rFactor looses focus

Discussion in 'Technical & Support' started by Felix Schendel, Mar 20, 2019.

  1. Felix Schendel

    Felix Schendel Registered

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    Hi all,

    and first thanks for your time and help. Since yesterday (2019-03-20), bevor and after the update, I have the issue that windows looses focus on rFactor. It's like a window is still open but another one is highlighted.

    This behaviour causes FPS loss. My steering and paddle input are still recognized but my keyboard inputs, for example [ESC], aren't recognized. The FPS drops to 30. After I push the left mouse button, focus is back on rFactor, FPS goes up to ~120 (which is normal for my settings) and keyboard commands are recognized again.

    Did anyone know this problem and has a solution?

    Again thanks!
     
  2. Ari Antero

    Ari Antero Registered

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    Use Alt + Tab, hold alt and scroll with Tab, release Alt + Tab when the white frame is round rF2 mini pic.
     
  3. Marcel Offermans

    Marcel Offermans Registered

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    It would also be good to try to figure out which other program on your system grabs the focus.
     
  4. Jason Whited

    Jason Whited Registered

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    At times I have this issue as well. I'm yet to identify what "steals" the focus from the game.

    I usually notice it when I press a keyboard button and get the windows "ding" sound. Then I'll notice the fps lose.
    Alt tab and focus on the only window I have open (rF2) and all is back to normal, but sure would be nice to know why it happens.
    Sometimes it seems to happen when I escape back to pits...?...

    What would be an effective method of potentially identifying what is stealing focus?
     
  5. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

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    You dont have the several button press thingy activated? It will make a "ding" sound and take focus away to Windows. But it should put up a window where you can turn that off. I dont remember what its called in English. Maybe its not your problem though.

    EDIT: Replied to the wrong guy... Was meant for OP.
     
  6. Jason Whited

    Jason Whited Registered

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    You mean "sticky keys"?
    And no, I do not personally have that on. (And saw the edit)
     
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  7. Alex72

    Alex72 Registered

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    Ah yes, thanks mate. "Sticky keys" is what i thought maybe OP had. Doesnt sound like it but you never know. It can steal focus and then even not show the window for sticky keys. Happened to me in other games many times.
     
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  8. Jason Whited

    Jason Whited Registered

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    Yeah, I thought that was my issue as well. Completely disabled sticky keys, and the problem persists (only sometimes. Other times no issues with this happening)
    I run rF2 at high priority.

    I will definitely be following this thread though, hoping the reason(s) is identified. It's not some game breaking thing, and it's solved quite easily, but would be good to know what I could do to prevent it all together.
     
  9. Coutie

    Coutie Moderator Staff Member

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    I think it's the new steam friends system. It happens to me in a lot of games, only when steam is open though.
     
  10. Felix Schendel

    Felix Schendel Registered

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    Hi thanks all for the advices. I disabled Steam friends network allready. But this isn't the problem. Do you know how to know which program steals the focus? Sorry if this sounds stupid but I'm not the big computer expert.

    Thanks
     
  11. benborp

    benborp Registered

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    I am now constantly suffering from this problem and the effects are profound in VR once rF2 loses focus - performance drops to almost undrivable levels. Sometimes mapped Logitech controller inputs are also no longer effective in game and input lag spikes can cause lock-ups, missed braking points, spins and crashes. Sometimes keyboard inputs too are no longer recognised. I thought it was an issue with SteamVR and have now found that hitting Alt - Tab solves all of the above problems although at the penalty that FFB must be reset at the same time to restore steering values. Any mouse click though will cause the problems to start again requiring another Alt - Tab hit. The issue can also arise spontaneously mid stint with no other input other than usual driving inputs from controllers. This has been a problem for me for several months and over that time the issue has become more pronounced, I am certain that it started with a specific Steam update. The need to re-establish focus occurs even when there are no other windows open to take focus from rF2. I have had to retire from VEC events due to these problems before realising that Alt-Tab was a temporary solution - I believe I submitted a trace file of the race where I first encountered these problems. Other league events where I have encountered these problems have meant not qualifying, or starting from the pits while attempting to sort out the controller mapping issues and loss of keyboard input. Usually once the race is underway I only suffer the performance loss which can be temporarily sorted with an Alt-Tab and FFB reset on a suitable straight. While I believe this is at root caused by SteamVR it only seems to affect rF2 and at the moment along with another inexplicable performance loss during race events is turning league races into a challenge of marshalling PC resources sufficiently to take part and not retire rather than competitive drives.
     
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  12. Ari Antero

    Ari Antero Registered

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    @benborp Perhaps you could use Process Lasso which allows you to assign rF2 Priority Class as temporary solution ?
     
  13. benborp

    benborp Registered

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    Cheers, I'll have a look and see if that stops whatever is spooking SteamVR.
     
  14. Ari Antero

    Ari Antero Registered

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  15. Jason Whited

    Jason Whited Registered

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    For me the problem is exactly as benborp described it.
    And I have disabled steam friends. I have no windows open when I run rF2.
    It's definitely not solely tied to SteamVR though as I am on single screen.
     
  16. Lazza

    Lazza Registered

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    Perhaps a tool like WindowFocusLogger would help?
     
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  17. JimmyT

    JimmyT Registered

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    Lazza likes this.

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