No console view - Solved!

[Lynn Wilson]

Hi everyone.  Though I rarely us it, today I called up console view via Alt +2 and the little blue wheel spun for a few seconds and then the entire project lost focus and nothing else happened.  So, I went to view>console view and clicked it; same results.  Then I closed CW and reopened it and got the same results.  I then rebooted my computer and started over with a different project and still couldn't open the console view.  I have the very latest version (2019.09 build 70), and console view has never failed before.  I went through preferences and found nothing to help me.   Any ideas?  Thanks in advance.

 

edit:  I should add that everything else (markers, piano roll, etc.) shows up in the multi-dock except the console view.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Lynn

[chuckebaby]

Im using build 70 and CV is there.

Possibly a corrupt installation, IDK. Have you tried a different project ? or a new project ?

[JoseC]

How many screens do you use? Is it possible that you used to open CV in a second monitor that you do not switch on anymore?

[Lynn Wilson]

1 hour ago, Chuck E Baby said:

Im using build 70 and CV is there.

Possibly a corrupt installation, IDK. Have you tried a different project ? or a new project ?

I have tried this on 3 different projects with no success.  Maybe the install went bad; I'll try reinstalling and let you know later.

 

1 hour ago, JoseC said:

How many screens do you use? Is it possible that you used to open CV in a second monitor that you do not switch on anymore?

I use only one screen. thanks

[Ben Staton]

Very unusual. Haven't come across anything like that before.

Be sure to look around for a very small, minimized CV window, just in case it somehow got itself into that state. It might look something like this (on Windows 10):

If you see it, just maximize or resize it to get it back to a normal size.

Failing that, instead of reinstalling CbB, there's a registry key you could delete that might get things back to normal:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cakewalk Music Software\Cakewalk\Core\View Data\{5579470A-A148-431B-838C-89E9F081317C}

It contains Console View specific data that, amongst other things, includes its docking state, size and position. If you're comfortable messing with the registry, then close CbB, delete the above value, and retry (with the usual disclaimer - always backup first, and only edit the registry if you know what you're doing). Doing so won't affect your project.

If you're not comfortable doing that, or it doesn't work, this is worth a try too (be sure to follow exactly as written):

1. Start CbB and open a project.
2. Press Alt+2 to open the CV. (at which point, presumably CbB will lose focus, and you won't see the CV).
3. Press Alt+Space.
4. Press the down arrow key exactly 4 times.
5. Hit the Enter key.

If you follow those steps, it might maximize the CV and allow you to move/resize it!

Hope that helps.

[Ben Staton]

Actually, you could also replace step 4 above, with:

4. Press the down arrow key exactly 7 times.

And then hit the Enter key. That'll potentially force the CV to dock itself back in the MultiDock.

BTW, the Alt+Space shortcut simply opens the focused windows system menu, from which you can move, size, maximize, dock etc, hence the down arrow and Enter key steps above:

I'm working on the assumption that your CV window is there somerwhere, but is off screen or otherwise obscured somehow.

[Ben Staton]

Now I think about it, just switching to a different screenset might sort it out too!

Edit: I've logged a case so we can investigate, and maybe prevent issues like this in future.

[Lynn Wilson]

Thanks, Ben, for your time and effort.  Unfortunately, this doesn't help.  I haven't tried editing the registry yet, but I will later today.

[Ben Staton]

One more thing - starting CbB in Safe Mode might help (hold Shift while opening a project).

If that fails too, then something very odd is going on. Could you forward a screenshot after attempting to open the CV please?

[Panu Pentikäinen]

I had similar problem with the Browser window. It happened after I had used Remote Desktop Connection. It caused Browser window location go off-screen. Two workarounds I often use in this kind of case: 

- change display resolution in Windows settings temporarily

- after opening the hidden window, I press Alt-Spacebar, then M (Move). Then arrow keys to bring the hidden window back to the visible area of the desktop.

 

 

[Ben Staton]

Yes, the Alt-Spacebar trick is definitely useful for this kind of thing, Panu!

Regardless of the workaround, we should really stop it happening in the first place. I've already logged a case and hope to look into it soon.

[Lynn Wilson]

Eureka!  I found it!  I finally looked at the lens box ( I never uses it) and saw that it could be expanded, so I expanded it and found the top of the console view window floating near the bottom of the screen.  I was able to grab it and redock it into the multi-dock.  I don't know how it became undocked, but I'll remember that in the future.  Thanks again to Ben and Panup for your time and effort to help me!

[Ben Staton]

Glad you managed to sort it! I already have some ideas for a fix to stop it happening again, which I'll hopefully find time for soon.