Ever get into a situation using SFM where all that is visible is the Engine Window?

This is a quick and easy tutorial on how to get your Editting window back!!!

And This is How to Fix It!!!

This is the fix if your SFM session opens in the engine window and the main Editting (QT Port) window is not visible:

1. SFM is made up of 3 main windows
a) the Engine Window

b) the QT Port(the editting screen we associate with being the main screen for SFM) and

c) the Particle editor

In most cases we tell SFM to automatically hide the engine window, but for some of us we don't get the chance. The Engine window takes priority and blocks off everything else. (You can tell your in the engine window by the menu text, it's orangish yellow. If you click Lyra's picture link above you'll see what I mean). Most ppl think that SFM is broken as in this case when this happens and it's been quite the struggle to find out how to fix it, but here it is....

In the engine window, select Windows, then click QT Port

This will cause the QT Port (the editting window we all know and have learned to love) to open.

Now it may open with all or some of its tabs displayed or none of the familiar tabs at all. The way we know it is the QT Port is that the menu text is Greyish-White.

Like this:



or Like this:



If the QT Port opens in a format that you weren't expecting, just click Window > Then Layouts and select Return to Default Layout.

Once that is done, Click Windows, select Engine Window and ensure that Auto Hide Engine Window is checked on

Like this:



Now that that is done, Close SFM and Restart. SFM should start normally by displaying the QT Port (or the Editting window we all Love!!!)

[Amero]

for most that i use the qt port, it stills keep like that, what should i do

[serpent]

Sorry for the necro but I'm having the same issue as the person below me with no fix in sight, can anyone help?

[Obbi]

Update: I uninstalled again, this time also deleting my shortcuts that had various parameters set up in the launch options before reinstalling. And now it's working! I'm not sure why the shortcuts would have been causing issues, I've been using them for several months with no problems.

Now to set everything back up again :_)

[Obbi]

So I'm having this exact problem, but when I try clicking on the QT Port button, nothing happens at all and the Engine window remains open. I have tried just about everything, right down to doing a fresh install with no custom content. Drivers are up to date, and running it as an administrator has the same result. If I try launching from within Steam rather than one of my shortcuts, I don't even get the engine window open. SFM will show on my taskbar but clicking on it does nothing. Hovering over it brings up the preview of the program but only shows a white box. Tried troubleshooting compatibility, nothing. Tried testing the integrity of the files, nothing.

I am entirely out of ideas. Been using SFM for years and I have never seen this happen before and I'm kind of losing my mind.

[Hex: Bad To The Bone]

I'll looking for that leater, thank you

[Pte Jack]

Yellow menus mean that you're looking at the Engine Window.
Click Windows, QT Port and that should bring you back to the regular SFM type environment, but your's will look bleached out most likely or have a huge diagonal line through the view port. Once in the QT port, try the Windows, Engine, Toggle Engine window so it is enabled (has a check mark). And that's as far as I can take you. If your experiencing the flicking again, you best bet is to target a discussion at integrated GPU users and find out what settings they use to get rid of the flickering and the horizontal line.
Because my systems have dedicated Nvidia or AMD GPUa and I don't have integrated graphics, I can't get the same screens you have and I can't replicate your situation to advise you further.

[Hex: Bad To The Bone]

well maybe yeah, I work sfm whit a laptop and ahh... yeah not the best, sadly

[Pte Jack]

Ahh, seen. Most likely, Is the GPU a Intel HD Integrated type?

[Hex: Bad To The Bone]

I think it's why the -usevgui have that

[Hex: Bad To The Bone]

about this https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/840868468797472768/865598297704366080/Kepernyofelvetel_73.png?width=1135&height=670