windows (Archived) Update dialog steals focus

[Fuchsteufel 0]

If the Evernote Update Version dialog appears while I'm currently typing into a note, the dialog steals the keyboard focus, eats my keystrokes, and consequently activates some random action in the dialog (Install, Cancel, whatever).

Clearly unacceptable and dangerous behavior! A pop-up dialog should NEVER steal the keyboard focus! Let the user click on it first, when he wants to interact with it.

I realise that focus-stealing dialogs are a pervasive (plus risky, annoying, and inexcusable) problem in Windows. But surely it's possible for developers to code their pop-up (modal) dialogs to NOT take the keyboard focus?

[jefito 5,509]

Modal dialogs steal focus from their parent; that's their purpose (you can't do anything with the parent in that case anyway). Modeless dialogs are another matter...

[Fuchsteufel 0]

If the purpose is to accept the next keystroke the user types, regardless of what he was doing before, and perform some action based on that keystroke, then the purpose is wrong.

Solutions: Use a modeless dialog. Or bypass the focus-stealing option. Or don't accept keystroke input in the modal dialog (the mouse is good enough).

Seriously. The way it is now is simply broken, and dangerous.

[DmytroL 0]

What's worse, this dialog steals focus even from another application (e.g. Microsoft Outlook)

[xyzyxx 0]

Evernote steals focus and causes full-screen computer games to minimize themselves. A few of these games will react by crashing or freezing.

This is pretty much the opposite of "sync in the background".

[Benny Hansen 0]

Evernote admin, have you got a solution to this? This should be a minor problem to solve I should think!! This issue is really annoying and not good for the Evernote brand. I look forward to hear from you.

[jefito 5,509]

Evernote admin, have you got a solution to this? This should be a minor problem to solve I should think!! This issue is really annoying and not good for the Evernote brand. I look forward to hear from you.

I suggest opening a support request if you want official Evernote action on this. See the link in my signature.