Docking Window Won't Undock

PST wrote on 11/14/2002, 2:34 AM
Here's a puzzle. A short time ago I downloaded the upgrade to VV3.0 (build 138). I have used the new version with no apparent problems until now.

Today, I was creating a text title, and inadvertently moved the Text creation window from its central location on the screen down into the docking window area along with the Media Pool and Trimmer and Explorer. Of course, that abbreviated a lot of the window's contents and I didn't want it there, but no matter what I did I could not undock the text titling window and return it to its original center screen position.

While fooling around with this, I de-selected all of the items in the View menu, thinking I might be able to re-establish the order and position of all the dockable windows.

Much to my surprise, when I opened various elements to view, the text titling window was still in the undesireable docked position with its own tab, but now the video preview window and the audio mixer were tabs and only one or the other could be selected for viewing at one time, but never both as before.

I went through each and every line of all the preference and options windows I could find, but there was no reference to dockable windows at all, nor to positioning the text window or the monitor and mixer windows.

I consulted the manual and on-line Help, but could only find a vague reference to being ABLE to make the monitor and mixer into tabs. However, there was no procedure for undocking any of the dockable windows, other than grabbing the "handle" and simply moving it to another position on the screen. Believe me, I tried every way I could to find and grab any handle, but all of the handles now seem inactivated. Even the main time window in the upper left corner has no grabbable handle!

I went through every keyboard key looking for a "magic button" to allow me to move the text window back where it belongs and to "un-tab" the preview and mixer windows, but to no avail.

After a couple hours of this, I finally decided to reload the program from scratch, which I did, though I chose the "Repair" mode rather than the "uninstall" mode. But the problem persisted.

I asked a friend of mine with the same build 138 if he had a solution. At my request, he de-selected all of the items in the View menu, and when he re-selected the preview monitor and mixer, they both came up tabbed, and now he can't un-do them either!

We've tried everything we can think of to solve the problem so this is my last resort short of uninstalling the entire program and starting over with the original build.

Any thoughts anyone...?

Matt Simek
Pacific Standard Television

Comments

TorS wrote on 11/14/2002, 3:01 AM
There's an innocent-looking line on the left of the docked function, stretching down from the triangle below the x. Click-drag that line and you'll see the function window move with your mouse.

They must have been mistaking good looks for good design when they made that part of the interface. And it's not very well documented either. The manual (or was it the help file?) calls it a handle but it took me a long time to find it because it doesn't look like one.

Tor
PST wrote on 11/14/2002, 3:18 AM
Apologies for taking up your time in reading my earlier message about an apparent inability to undock certain windows, especially the text creation window.

I (and perhaps my friend) may be a little ham fisted on the mouse. By placing the cursor exactly on the docking handle (as Tor suggests), I was able to move any window and split the video preview and mixer windows.

Apparently I imagined that the "sizing" cursor (small double vertical lines) used to adjust the size of the windows was the "handle" when indeed it was not. You are right, Tor, it is not clear at all that the vertical line you indicate is in fact the "handle." When I found the real handle with the cursor, I could move any window exactly as promised.

Now the question is how to delete my embarrassing earlier message....

Matt Simek
Pacific Standard Television
TorS wrote on 11/14/2002, 3:26 AM
Now the question is how to delete my embarrassing earlier message....

Easy. Find the handle.

Tor