Sonny Software

Hi,
I have an annoying problem with the pop-up action menu for pdf annotation (on my Mac) just being visible for a split second before disappearing. It works for a while after I have restarted Bookends, but then suddenly it does not work any more until I restart the programme again. I had the problem on the previous version and also on the latest version (14.1.2). Is there something I can do? Please help!

Best wishes,
Per

There is another thread about this. The popup will disappear when it loses the focus. If you have another app or utility that grabs the focus it will close the window. PopClip is one such utility, but we've created a workaround for it. If you know what the process is, you may be able to whitelist Bookends in it so that it is disabled in Bookends.

Jon
Sonny Software

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the quick reply! As always.

I am not sure if I understand the idea of "loses the focus", but the Mac menu bar still says Bookends when it happens. I do not use PopClip and it happens when I only have Bookends and Word open. It is also strange that it works fine for some time after restarting Bookends, before the problem reappear seemingly randomly. Is there anything I can do?

Sincerely,
Per

On a Mac only one window can have the focus (be active). When the popover loses focus (AKA moving to the background) it closes.

You can try rebooting in safe mode (Shift key held down), which prevents third party processes from loading.

Jon
Sonny Software

Dear Jon,

I found the other thread and a solution to the problem provided by edwinc (May 10, 2022 8:49 pm).
If selecting the note stream, instead of "Edit reference" or "Summary", the problem disappears and the awesome functionality of Bookends is intact. I am not a computer expert, but isn't that indicating that the problem is in Bookends after all? Before finding this solution, I went through all processes running on my Mac and turning them of one-by-one, without any effect on the problem...

Best wishes,
Per

I don't this problem nor have the vast majority of users. You yourself have said it works after restarting Bookends and then reappears at some point -- the code doesn't change, the environment does. If there is a reproducible problem I can identify in Bookends I'll fix it. But it certainly looks like it's a local problem. If you want you can send me your Bookends Preferences file and I can see if there is something you've set there that's an issue (although I doubt it).

Jon
Sonny Software

Hello all,

I was running into this same issue earlier, and was referred here by Jon via support email. This caught my eye:

Jon wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:22 am There is another thread about this. The popup will disappear when it loses the focus. If you have another app or utility that grabs the focus it will close the window. PopClip is one such utility...

There is another such utility whose accessibility helper tends to mess with focus and windowing... Zoom!

Killing Zoom fixed the issue for me. After restarting it, the issue did not persist, nor did it persist after in a test call. I haven't been able to test this in a proper call with someone else, but I suspect the issue has to do with Zoom's screen sharing feature and some lack of proper teardown/cleanup after ceasing screen sharing.

– Dylan

Jon wrote: ↑Sat Sep 17, 2022 7:37 am I don't this problem nor have the vast majority of users. You yourself have said it works after restarting Bookends and then reappears at some point -- the code doesn't change, the environment does. If there is a reproducible problem I can identify in Bookends I'll fix it. But it certainly looks like it's a local problem. If you want you can send me your Bookends Preferences file and I can see if there is something you've set there that's an issue (although I doubt it).

Jon
Sonny Software

As I wrote, I am not a computer expert and obviously take your word for it. The problem is now under control, with the solution offered by edwinc. I may take you up on your offer if that stops working. Thanks for a great programme!

Just as a possible minor solution: If I select any text while the right pane is closed, the pop-up action remains on the screen. The pop-up quickly disappears if the right pane is open and I select a text in the pdf (within bookends). (Maybe a bug or because of many apps interfering with that)

Unfortunately I can't reproduce that. But it's good to know that closing the edit pane may help those who run into this issue. A suggestion -- you might try downloading Bookends again, and if it persists try rebooting in Safe mode (Shift key held down) as a diagnostic.

Jon
Sonny Software