Jim Scott
Level 1 (9 points)
Peripherals

Q: Red dot that closes an app turns black and freezes when clicked

Whether I use a Mighty Mouse or a Magic Mouse or Magic Mouse 2, the little red gumdrop that closes an application frequently turns dark when I click on it. This freezes the app. I can still move the mouse cursor, but nothing else will open or close until I click on the desktop, then click again on the app's red gumdrop. This occurs on all kinds of applications, both Apple and third-party. It happens almost every time, but not always.

 

This started after I upgraded to a new trio of Apple keyboard, mouse and trackpad with rechargeable batteries. I used a wireless Mighty Mouse before getting the Magic Mouse 2. Because the sharp edges of the Magic Mouse 2 literally cause my fingers to hurt, for a while I used both mice. Perhaps having two mice active at the same time caused the problem. I've looked all over my user Library preferences for the appropriate files to discard, but this has me stumped. I even have tried PRAM resets and SMC resets.

 

This behavior migrated to a second iMac when I used Migration Assistant to import my primary user folder to the new machine. This machine's human interface devices are a wired aluminum Apple keyboard and a wired Mighty Mouse. So I'm pretty sure it's a corrupted preference file, but I don't know which one(s).

 

Both iMacs are 27" (late-2012 and late-2013) and both are running macOS El Capitan 10.11.5 with all updates.

 

Any ideas about what's going on here or how to fix it? Thanks in advance.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Jun 18, 2016 4:19 PM

by Jim Scott,Solvedanswer
Jim Scott Jim Scott
Level 1 (9 points)
Peripherals
A:

As sometimes happens, I've found the answer to my own issue. I went back through all the things I had done since just before the problem arose. It started after I purchased the late-2013 iMac. That deal included a Wacom tablet. I'd never had one before, so I connected it to my late-2012 iMac, out of curiosity. It didn't work, and I didn't feel like hunting down the Wacom software. I disconnected it and forgot about it.

 

While searching for HID (human interface device) stuff on my late-2012 iMac today, I noticed the INK preference pane in System Preferences. Hmmm, since when did that appear? Oh, yeah, the Wacom tablet. So I clicked on it and noticed the handwriting tool was turned on. Then I discovered the Wacom stylus can act as a mouse, including clicking and dragging. Bingo! So I turned off the handwriting tool, closed and opened System Preferences, and the INK preference pane was gone. Also gone is the problem with the red button mouse clicks, the window jumping around, and the freezing.

 

My curiosity didn't affect our cats, but it sure messed up the mousies for awhile. :^)

Posted on Jun 19, 2016 1:28 PM

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Jim Scott

Q: Red dot that closes an app turns black and freezes when clicked

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  • Helpful answers

  • by seventy one,

    seventy one seventy one Jun 19, 2016 2:37 AM in response to Jim Scott
    Level 6 (15,383 points)
    Peripherals
    Jun 19, 2016 2:37 AM in response to Jim Scott

    Have you tried to 'Force Quit' the affected app(s) as and when the problem occurs, followed by a re-start?

     

    If the mice are sitting close to one another they may well interfere, though the change of button colour is not something I have met before.   Disconnect the older mouse as only Magic Mouse 2 will function correctly with El Capitan.

  • by Jim Scott,Helpful

    Jim Scott Jim Scott Jun 19, 2016 11:05 PM in response to seventy one
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Peripherals
    Jun 19, 2016 11:05 PM in response to seventy one

    Yes, I've done the Force Quit and restart drill, with no change. What happens is that, when I hover the mouse cursor (wired or wireless mouse, Apple or Logitech or Microsoft or Lenovo or Dell, it makes no difference) over the lefthand "close" button, sometimes the button turns a "normal" red with a black "x" in the center and sometimes the button turns a dark red with an "x". When the button turns "normal" red, a mouse click on it closes the window. When the button turns dark red, no amount of mouse clicks will close the window. I have to click around on the window and on the desktop in order for the button to turn "white" again. Then I may or may not be able to close the window. If I can close the window, the window jumps to a new position when I reopen it instead of appearing exactly where it last had appeared.

     

    I've also done SMC and PRAM resets, and I've combed through all the preferences in my user folder's Library file and deleted any that had to do with HI (Human Interface devices) or bluetooth. None of that helped either. I've reinstalled El Capitan, which also didn't help. I've changed the mouse from wired to wireless (all Apple), which didn't make any difference as well. 

     

    Interestingly, this problem did not occur on my second iMac 27" (the late-2013) until I imported the user file from my first 27" iMac. And the problem does not occur when I switch to another admin user account on either iMac. So it's something that's corrupted in my primary user folder. Ideas, anyone?

     

    (FYI, every bluetooth, USB and wired mouse I've used (Apple and other brands) works with El Capitan. Why? Because of USB and bluetooth industry standards. So your assertion that only Magic Mouse 2, which came out months after El Capitan's release, will function correctly with OS X 10.11.x is patently incorrect.)

  • by Jim Scott,Solvedanswer

    Jim Scott Jim Scott Jun 19, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Jim Scott
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Peripherals
    Jun 19, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Jim Scott

    As sometimes happens, I've found the answer to my own issue. I went back through all the things I had done since just before the problem arose. It started after I purchased the late-2013 iMac. That deal included a Wacom tablet. I'd never had one before, so I connected it to my late-2012 iMac, out of curiosity. It didn't work, and I didn't feel like hunting down the Wacom software. I disconnected it and forgot about it.

     

    While searching for HID (human interface device) stuff on my late-2012 iMac today, I noticed the INK preference pane in System Preferences. Hmmm, since when did that appear? Oh, yeah, the Wacom tablet. So I clicked on it and noticed the handwriting tool was turned on. Then I discovered the Wacom stylus can act as a mouse, including clicking and dragging. Bingo! So I turned off the handwriting tool, closed and opened System Preferences, and the INK preference pane was gone. Also gone is the problem with the red button mouse clicks, the window jumping around, and the freezing.

     

    My curiosity didn't affect our cats, but it sure messed up the mousies for awhile. :^)