XP unable to manage window focus.

[Guest]

I use the word 'focus' in the programming sense, i.e. a window that has focus is generally the frontmost, active window being used at the time in a Windows user session. This involves WinXP Pro

Sometimes, when I have Outlook open, if I press Ctrl-N to bring up a new email window to send a message to someone, the new email window will open up, then show all the signs of not having focus. I then have to click the task on the taskbar two or three times to get the window to show up front and ready. This happens with other non-Microsoft applications, too

I know this is mostly cosmetic, but it really makes me long for Win2000 Pro again. Is there a reason for this, and a potential solution?

 

[Bruce J. Weiers]

I've seen something similiar happen in Word 2000, after updating Office
2000 with all the latest updates.

TweakUI powertoy has a setting for "preventing applications from
stealing focus." Clearing this setting (allowing applications to steal
focus) cleared up my problem with Word 2000.

Anyway you might use TweakUI to turn off this focus stealing prevention
behavior, and see if that helps. It solved a similar problem

TweakUI for XP is available for download from Microsoft's site.