-Tab back to my app, it won't show the window. The same happens if I click on it in the dock. I've tried various suggestions, such as:

[NSApp activateIgnoringOtherApps:YES];
[window makeKeyAndOrderFront:nil];
[window orderFrontRegardless];

and

[[[NSWorkspace sharedWorkspace] notificationCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(applicationSwitchedTo) name:NSWorkspaceDidActivateApplicationNotification object:nil];

-(void)applicationSwitchedTo
{
    [window makeKeyAndOrderFront:nil];
}

I've set up all the callback methods in both the window and app delegates, but I don't get anything,except the above callback, when I switch to or from my app. I would think it would default behavior to show the apps main window when switched to it from another app. Any help is greatly appreciated!

How is the window created? When does the window disappear? Post a [mre] please. — Willeke, Nov 13 '20 at 08:31
Thank you for the reply. You are right, I will do that next time! — Jex_and_Izzy, Nov 16 '20 at 21:13

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 13 '20 at 06:57

I figured out a fix, but I'm not sure if it's the proper thing to do. I noticed that if I called

[NSApp finishLaunching]

then the window ordering functions don't work. I don't need it's functionality, so I removed it. Furthermore, I'm now handling the event type NSEventTypeAppKitDefined, which is called when you switch on and off the app. I then check the subtype and call the window ordering function:

case NSEventTypeAppKitDefined:
{
     if([theEvent subtype] == NSEventSubtypeApplicationActivated) {
          [window makeKeyAndOrderFront:nil];
     }
}

Hope this helps someone down the line!

NSApplication make window front on app switch

1 Answers1