uigetfile dialog box pops up behind app window

I have created an app in the app designer in which I call uigetfile or uigetdir to load text files with data. It all works just fine, except that the dialog box to select the file/directory pops up behind the app window, and I have to move the app window aside to access the dialog box. When I'm running it on top of MATLAB (in a MATLABWindow) the dialog box appears to be associated with the main MATLAB program (the icon for the main program bounces up and down on my Mac toolbar, and when I click on it I can see the dialog box,) rather than with the app in the MATLABWindow. However, if I compile the app to run as a standalone on Mac or Windows, the dialog box still pops up behind the main app window.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

[Greg]

What release are you running? I believe all of these problems (the ones I have previously run into) have been fixed in more recent releases (R2017b+?).

[Barry Bickmore]

I'm running 2018b.

[Kevin Chng]

Do you mind upload your .mlapp? copy them and save them in .m file since here does not accept .mlapp.

[Greg]

I just built a test app with a button that calls uigetfile, and it didn't have a problem. I'm on Win10, R2018b.

Answer 1

[Barry Bickmore]

Ok, I think I figured out a way to do it.

Put this before the call to uigetfile:

app.NameOfYourUIFigure.Visible = 'off';

and this after:

app.NameOfYourUIFigure.Visible = 'on';

[Andrew Davies]

Obviously this will cause your app to disappear, which could be confusing. For instance on my Mac with two displays the file open dialogue appears on a different monitor to the app. So the app just appears to vanish unless you hunt on teh other screen for the open dialogue. R2020a