Summary
The preview-indicator Tauri window can sit above the main nixmac window while appearing empty/invisible, so mouse clicks intended for the main UI (e.g. Run build) never reach the webview. Accessibility / CUA targeting of the main window reports success, but React onClick does not fire until the Preview window is moved aside or the main window is raised above it.
Repro (Mac Studio, #565 debug build in /Applications)
- Launch
com.darkmatter.nixmac.dev with both the main window and the Preview indicator present (System Events lists windows: Preview, nixmac).
- Onboarding Step 7 — First Build is visible; Run build is in the AX tree and can be focused.
- Click Run build with the mouse (or CUA
click / HID click) while Preview is stacked such that it covers the button region — click has no effect; UI stays idle (Logs will appear here once the build starts.).
- Raise/move the main window above Preview (or minimize Preview) and click again — rebuild starts (
Building…, darwin-rebuild build --flake …).
Observed while driving onboarding via Codex Computer Use against /Applications/nixmac.app (debug bundle). Accidental screen-coordinate clicks also hit the wrong chrome (e.g. reset toward Permissions) because the invisible Preview layer eats events.
Expected
- Preview indicator should not accept hit-testing when it has nothing to show (or should use
ignoresMouseEvents / non-activating panel behavior when transparent/empty).
- Alternatively: keep Preview always below the main window, or only create/show it when there is a non-empty preview delta to display.
Actual
Preview window remains in the window list (Window: "Preview", URL tauri://localhost/preview-indicator.html) and can be the frontmost / hit-test target while visually blank, blocking interaction with the main onboarding UI underneath.
Likely area
apps/native/src-tauri/src/peek.rs — create_preview_indicator_window / show_preview_indicator / hide_preview_indicator (label preview-indicator).
In create_preview_indicator_window the builder sets:
.transparent(true).always_on_top(true).visible(true) // Start hidden ← comment says hidden, but the flag starts it visible- macOS floating panel level (
NSFloatingWindowLevel)
So an empty transparent always-on-top panel can remain in the hit-test path over the main window even when there’s no preview content to show.
Workaround
Raise the main nixmac window (AXRaise) or minimize/hide Preview before interacting with the main UI.
Note
Originally opened as #576 on GitHub; closed in favor of this Linear issue.
Summary
The
preview-indicatorTauri window can sit above the mainnixmacwindow while appearing empty/invisible, so mouse clicks intended for the main UI (e.g. Run build) never reach the webview. Accessibility / CUA targeting of the main window reports success, but ReactonClickdoes not fire until the Preview window is moved aside or the main window is raised above it.Repro (Mac Studio, #565 debug build in
/Applications)com.darkmatter.nixmac.devwith both the main window and the Preview indicator present (System Eventslists windows:Preview,nixmac).click/ HID click) while Preview is stacked such that it covers the button region — click has no effect; UI stays idle (Logs will appear here once the build starts.).Building…,darwin-rebuild build --flake …).Observed while driving onboarding via Codex Computer Use against
/Applications/nixmac.app(debug bundle). Accidental screen-coordinate clicks also hit the wrong chrome (e.g. reset toward Permissions) because the invisible Preview layer eats events.Expected
ignoresMouseEvents/ non-activating panel behavior when transparent/empty).Actual
Preview window remains in the window list (
Window: "Preview", URLtauri://localhost/preview-indicator.html) and can be the frontmost / hit-test target while visually blank, blocking interaction with the main onboarding UI underneath.Likely area
apps/native/src-tauri/src/peek.rs—create_preview_indicator_window/show_preview_indicator/hide_preview_indicator(labelpreview-indicator).In
create_preview_indicator_windowthe builder sets:.transparent(true).always_on_top(true).visible(true) // Start hidden← comment says hidden, but the flag starts it visibleNSFloatingWindowLevel)So an empty transparent always-on-top panel can remain in the hit-test path over the main window even when there’s no preview content to show.
Workaround
Raise the main
nixmacwindow (AXRaise) or minimize/hide Preview before interacting with the main UI.Note
Originally opened as #576 on GitHub; closed in favor of this Linear issue.