Unwanted and unrelated "Tooltips" at mouse position ~ Reprised

I've learned something useful. The tooltips appear only as long as the application that created the (previously dismissed) NSOpenPanel is still running. If I quit that application and change nothing else, the tooltips no longer appear. I can also make the tooltips go away by force quitting the associated Open and Save Panel Service process.

I suspect the problem has something to do with accessory views. The application that I used to create the NSOpenPanel uses an accessory view (although it was never displayed). The AppKit implementation of accessory views has gotten much more complex now that NSOpenPanels are displayed by a separate process (the accessory view is still running in the application).

Perhaps something related to the accessory view is not being cleaned up when the NSOpenPanel is dismissed.

Thank you so much! This has been driving me insane for quite awhile. I moved all the files in my downloads folder elsewhere, and it solved the issue.

HenriPiper wrote:

~ I solved the problem ~

Delete the Download Folder Contents and Empty the Trash!

Yep ~ that's it ~ this has to be an obscure little bug in OS any X ~ and so maybe it's not so obscure anymore!!!

Never heard it before...

This problem has nothing to do with the Downloads directory, but it does have something to do with Finder. The tooltips that I have seen match those created by Finder when displaying a file whose name is too long to fit in the available display space. You can see these tooltips both in List mode (with a narrow Name column) and in Column mode by hovering over the file.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what causes these errant tooltips to appear over other applications. Currently, I experience this problem with multiple applications that all happen to be Java applications.

I'm using multiple Spaces, and I wonder if the problem is related to that.

>Does that file happen to be behind your safari window at that location?

At the time this happened, there were no Finder windows (or any other windows).

I believe the file probably had been at that location on the screen, in an NSOpenPanel that was dismissed.

In other words, the UI is acting as though the NSOpenPanel is still visible (and on top of the other windows).

Have you tried:

• Using an NSOpenPanel in Column mode or in List mode with a narrow Name column or files with long names
• Using Spaces
• Running a Java program

You may be right about the influence of some installed program given that the original post blamed the problem on an application (but not a Java application), but it would still be an AppKit bug if applications could unintentionally interact in this way.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Ughhhh, I just got a new MacBook Pro, and kept having random tool tips pop up. This solved it.

Except...

Right after I typed my exultant response, a tool tip from my Finder sidebar just popped up. -_-

Well, at the very least, the problem is lessened.

Now this is happening using Safari, viewing this very page.

The file names it is showing me come from a directory that I recently viewed in an NSOpenPanel (in Column mode). It is acting as if the NSOpenPanel is on the screen.

cbfiddle wrote:

This problem has nothing to do with the Downloads directory, but it does have something to do with Finder. The tooltips that I have seen match those created by Finder when displaying a file whose name is too long to fit in the available display space. You can see these tooltips both in List mode (with a narrow Name column) and in Column mode by hovering over the file.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what causes these errant tooltips to appear over other applications. Currently, I experience this problem with multiple applications that all happen to be Java applications.

I'm using multiple Spaces, and I wonder if the problem is related to that.

Does that file happen to be behind your safari window at that location?

There seems to be only a handful of people who see this phenomenon. Perhaps it is something you all have installed that is making those appear. I have never seen that on my two Macs, both running Sonoma.

Have you tried:

Using an NSOpenPanel in Column mode or in List mode with a narrow Name column or files with long names

I have at times, but normally use List View.

• Using Spaces

If you mean Desktops, yes.

• Running a Java program

Only on my laptop, Universal G-Code Sender. I think it may have the runtime embedded, though I have installed a JRE to test questions asked here.

I have a client that this has been happening to and is driving them crazy!! Apple support just said apply latest software update. That unfortunately did not solve it. Will need to try the items on this page and see if that solves it!

Hard to provide any advice without actually experiencing the problem.

Maybe you have something installed that makes it appear.