[SOLVED] Lazarus 4.0 desktop lost the watches window

[What I can do]

Lazarus 4.0 FPC3.2.2 Window10@64
I was setting up the Lazarus desktop and some how lost the "Watches". Is there a way to auto center or keyboard commands that move windows around. Even closing every window and try to just open the watches still gives me a blank screen.
I am not sure what to do.

[Martin_fr]

"Center a lost Window" from the main menu entry "Windows" ?

That is unless you use docked IDE. The dock layout does not allow the centering to work.

If the dock layout has gone wrong, there are only 2 ways I know. Start undocking, until you find it. Or edit the XML (while the IDE is closed, find the watches in the xml, and remove that xml node).

[What I can do]

Start undocking,

yes, all the way to a total bank Lazarus desktop but the watch window never shows up

[What I can do]

<Caption Value="Watches"/>
        <CustomPosition Left="1677" Top="154" Width="377" Height="312"/>

Thank you Martin_fr that was it.

[Martin_fr]

I don't have my IDE docked, so not sure what the menu will/should show.

But I would still expect, that in the Windows menu is a list of windows? And the watches is in that list?

If not, then its closed and you can open it from menu: View > Debug Windows > Watches.
And doing so, then it would be in the list of windows?


If not, then menu: view > ide internals >About IDE.

Search for "primary config path". That is where your config is. Lots of xml files.

environmentoptions.xml

Code: Text  [Select][+][-]

1.       <Watches>
2.         <Caption Value="Watches"/>
3.         <CustomPosition Left="811" Top="838" Width="843" Height="257"/>
4.  

There may be more than one entry, if you have multiple desktops configured (or there is data for non docked layout).

Removing this part of the xml, and then try to open the watches again.

[Martin_fr]

Ok, you found it while I was typing.

[Martin_fr]

Left = 1677

Was it docked? Was your "outer window" that wide? Especially if maybe is was docked in a panel that did not have the full width?

Otherwise, maybe it was docked into tabs, that were hidden behind other tabs. Nesting several levels of tabs in the docked IDE can make it real hard to find something.

[What I can do]

hidden behind other tabs

tested by closing every tab then trying to just open the watch window but nothing flashes, jumps, or even moves. No errors but no watch window tab

[What I can do]

[failed] restore last backup, test app
[failed] uninstall Lazarus, reinstall , test app
[failed] install REVO remove Lazarus, all REG entries, all Links, reinstall Lazarus 64 , then 32,64  cross, test app
[failed] REVO remove all Lazarus, install Lazarus 64 only, with new docing, test app
[success] REVO remove all lazarus, install 64 bit only, with No docking setting just normal Lazarus