Most of the time when I alt + tab from PhpED to Fx, the PhpED window stays on top. Windows acts like Fx is the main app; it is focused in the task bar, the PhpED window is greyed out, keypresses go to Fx, but it stays behind PhpED. Switching back or straightening things out is distracting and disorienting when I'm in the zone.

I've been experimenting and I've found out what triggers a failed alt+tab, it depends on the order keys are released.
Alt Down, Tab Down, Alt Release, Tab Release - Fails
Alt Down, Tab Down, Tab Release, Alt Release - Works!
I usually switch by doing a sort of roll motion with my hand, my thumb first pressing Alt, then my ring finger pressing Tab and then releasing Alt first as my wrist rolls to my left, so this would be why I get this issue most of the time. Why the order matters I don't know, perhaps after releasing Alt when Tab is still down, Windows sends the Tab keydown event somewhere which messes things up.

PhpED can switch to every other program I've tried no problem. Likewise, any other program can switch to Fx no problem. There is no problem going from Fx to PhpED, this appears to be a very isolated case. This has been a minor nuisance for a while now, it's always been a pest but never enough to warrant posting, until now. I code in PhpED and test by alt + tabbing to Firefox and hitting reload. I know there is built in renderers and alternative browsers but this really is the way I'm comfortable.

This isn't the case for me, at least not in the test I did just now. However, I do periodically see this behavior, usually about once every couple of days. I haven't noticed a connection with a particular application--I've just been attributing it to yet another annoying UI bug in Windows, which seems to be loaded with such bugs--but I'll try to keep tabs on it going forward. (Then again, I'm about to migrate full-time to a Mac, where I'll be running Windows in VMware Fusion. Since PhpED usually will be the only Windows app I'll be running, I doubt I'll have the opportunity to see this much anymore.)

Just for data collection purposes in case others also report the problem, I'm running on a Dell Latitude D820 laptop with an nVidia graphics card and an external display used in extended desktop mode. My OS is XP Pro SP2.

I experience the same problem with one difference: it occurs to me not only when switching to Firefox but to any other application. Using MS Windows XP it never happened to me with another program -> it seems there is a bug in PhpED.

It is quite annoying since I am used to the Alt+Tab switching application since Windows 3.1 for more than 15 years now so it is hard to leave the habit. Why should I when everything else works fine?

This bug bothers me like nothing else.

I am experiencing this bug too, and it's simply so annoying that I had to stop using this program.

I am using something that is clearly inferior to NuSphere now, but this bug is just so bad, that it's impossible to work with.

If this bug ever gets fixed, I'll be right back at using this program.

It's interesting how people's work habits vary. I never alt-tab, and with dual screens never have an issue with switching between apps, as I often have PhpED on the left screen and the browser on the right screen.

You could try something like AutoHotKey, which allows you to define macros to control windows, keystrokes, etc. I use it so that I can press ctrl+space on a window, then that window will stay on top. Another ctrl+space will toggle the setting.

You can also program some more complex actions, so you might be able to get autohotkey to do exactly what you require. I use a Logitech programmable keyboard and can set the G1 to G12 buttons to instantly switch to a specific application.

I can't post the link to autohotkey here because I think the forum will hide the link, but it starts with www, ends with com and you can probably guess the bit in the middle.

Best solution is still that the developers of nusphere phped just fix the alt-tab behavior. I am experiencing it the same way as describe above, where it depends which key I release first. I am not experiencing this problem with any other program.

Please please make a fix for this.

I don't see how using dual screen changes anything. Whether the browser is on the same screen or on another, the point is that it needs to get focus, and if you are not alt tabbing to do that, then you gotta grab your mouse to do it, which seems like a waste of time, for something that can be done in an instant with a couple of fast keypresses on the keyboard (if it works properly of course). I'm just curious if that's what you do then, or you have some other ways I haven't thought about? For me, alt-tab and then f5, seems the fastest way to switch to browser and update page (besides some kinda macros of course). Never need to reach for the mouse.

My comment on dual screens was badly phrased, but I was meaning that with the dual screens I didn't have any hidden windows so could easily click with the mouse on the other screen to get back to Firefox.

Focus issues with Windows applications are very common. As a Windows application developer, I have seen many on-screen controls attempt to 'steal' focus and if a developer is using a library, it is even sometimes difficult/impossible for them to fix (although I have no idea if that is the problem with PhpED).

If there is a free tool you can use to work around the problem and maybe even improve functionality, why not?

This is an AutoHotKey script that allows you to press the Windows key + F to either start Firefox, or switch to it if already running and do a refresh:



Unlike Alt+Tab which is context sensitive, this always works irrelevant of which application you are in (Photoshop, PhpED, etc.)

You can assign just about any key you like. AutoHotKey is actually very powerful with quite complex control and can be used to develop some really neat tools, but the simple stuff is great.

This script keeps the current window on-top using ctrl+space and you can toggle the setting by pressing ctrl+space again: