Hi--Running 2000 operating system on PC, with WORD 2000.
All of a sudden, every time I open a WORD document, the bar at the top
of the window is flashing, along with the icon that appears on the
bottom of my screen. I have to click the bar and/or document to start
typing. This never used to happen and it's a big annoyance, because I
probably open documents 50 times a day, sometimes more.
So -- how can I stop this? (And what caused it, so I can prevent it
from happening again?)
bbb...
I'd submit that both commentors have a piece of the puzzle.
Windows 2000 does have a feature where the taskbar icon
and the program window will flash, but normally, opening a
program like Word wouldn't initiate this. What is probably
happening is that, having added Norton Anti-Virus, Norton
is now 'stealing focus' from Word with an offer to run a
scan on the document you're opening, which causes Word to
flash in protest, demanding your attention back.
A long-term solution to give you back control of this
phenomena, and many other aspects of your computer, is
to download and install the Windows PowerToy, TweakUI
(short for Tweak User Interface) and open it to the
'General' tab, where it gives you some options on
whether to allow programs to steal focus and how
many times you want the window to flash when focus
is stolen, if allowed.
TweakUI is available on this page from Microsoft,
along with instructions for download and installation:
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp
I'm sure you'll find it a useful addition for many
things besides the focus-stealing issue.
Please do not rate this answer until you are satisfied that
the answer cannot be improved upon by way of a dialog
established through the "Request for Clarification" process.
sublime1-ga
Searches done, via Google:
TweakUI "windows 2000"
://www.google.com/search?q=TweakUI+%22windows+2000%22
Thanks...and I think your explanation of what's causing the problem
may well be right. But I'm afraid I can't figure out what to do with
this...
I did "download and install the Windows PowerToy, TweakUI (short for
Tweak User Interface)." ... That is, I downloaded it and had it unzip
some files. I don't know what to do next, or how to run it. I don't
see any ".exe" file beyond the basic file to unzip, which I've done.
Therefore, I don't see any way to take action.
I do see a "Help" file, but without a program to run, I don't have any
idea of what to do with that. When you say "and open it to the
'General' tab,"...I don't know what "it" is. Open what? I did click on
a "*.cpl" file, which tells me "Should be run from the control panel.
Install now?". So I clicked yes. And now what? I know where the
control panel is, but what part of the control panel has to do with
what I've (apparently?) installed? Where? Nothing tells me.
Also, I don't know how to make use of your point about "where it gives
you some options on whether to allow programs to steal focus and how
many times you want the window to flash when focus is stolen, if
allowed." Is this explained by the program somewhere? How could
someone decide on whether to "allow programs to steal focus"? I've
never heard of the phrase "steal focus." So I don't have any idea of
whether to allow it. Or what to do about it.
Sorry, but none of this is self-explanatory. I think you may well have
figured out the problem, but I can't figure out what to do. (And
remember, the program Tweak UI was designed by Microsoft, and like
many Microsoft products, it does not explain itself, at least in any
way I can see.)
Help!
bbb...
I thought the instructions on the download page were clear:
How to Download
1. Create a folder by right-clicking on the desktop,
click New, and then click Folder. Type a name for th
folder.
2. Click the Download Now button at the top or bottom
of this page. In the File download dialog box that
appears on your screen, click Save Program to Disk.
3. In the Save As dialog box, choose to save the file
in the folder you just created, then click Save.
4. Open the folder and double-click the downloaded file.
This may create several new files in your folder. Among
these, look for "Read Me" or "INF" files.
5. The "Read Me" file will contain any additional
download information you need to know. To install
the file, right click the .INF file and click Install.
The last bit makes it clear how to install the program.
Once it's installed, you can delete the files from the
folder you downloaded them to.
To use the program (sorry I left that out), go to Start
-> Settings -> Control Panel, and click on TweakUI.
Then go to the General tab for the settings I described.
I defined 'stealing focus' when I said that that's what
the Norton Anti-Virus Program is doing when it offers
to run a scan for you right after you open a Word
Document. Focus is where Windows has its attention.
Normally that's a function of your mouse, so whatever
window you have your mouse clicking in is the active
focus of Windows. In a case like this, the focus is
taken away (stolen) by the automatic opening of the
Norton prompt to run a scan. See?
sublime1-ga
To sublime-1:
Thanks. Actually the download instructions WERE unusually clear--in
explaining how to set up a directory and download, then unzip files
within it--but they were not clear past that point. They said nothing
about what to do next. I opened the "*.INF" file, assuming that "inf"
meant information, and found no instructions whatsoever. It looked
like a DOS batch file (I've those), and that's all I could tell; I
didn't know it had anything to do with installing--and I had no idea
how to run it. I've never seen an *.inf file, and would never have
thought to right-click on it.
You, on the other hand, ARE clear, here: "To install the file, right
click the .INF file and click Install." That's not written anywhere,
except in your notes here, so far as I've seen. And as you say, "The
last bit makes it clear how to install the program." Microsoft, of
course, didn't tell me that.
Anyway, since you supplied that missing instruction, I did so, and the
program itself then told me (another missing instruction, earlier)
that I could run "tweakUI" from the control panel.
It looks interesting and probably helpful. I do have a further
question, though. I agree that the idea of what "stealing focus"
means was indeed implied by your phrasing, but to someone completely
unfamiliar with the concept, that's not all the help that's needed.
You mention that the program "gives you some options on whether to
allow programs to steal focus." But that raises this question, then:
Why would I ever want Norton to steal focus, if I'm opening my own
WORD files? Yet there must be a reason for "stealing focus" to exist,
which suggests it may be a bad idea to disallow it always.
I realize these are a lot of issues, so I'd gladly raise the tip to be
a reasonable figure like $20 or so, if you have the time and
inclination to explain that. If this is simply becoming an annoyance,
I can understand that too, so freel free to call a halt! (And a $10
tip or so would be fair anyway; you've supplied a lot of info.) The
point is: My goal is NOT to get an encyclopedia written. It's simply
to keep working in WORD with the least amount of interruption. You've
given me valuable information, but it seems important to know that
last step (i.e., whether or not--and why--to allow rograms "steal
focus").
(Not to mention your point about "how many times you want the window
to flash when focus is stolen, if allowed"--which seems as though it
might be useful, too, but I can't figure out how this would work.
Right now, I have to click about six or ten times to get the WORD
window to calm down.)
Many thanks, and again, if this is too much, just declare the case
closed at this point--you've certainly covered the essentials.
bbb...
You said:
"You, on the other hand, ARE clear, here: 'To install the
file, right click the .INF file and click Install.' That's
not written anywhere, except in your notes here, so far as
I've seen."
Don't be too hard on Microsoft. To be fair, I quoted that
whole section from the download page I sent you to:
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp
You go on to ask:
"Why would I ever want Norton to steal focus, if I'm opening
my own WORD files? Yet there must be a reason for "stealing
focus" to exist, which suggests it may be a bad idea to
disallow it always."
Norton is stealing focus because you've installed it as the
guardian of your system, when it comes to virus security.
So it's performing one of its sacred functions, which is to
offer you the option of requesting a virus scan on the
document you're opening. This could be a useful function,
so Windows allows it to 'steal focus' to let you know that
there's a program you have blessed with rights which is
trying to tell you something which may be useful.
If, in fact, it is not that useful, there may be options
available within Norton's program which allow you to
negate this kind of request altogether. If, however, it
may be an annoyance when opening Word files, but not
unwanted when accessing other files, this is where you
can continue to allow the program to function as it is
intended to, while still limiting its ability to 'steal
focus'. To this end, you can allow the program to steal
focus, thus notifying you that another program which you
have sanctioned has been allowed to operate, while still
limiting the number of times you are notified of this.
Thus you can set TweakUI to flash the taskbar button
three times, or however many you prefer, to let you know
that another program has been activated, and to give you
the option to respond, as in, "Yes, please scan this
particular document for viruses".
My computer (via TweakUI) is set to allow focus-stealing
so I'll know when some program other than the one I'm using
becomes active. It's also set to limit the flashing to 3
flashes, which is always enough to get my attention.
In practical everyday terms, If I open more than one browser,
first Mozilla, and then Internet Explorer, one after the other,
Mozilla may 'steal focus' when it is done loading my homepage,
while IE is still loading. I don't need to know that, so I
limit the flashes to 3, while leaving the stealing option
active, in case another, more vital program (such as an
anti-virus program) is trying to tell me something very
important about the page I'm loading, like "It's got a
virus!". That, I need to know.
sublime1-ga
Extremely helpful! Thanks (and yes, I did miss Microsoft's final instruction.)
One final bit. Given what you've explained:
1. Of course, I want Norton to scan INCOMING document.
2. But I never thought of having it scan every time I open a file I've
created, on my own computer. (I don't know why it started doing this,
in fact. This began my system was re-installed.).
3. My first inclination is to try to set it to "scan incoming only"
(or whatever the Norton setting is).
4. But I think you're implying -- "It's just as well to let it check"
-- which implies further that:
a virus might have slipped in, and gotten into my own files, and that
I could activate that virus simply by opening a file.
5. If 4 n that case, I should allow the stealing focus, just change
the number of times to
Extremely helpful! Thanks (and yes, I did miss Microsoft's final instruction.)
One final bit. Given what you've explained:
1. Of course, I want Norton to scan INCOMING document.
2. But I never thought of having it scan every time I open a file I've
created, on my own computer. (I don't know why it started doing this,
in fact. This began my system was re-installed.).
3. My first inclination is to try to set it to "scan incoming only"
(or whatever the Norton setting is).
4. But I think you're implying -- "It's just as well to let it check"
-- which implies further that:
5. A virus might slip past Norton, and somehow lie dormant in my own
files, and I might activate it simply by opening a file.
6. If #5 is true, then I should allow the stealing focus (and might
just change the number of times to flash the bar.)
But if #5 is not true (i.e., not the way any virus could operate),
then I suppose I should disallow the stealing focus, I think, since
it's just an annoyance.
Please let me know. Thanks! This is the last, I think!!
bbb...
You nailed it. It is definitely possible for a file to
"slip in". One of the most common ways is when you put
an old floppy disk into your A drive which might have
a virus from before you knew to scan for them, or might
be from a friend's machine which has no virus scan.
So I'd want my virus program to do its thing of checking
files as I access them. Perhaps there is a setting in
Norton which says "Notify, or ask, me before scanning
files I access", or "before opening Word documents", and
you can uncheck that and tell it to scan without asking.
This may still steal the focus from the program, but it
may allow it to do the check in the background, without
opening a window to ask your permission, and without
disturbing you unless it actually finds a virus.
Now, you could use TweakUI to set it so that programs
don't steal focus, but this might result in a window
from Norton or some other program opening to tell you
something useful, and you missing it because Windows
focus (and yours) is on another program. So I let it
flash three times, which is enough to let me know that
there's something else going on that needs my attention.
If you're able to accomplish this with fewer flashes,
you can set it up accordingly.
sublime1-ga
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