Keyboard input goes to previously-active app

Fairly often I'll change focus to a different app by pointing at it and tapping on the trackpad, or command-tabbing to it, the title bar will change to show the app I selected is now active, and I'll start typing...and the typing goes to the previously active app. Say, for example, I'm looking for something in a finder window, then command-tab to firefox, then command-w to close a tab. Instread of the tab closing the finder window closes. Yet, firefox is the active app. It's not a matter of slowness in the interface, either, I can be looking at firefox, see the title bar is active and the traffic lights in the upper left are lit, hit command-w, and something else on my screen disappears. Happens several times per day. I get characters intended for the search field of iTunes instead going to a cell in Excel all the time, or command-h hiding the wrong app, or control-tab doing who knows what rather than changing tabs in firefox, or....
Anyone else? Any idea why I'd have this trouble? This has been happening since about the time I got a magic trackpad in September 2010 (if I recall), but I can't imagine it's a problem with the trackpad since it happens when I change apps with command-tab, too.

This has happened twice in the last half hour...
I copy some text from Excel, then press the (x) button in the search field of iTunes, which makes iTunes active and clears the search field, and command-v to past the text. The text goes into the same cell in Excel that it came from, so no harm but not only is iTunes not active anymore, my text didn't go where it was supposed to go. But the search field did clear and now says "Search Store", so I know iTunes got the (x) button press. I didn't imagine it.
ETA: make that three times.

Similar Messages

OSX/SL 10.6.8 all window apps lose keyboard input; mouse and cmd-N work for spaces

Input suddenly stops going to all applications, from MacBook Pro and wireless keyboards, and from "Show Keyboard viewer" (OSX 10.6.8 'Snow Leopard', MacBook Pro). Though the OSX Keyboard Viewer shows the keys onscreen as they are pressed on the MacBook and wireless keyboards. 'Spaces' responds to cmd-N commands, but no input is possible to any running or newly-started 3rd party or Apple-provided application. Killing off applications one by one doesn't recover keyboard input ability; a complete reboot appears necessary to restore the ability to key input into applications. This happens repeatedly, yet never registers as an OS/X 'crash' because 'Force Quit'ting applications and restarting is still possible using only the magic mouse or trackpad. No data whether only logging out and back in would correct the apparent input-focus disconnect of all applications with the window manager. There may be some way to restart the window manager by using the mouse to open up new apps and/or cut and paste characters ( including a carriage return ) or cut and paste entire saved typed commands into a terminal window.

Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.
Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.
Isolating an issue by using another user account
If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.
Safe Mode - About
Safe Mode

Installed rdesktop - but keyboard input still goes to Mac Terminal??

My work PC has been "upgraded" to Windows 7 which made the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection v2.0.1 stop working (it connects OK, I can login and see my work PC screen, but as soon as I try to do something I am "disconnected" from the PC). I can't install RDC 2.1 because I have a PPC G5.
So I searched for alternative remote desktop apps. Cord 0.5.0 crashes on my machine and 0.5.5 won't even start up.
I ended up installing rdesktop (www.rdesktop.org)
It looks promising - very fast, and gets me to my PC login screen. My mouse pointer can click on the screen buttons, but any keyboard input appears in my G5 Terminal window and is not sent to the Windows 7 PC. This makes it impossible to enter my Windows 7 password to login!
I'm sure this is a simple problem to solve but I have no idea on how to solve it.
Any clues appreciated. Thanks.

Try:
rdesktop -x m -r clipboard:"CLIPBOARD" -g 1280x1024 -u<username> <hostip>
I do recommend using ssh tunnel for RDP over internet. Is more secure and limits open ports to only ssh port in firewall.
There are instructions about on how to use cygwin with RSA key login, turn off ssh password login when working properly.

Using Firefox 3.6 after a few mouse click/ keyboard input the firefox window is no more active, mouse click and keyboard input is inactive ; then I click on the taskbar and the keyboard is active again during a few click then it stops again etc.

Using Firefox 3.6 after a few mouse click/ keyboard input the firefox window is no more active, mouse click and keyboard input is inactive ;
to solve it I click on the taskbar and the keyboard is active again during a few click then it does not work any more and I click again on the task bar etc.
after several repetitions, I have to call the task manager alt+del+ctrl, then come back to the firefox window to be able to use keyboard and mouse again

Attaching the picture for the tab shape I want...

PPC apps (on intel): slow startup, no keyboard input, Excel-Office crashes

Hello,
It seems, that all apps that are using rosetta don't work properly.
- The startup time is extremely long, some minutes, spinning wheel is visible
- input via keyboard isn't possible
- Office v. X (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) apps are crashing at startup
A test with the Calculator.app switched to open with rosetta showed also this symptoms (no keyboard input possible)
Curiously all this happens *only with my account*. So first I thought it is a problem of the preferences or fonts. But deletion or substitution from backup does not succeed. Also I did the tip sudo "update_prebinding -root / -force" but it didn't help.
I mad up a fresh account and compared all the files in the ~user/Library path, if there is a file missing in the brocken account. But didn't found some.
Is there anywhere a file outside the ~user/library path, which has user dependend informations (for rosetta)?
Many thanks in advance for any idea
George

Yeah, I've got it!
In /Library/Caches I found the following files and trashed them. Now all PowerPC application incl. Office v. X are working again. Huh!
(My User ID is 504)
com.apple.ImageCaptureExtension2.ICADeviceDatabase.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.sbdl.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.tecx.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.kbdx.504
com.apple.LaunchServices-014504.csstore
com.apple.IntlDataCache.le.504
com.apple.colorsync.profiles.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.le.kbdx.504
com.apple.dock.iconcache.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.le.sbdl.504
com.apple.psnormalizer.fontcache.le.504
com.apple.IntlDataCache.le.taid.504
com.apple.psnormalizer.fontcache.le.504.lock
com.apple.IntlDataCache.le.tecx.504
I didn't look for the single fault in any of this files, but maybe someone has an idea, which file is related to rosetta and likes to post it.
Best regards and thanks to everybody who thoughts about a solution for my problem
George

Safari 7.1 blocks all keyboard input in Flash app

Safari 7.1 on OSX 10.9.5 blocks any and all keyboard input for FlashPlayer applications!! Everything worked fine until the upgrade to Safari 7.1 and OSX 10.9.5. Tried FlashPlayer 14 and the latest 15 -- still no keyboard input, not even in debug mode (I'm a developer of enterprise apps for browsers).
The same app still works just fine in Firefox and Google Chrome! Is this just a mishap on Apple's side? Or just another hit to kill off the most productive computer language I've ever used (and I used Apple's own Objective-C as well)??
Come on Apple! I love you guys and use your products a lot, but is this really necessary for the most powerful and valuable company in the world -- to hurt a language with such tricks that doesn't do you any harm at all?? This makes you look more like the "PC guy" from your own former commercials (instead of the lovable "Mac guy") ...

From the menu bar, select
 ▹ System Preferences… ▹ Flash Player ▹ Advanced
and click Delete All. Close the preference pane.
From the Safari menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data
and confirm. Test.

Restart current song while iTunes is not the current active app

In prior iTunes 11 / Mtn. Lion when using an Apple keyboard the F7 key when pressed would re-start a song that was playing with one press, and go to the previous with 2. This functionality has changed so that now it will go to the previous track with one press.
Is there a way to change the functionaly back or, add a separate key command that allows me to restart the current song when iTunes is not the currently active app?
Thanks!

I have a SteelSeries Shift keyboard, and experienced the same problem after updating to 10.4.
Found this little piece of software to fix the problem for me:
http://code.google.com/p/hktunes/
It's not ideal, as it has to run in the system tray in order to work, but it's way better than being without the functionality of the hotkeys, untill the problem is fixed.
Hope this works for you guys as well!

Keyboard input delay Flex/AIR

I've build an AIR desktop app that uses an USB barcode scanner. To capture the token provided by the barcode scanner an input field is used.
When testing the barcode input was only partially captured by the scanner. This was caused by the barcode scanner's input coming in the fast. Increasing the key stroke delay of the barcode scanner (config tool from motorola) solved the problem however this is not ideal.
Does anyone has experience with this type of problems? What is an approach to solve this? Maybe by writing an Java compagnion app that captures the keyboard input?

I just ran into this same problem. Our users are scanning barcodes from various labels using various types of scanners (changing the delay using scanner software wasn't an option). We also have to allow them to scan to a TextInput within a DataGrid, which created even more problems. There were 2 very interesting things I learned in coming up with a solution for this one:
1. As mentioned previously, the scanner inputs the data so quickly that the enter key event is often processed before the change event for the text. I tried several solutions (like trying to force the change event before the enter key is processed), but learned that the best solution was just to add the delay as mentioned in previous posts.
2. When adding to a DataGrid control, I learned that both the DataGrid's & the TextInput's key down events are fired by the same SystemManager event. Though you can override the TextInput's keyDownHandler, you can't override the DataGrid's because it's a private method. So, even though my delay was being processed in the TextInput, the DataGrid was forcing control away from it and moving to the next item in the grid. To get around this one, I had to stop propagation of the event from the TextInput, then re-start the DataGrid's event once the delay was complete. I also had to process a focus-out event to get it to move to the next item in the DataGrid.
Here's the code I used inside a custom TextInput control to handle processing both stand-alone and inside a DataGrid:
override protected function keyDownHandler(event:KeyboardEvent):void
      // If the enter key was pressed, then we need to add a delay.
      // Barcode scanners quite often process the enter key before the TextInput
      // control has time to finish processing all the text. (e.g., Instead of
      // getting 12345 as a text entry, you could get 123 or 1234.)
      if (event.charCode == Keyboard.ENTER)
           // If this is the first time we've processed the enter key, we need to
           // add the delay.
           if (_keyboardEvent == null)
           _keyboardEvent = new KeyboardEvent(event.type, event.bubbles,
           event.cancelable, event.charCode, event.keyCode, event.keyLocation,
           event.ctrlKey, event.altKey, event.shiftKey);
           event.stopImmediatePropagation();
           barcodeTimer(_keyboardEvent);
                      return;
           // If the enter key is pressed while we are still in the delay, ignore
           // it.
           else if (_keyboardEvent != null && _keyboardEvent != event)
                     return;
           // If the delay is complete, then we need to restart events related to
           // the enter key so the control is handled properly.
           else
                super.keyDownHandler(event);
                // If the TextInput is inside a DataGrid, then we need to dispatch the
                // DataGrid's key down event. We also need to make sure the proper
                // focus change happens (since this was stopped in the original event
                // propagation).
                if (parent != null && parent.parent != null &&
           parent.parent is mx.controls.DataGrid)
           parent.parent.dispatchEvent(event);
           dispatchEvent(new FocusEvent(FocusEvent.KEY_FOCUS_CHANGE, true,
                          false, null, event.shiftKey, Keyboard.TAB));
        _keyboardEvent = null;
                return;
      super.keyDownHandler(event);
* This is a copy of the keyboard event to be processed once the barcode
* delay is complete.
private var _keyboardEvent:KeyboardEvent = null;
* This method launches a timer of sufficient length to allow barcode
* scanner text to be processed before it re-launches the keyboard event.
* @param event This is the key-down event to be restarted once the timer is
* complete.
private function barcodeTimer(event:KeyboardEvent):void
      var t:Timer = new Timer(30, 1); // 30 ms
   t.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER,
           function():void
           keyDownHandler(event);
   t.start();

Clean Install done but still showing updates required for previous owners apps needing apple id?

Hi All,
First time post and newbe to Macbooks so be gentle please... :-)
I have bought a second hand macbook pro retina, the previous owner had removed all his data but not reformatted. I was having issues that some apps updates were showing that i couldn't update, as it kept asking for the previous owners ID. I thought the best thing to do was to reformat and start again to get a frsh machine...
First issue after wiping the drive was that when i went to install the OS, it came up saying i didn't own a copy, as it was the provious owner who had installed the OS.... so after buying Mountain Lion under my account (still not sure if i needed to???) i was then able to install a new OS. Went through all the new user screens to set time and keyboard etc so i assumed i now had in effect a new machine.
Again though, when i went to update the software, the previous users apps, that no longer appear on the machine, were showing as needing an update, and again were asking for the previous owners apple id to update????
How do i get this sorted so i have a new machine without the history of a previous user, his apps and the required updates?
I was also worried that after the fresh install i seem to have lost iPhoto, garage etc... i thought these came as standard, am i going to have to buy these also?
Hope someone can help, desperate to get myself properly up and running and enjoying my new toy!
Rob

Selling Macs has become rather messy what with the different license requirements.....
if the Mac had ML preinstalled, then the owner is allowed to make a one time transfer of the OS license; however, he needs to wipe the drive and use internet recovery to reinstall the system without using an Apple ID
If, however, the Mac came with something other than ML (SL or Lion), then the seller needs to wipe the drive and reinstall the original system because any license obtained from MAS is NOT transferable.
So, if it did come with ML originally and unless you wish to contact the seller, try internet recovery - pressing Command + Option + R while restarting ( a slightly different process than recovery) , wipe the drive in Disk Utility and download the OS. It should work - if not, I'd suggest a quick visit to the nearest Genius Bar and ask for help (reminding them that the license does allow a one time transfer).
As for any other apps, you will need to purchase them (such as iLife, iWork, etc) - none of those licenses are transferable. If you encounter a problem doing so, you might want to address that issue at the Genius Bar as well; you do need to buy them again, but in some instances, someone testing that scenario was not able to, so just be aware that there might be a glitch.
Edit: In order to do an internet recovery, you will also need to make sure that you are connected only via WiFi.

When closing an app, focus doesn't return to previously open app

Just as the subject line says. Is there a way to make OS X Leopard revert to the previously open window after closing an app? Perfect example: I open a pdf file from a website, and Preview opens to display the file. I close Preview when done but Firefox is not focused. I then have to click inside the Firefox window to make Firefox active, then I can resume whatever I'm doing in FF. Thanks.

ericd67,
Typically, focus will return to the previously active application when a second is quit. In the example you have given, however, my assumption would be that: 1) you have downloaded the PDF with Firefox, then 2) you opened the downloaded PDF by double-clicking on it.
This second action on your part would naturally have been done within the Finder. As such, the Finder would be the "previously active" application, and will be the application that becomes active after Preview is quit.
One way around this particular scenario would be to right-click (control-click) the downloaded file, and choose "Open" from the contextual menu. This is possible without actually making the FInder the active application. When the second application (Preview, in this case) is quit, the previous app will be come active, not the Finder.
Scott

TS3280 How can i enable both paired bluetooth and ios keyboard input at the same time?

How can i enable both paired bluetooth and ios keyboard input at the same time?
This is needed for the app im working on. Need some user input via keypad as well as scanner input via a paired bluetooth scanner.

You probably should not be using a keyboard bluetooth profile for a scanner, I am not a developer for apple so do not know the location for you to find out the correct profile you should be using for an input device that is not a keyboard. Sorry,
I am sure if you navigate the apple developer site you will probaly finmd what you're looking for.
https://developer.apple.com

How to have same keyboards input source in Mac and Windows???

I use Canadian French-CSA on my Mac keyboards input source. Using Windows 7, I can't find the good setting for my keyboards to be the same when I it keys.
I run Windows over Parallels Desktop
Can anybody help?
Thank you

Can I use an AirPort Extreme Base Station "n"
Yes.
and if so, will my MacBook work with this at maximum download / upload speed (i.e. equivalent to the cable)
The speed of your internal network generally is much much faster than the speed of your internet connection. Unless he has an internet connection faster than approx 6Mbps then even dropping down to the old 802.11b Airport would not seen any decrease in speed of downloads etc...
and will my brother's PC's also be able to connect?
If his PC is 802.11b/g-compliant, it shouldn't have any problems connecting to the AirPort base station.
Or is there another Airport base station?
The other AirPorts would work, but the AirPort Express & older 802.11g AirPort Extreme base stations have a max. range of 150 feet.
OR-- should I head down to "Generic Computer Store" and just by a wireless router (WiFi)(think that's what they call them) and connect this to his cable modem? IF SO WILL THAT WORK FOR MY MAC?
That is always an option as well, especially since he will be the primary user throughout the year. I'd suggest going with a brand name, like Belkin, D-Link, or Linksys for the wireless router choice.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? Activation problem 194:100

What the ihell is going on?
I have been burdened with activation issues for weeks - see my previous thread. I have had no response here from Adobe about how to fix it. Please don't say this is a 'user to user' forum. It isn't a 'U2U' forum when Adobe state this is the first place we should look!
Now, no CC program will run owing to something called 'Activation problem 194:100'.
Yes, I have logged out. Yes, I have rebooted. Yes, I have deactivated 'more than 2 machines'. Why should I have to repeatedly click to 'deactivate 2 previous activations' when there has NEVER been more than one activation?
Adobe not only make me look a laughing stock in the classroom but this constant issue that has been going on for weeks now subliminally tells students Adobe software is useless!
When will I be able to use CC again? I am paying for it remember!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Rajshree,
Welcome to Adobe Forum.
CC has only EVER been activated on ONE PC.
If you look at http://forums.adobe.com/message/6198690#6198690 you'll see (like many other users) I have to constantly sign in and reactivate. It is probably this that is causing the multiple activations.
However, to reiterate, CC is only running on ONE computer. It has not at any time been activated on more than the same PC. One activation - one PC.
So, the suggestion of waiting a few hours (if the prog won't activate / run) is less than adequate. Like everyone else, I pay to have it running 24 hours a day - every day.

How to use the phone's Mini-Keyboard Input with the 'Textbox'(MIDP2.0)?

(My apology. My English is not perfect but I'll try my best. >_<)
Hi. I'm trying to create a textbox(in my own little application) that is compatible with the mini-keyboard input feature.
This problem involved any device that have a built-in "mini-keyboard".
Problem:
I tried the 'Textbox' class from MIDP2.0 but the result, as expected, is like using the phones with no built-in keyboard.
(Forexample if I want to input the character 'C' inthe text box, I need to press number '2' button three times to let it circle through 'A' -> 'B' then 'C'. )
Then I tried entering URLs in the phone's built-in web browser, the result is I can use the mini keyboard to type like a PC keyboard.
Question: How do I implement such textbox that is fully compatible with the built-in mini Keyboard?
I tried browsing through the MIDP2.0 API but it seems the 'Textbox' class there couldn't do it.
Thank you. =)
/bow
Edit/Delete Message

The textbox should have input just as any other normal phone input. If not, something strange is going on.
Anyway , there is no use to make your own input method, since every phone has another implementation of this anyway. It would only confuse users.

Default Keyboard input change in using roaming Profile on different Win 7

We found a strange problem on default Keyboard setting.
We are using roaming profiles for all users.
One of our users is using two Windows 7. One Windows 7 is VDI for working out of office and another Win 7 is her local PC.
She is only using Two keyboard input: Chinese Traditional English and Chinese Traditional Pinyin.
Whenever she had used the Windows 7 VDI, when she comes back to office and use her local PC, the default Keyboard input will automatically change to Chinese Traditional Pinyin.
The user said she had not changed any default keyboard input in the VDI of local PC.
Is there anything we can do for this issue?
Ivan

Hi Ivan,
I am just writing to check the status of this thread. Was the information provided in previous reply
helpful to you?
Do you have any further questions or concerns? Please feel free to let us know.
If you have any feedback on our support, please click
here
Karen Hu
TechNet Community Support

Keyboard input goes to previously-active app

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for