Is there a way to force which "Render Layers to Window" window is active when a composition runs?

Is it possible, when you have a composition with multiple windows, to specify a specific window is the active one for keyboard input?

I have made a dual screen kiosk, because it’s a kiosk it has no keyboard or mouse attached just a button that simulates a spacebar press. I have previously used a Staples button with an Arduino to send a serial command however I didn’t want to have to hack together multiple buttons for additional installations so just picked an off the shelf button from Amazon that simulates a spacebar press on a keyboard. The problem is whenever the 2nd “Render Layers to Window” window is the active one the button won’t trigger the composition, only when the 1st “Render Layers to Window” window is set as active. I can manually connect a mouse and select this other window to make it active so everything works again but it would be nice not to have to do this as the kiosk is often left unattended.

This was never an issue with the serial input as it didn’t matter which window was active.

are you using the receive keyboard buttons node with a window attached to it ?

Keyboard Window — If a window is provided, then keyboard buttons are only tracked when the window is active. Otherwise, keyboard buttons are tracked whenever the composition is the active (frontmost) application.

Did you try using the receive keyboard node without a window attached to it ? this should detect the spacebar regardless of which window is active or in focus.

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@cwilms-loyalist,

@Dust’s suggestion worked for us. There is currently no way to specify that a specific window should be the active one for keyboard input.

I had a look at my composition and there isn’t a Window attached to the Keyboard Buttons node however the composition only works when the Window on my Primary screen is the active one.

well I don’t have two monitors set up right at the moment. maybe the problem is with setting primary or secondary ? with just two regular render to layers windows not setting them to primary or secondary the spacebar input works in both windows regardless of which one is in focus as described in the node documentation. see attached comp.

multiple_windows_spacebar.vuo (5.09 KB)

I will have to sift through my comp to see if I can determine why mine is acting differently.

yeah man its working as expected for me. try adding two new render layers to window and use change window position to get your secondary monitor positioned instead of using primary etc… that’s just a guess though, I would think primary or secondary settings shouldn’t effect the keyboard input node when it doesn’t have a window attached.