How To Lock Panels in Docking Mode?

[Pat McDonald]

Anyone know if it is possible (am I missing something obvious?) to lock panels in Docking Mode, Using 'Lights Out'?

Pat

[markw]

Hi Pat, could you perhaps expand a bit more about what you are wanting to do?
Once a panel is Docked it should remain Docked until you release it by clicking the rectangle icon with an arrow coming out of it.

[Pat McDonald]

Hi Pat, could you perhaps expand a bit more about what you are wanting to do?
Once a panel is Docked it should remain Docked until you release it by clicking the rectangle icon with an arrow coming out of it.

Thanks, Mark, sorry if I was vague.

This mainly involves the Layers panel which I dock, I must be inadvertently pressing a key combination that removes the panel from its docked position.

I want to be able to put panels in their 'dock' and to lock them into position unless I remove the 'lock'.

Sorry, this is hard to explain, Pat

[Enug]

Hi Pat - I hope Mark doesn't mind me jumping in. Here is a YT video by Steve Elliot showing how to dock the panels. About 7.15mins into the video is where he demonstrates docking the panels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-KocDe9zxI

[markw]

Well, if it’s just the Layers panel giving you problems in staying put it sounds as though it could be down to you accidentally triggering the key combo that opens/closes it.
You may have changed it previously but it’s default is; Shift+A.
So you could try removing the key combo that is set for the Layer Panel in ARV’s Keyboard Shortcuts… panel and see if that fixes the problem for you or set it to something harder to accidently key in; Menubar > Edit > Set Keyboard Shortcuts… And in the window that opens; Panel Commands > Layer Panel.

@June No, not in the least! You jump right in whenever you want, the more the merrier
I for one didn’t know about the video you linked to and now others will know of it too

[Pat McDonald]

Thanks for this, I'll look at the video.

I'm just wondering if I'm confusing two distinct words; dock and lock.

I know how to 'dock' the panels. What I'm wondering (and feel that I should know the answer myself) is the ability to 'lock' the panels in place once they are docked. Locked in such a manner that once they are secured in place they can't be moved (or undocked) without removing the lock.

Once again, thank you and I'll check the video, Pat

[Pat McDonald]

Good thinking, Mark, something else to try, Pat

[markw]

At present there are, that I’m aware of, only three ways to remove a Panel that has been Docked when in Docking Mode;
1: As discussed above; by using a Key command.
2: Using the release Fly-out Icon, (the little rectangle with an arrow coming out of it, found in the top right corner of any Docked panel).
3: Via the View menu in the Menubar, if the Panel is listed there.
All of the above are effectively acting as a “Lock” on a Docked panel as they all require a positive action by the user to remove a Docked Panel.
But I can see the weak link of those three is potentially number 1, where a user could inadvertently use a Key Command that closes a Panel…🤔

[Pat McDonald]

Mark, once again I think you’ve got it spot on - I’m closing the panel by (inadvertently) pressing the key-combination.

Thanks for your help, Pat