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[PR #12799] Allow windows created by console apps to appear above the Terminal #29235

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opened 2026-01-31 09:33:39 +00:00 by claunia · 0 comments
claunia commented 2026-01-31 09:33:39 +00:00
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Original Pull Request: https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/pull/12799

State: closed
Merged: Yes

Window shenanigans, part the third:

Hooks the Terminal's focus state up to the underlying ConPTY. This is LOAD BEARING for allowing windows created by console applications to bring themselves to the foreground.

We're using the FocusIn/FocusOut sequences to communicate to ConPTY when a control gains/loses focus. Theoretically, other terminals could do this as well.

References

#11682 tracks real support for this sequence in Console & conpty. When we do that, we should consider even if a client application disables this mode, the Terminal & conpty should always request this from the hosting terminal (and just ignore internally to ConPTY).

See also #12515, #12526, which are the other two parts of this effort. This was tested with all three merged together, and they worked beautifully for all our scenarios. They are kept separate for ease of review.

PR Checklist

  • This is prototype 3 for #2988
  • I work here
  • Tests added/passed
  • [n/a] Requires documentation to be updated

Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments

This allows windows spawned by console processes to bring themselves to the foreground when the console is focused. (Historically, this is also called in the WndProc, when focus changes).

Notably, before this, ConPTY was never focused, so windows could never bring themselves to the foreground when run from a ConPTY console. We're not blanket granting the SetForeground right to all console apps when run in ConPTY. It's the responsibility of the hosting terminal emulator to always tell ConPTY when a particular instance is focused.

Validation Steps Performed

(gif below)

**Original Pull Request:** https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/pull/12799 **State:** closed **Merged:** Yes --- ## Window shenanigans, part the third: Hooks the Terminal's focus state up to the underlying ConPTY. This is LOAD BEARING for allowing windows created by console applications to bring themselves to the foreground. We're using the [FocusIn/FocusOut](https://invisible-island.net/xterm/ctlseqs/ctlseqs.html#h3-FocusIn_FocusOut) sequences to communicate to ConPTY when a control gains/loses focus. Theoretically, other terminals could do this as well. ## References #11682 tracks _real_ support for this sequence in Console & conpty. When we do that, we should consider even if a client application disables this mode, the Terminal & conpty should always request this from the hosting terminal (and just ignore internally to ConPTY). See also #12515, #12526, which are the other two parts of this effort. This was tested with all three merged together, and they worked beautifully for all our scenarios. They are kept separate for ease of review. ## PR Checklist * [x] This is prototype 3 for #2988 * [x] I work here * [ ] Tests added/passed * [n/a] Requires documentation to be updated ## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments This allows windows spawned by console processes to bring themselves to the foreground _when the console is focused_. (Historically, this is also called in the WndProc, when focus changes). Notably, before this, ConPTY was _never_ focused, so windows could never bring themselves to the foreground when run from a ConPTY console. We're not blanket granting the SetForeground right to all console apps when run in ConPTY. It's the responsibility of the hosting terminal emulator to always tell ConPTY when a particular instance is focused. ## Validation Steps Performed (gif below)
claunia added the pull-request label 2026-01-31 09:33:39 +00:00
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Reference: starred/terminal#29235
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