Messages window jumping all over the place in Yosemite?

Not sure if my comments have been mentioned yet in this thread, but here's my 2 cents:

I got off the phone (today) with Apple Support and here's how it went.

I verbally described the situation and I CAN 100% reproduce it.

It's tough to describe in text, but here we go:

Here's the process:

1. Activate any other window (any app or even have the desktop as the active element) so that Messages is in the background showing as inactive.
2. Then, activate the Messages window by taping (and releasing your finger from the trackpad) just at the upper part of the window. Anything that is blank area above the text and search fields.
3. Then, move your cursor to anywhere on the screen (even outside the messages window...while the Messages window is still active but you have not tapped or scrolled or anything else).
4. Result: the Messages Window will align itself such that the top area of the Messages window justifies with where every you have tapped.
5. This method will reproduce the bug 100% of the time.

Notes:

• Tapping and holding with the trackpad will not activate the window or cause the bug to occur.
• Tap/hold by physically pressing down on the trackpad (click+drag) will not reproduce the bug, only by tap release to active, then moving cursor and tapping a again.
• I first noticed this bug because i tap at the top of any app window to active it since sometimes tapping in an editable field or an area where there is an active element will sometimes activate that element creating a result I don't want. For example, if you have the messages window inactive and tap in an area where your active chat contacts are (even if inactive at the time) to active the window it will subsequent activate that conversation, not the currently visible one.
• As stated in more detail below, using a mouse or keyboard shortcuts will not reproduce the bug.
• Also, "tap to click" must be turned on to reproduce the bug.

The support Rep wasn't entirely sure how I did it until he saw me do it through a screen sharing tool. One thing we discovered over the phone and through screen sharing is that this only happens when using the built-in trackpad or the Magic Trackpad. This doesn't occur when using a mouse. That I did not know until the Apple Support rep tried to replicate it on his Mac, but couldn't because he was using a Mouse but was able to 100% replicate when using the trackpad. Then we checked my trackpad settings and all was fine (he thought maybe it had to do with the 3-finger drag...which I have turned off by default). I asked him to reproduce it on his Mac, and he was finally able to do it 100% of the time. So we were able to rule out several things to pinpoint it. First, it's not an issue with my Mac (Late 2012 MBP, 2.9 i7 w/ 750GB HDD), since his (newer) Mac could reproduce it (as well as my friend's Mac which is 4 years older than mine, same MBP but late 2008). Second, it's definitely a "bug" because we could 100% reproduce it and it doesn't happen in any other Mac stock app or any 3rd part app). He was very hesitant to call it an official "bug" but conceded because we could consistently reproduce the exact same method. Third, it only happens when using a trackpad. So, it could be one of 2 things, a bug in Messages or a bug in the trackpad coding. We are assuming the former because it doesn't happen in any other app.

So, after the Support Rep tried to contact a Senior Support member to discuss filing a bug (and not being able to get one right away), he told me he will file the bug for me and after that there is no way for him to notify me if the report has been seen or responded too by the Apple Dev team. So he said i'll have to just wait and check the OS X update descriptions to see if the bug has been addressed...and to "tell all my friends that I found reported it 'first' to Apple". Which i thought was funny that he mentioned that. Sounds like, besides this forum, nobody at Apple Support has heard of this issue being reported...or at least according to this Support Rep I spoke with.

So, hopefully we'll see this issue resolved in one of the next updates...let's hope before 10.11 comes out. It's such a minor (but annoying) thing, that I really doubt it will be much of a priority though.

Hi,

I can replicate this with a mouse. Or rather I have done so in Yosemite OS X 10.10

It is less prevalent in OS X 10.10.1

The window for messages must be showing at least part of the top of the List of chats rather than just the text/Chat area side.

I have to position the mouse on the top edge of the window and tap t bring it to the front which also tends to show the resize icon (the important bit).

At that point the window will go to where the mouse is clicked next.

I am using a Blue Tooth "Magic Mouse".

8:26 PM Tuesday; November 25, 2014

Hey antkm1,

I have also reported the same issue to Apple with a screen share. The only thing I want to address is that it does occur while using my magic mouse, every time.

I do not have a magic mouse (only a MS Wireless mouse).

The Apple Support guy I spoke to also said he could not replicate using a mouse. However, he did not specify what kind of mouse he was using. I can only assume an Apple mouse of some kind but who knows.

I think the "Tap to click" feature must be activated also as I stated in my post. However, i'm not sure (not owning a Magic Mouse) if that feature is relevant to it.

I'm so glad I am not the only one! I was beginning to think I was going more crazy than I already am!

It happens whether using mouse or track pad.

No other apps - only Messages (at least for me).

I am having the same problem, happens every time I click on the title bar of the window to give the window focus. I think that if I click in the message body and not it the title bar it does not have this issue though.

Same problem here. I have a two-year-old MacBook Pro, using with the built-in trackpad. Updated to 10.10.1, still happening just as often as far as I can tell.

For those who have to try to replicate the problem: it may not be the same bug for you, because it's not difficult for me to replicate — it happens pretty much every time I use Messages. Super annoying.

I can replicate this 100% of the time using a Logitech M510 bluetooth wireless mouse.

OSX Yosemite

V 10.10.1 (14B25)

MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010)

Same deal, only I'm on a Wacom Intuos 3 (essentially a massive trackpad)

Open google chrome with several tabs and then iMessage on separate sides of the screen. I can also reproduce this 100% of the time by clicking on the messages window to focus it and then clicking on some of the browser tabs in Chrome. The window jumps to where my mouse it almost every time. Hope this helps!

I'll throw my two cents in. I'm see the exact same issue here on my 2012 Mac Pro (Cheese grater model).

It is interesting, the focusing of that particular window is wacky, but no others. Once the window has focus, it's considered 'being dragged', whether or not it's actually being dragged - the act of selecting it does it.

Another issue for me is that sometimes the input field doesn't get focus if the window is selected - so I'll start typing, realize the input field doesn't have focus, grab the window to select the input field, and end up dragging/jumping the window again in the process. That's always a good time.

I am also experiencing this. I started my own thread a while ago. Here is a link: Messages App Moves Around on Desktop