Logo

Finding a Missing Dialog Box in Revit

Have you ever tried to access a tool or command that is supposed to open a Revit dialog box, but the box/window doesn’t appear and it seems to lock your software? Believe it or not, in many cases, the dialog box/window is open, but it’s caught in purgatory or dead man’s land, so it does not appear on your screen.

Recently I ran into this problem using the Pantone Color Picker dialog box in Revit. I was demonstrating how to change the color of an element to a class. When I picked the [PANTONE…] button, my cursor began to spin and Revit appeared to lock up. Unfortunately, I was in a mode where I could not troubleshoot what was going on, so I had to shut Revit down with [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Del].


After doing some research, I stumbled upon a blog post written by a former Ideate colleague, Shruti Harve. In 2011, she explained the problem and how to fix it.


Here is what is going on:


If you work with multiple monitors and/or switch back and forth between a projector, the conference room television, and a second or third monitor, various dialog boxes in multiple software programs pop up on these other video sources. When you change the video sources and access a tool/command that opens the dialog box, the dialog box may not appear. This problem is caused by the window/dialog box getting “stuck” outside of your current video configuration…aka purgatory.


Here is how to fix it:


  • After accessing the tool/command to open a dialog box/window, press [Alt]+[Spacebar], then press M, then press any arrow key on your keyboard. This will “stick” the dialog box/window to your cursor.
  • Move the mouse around until the dialog box/window is placed where you want it located.


This is an oldie but goodie Windows trick… Now to get back to using my Pantone colors.

Explore recent posts

15@15 Training Series
March 31, 2025
TRAINING - NEWS | Leveling up your BIM game with Ideate Software doesn’t have to hard or time-consuming with our 15@15 Training Series. This series of 15-minute online sessions cuts right to the chase with essential information to enhance your skills, unlock new efficiencies and elevate your ability to automate tedious tasks —all while reducing errors in your Revit model.
15@15: Elevate Your Title Block With Style
March 26, 2025
TRAINING - VIDEO | Is your Revit title block a mess? Inconsistent styles can slow you down, but Ideate StyleManager can help. Discover how to clean up and streamline your title block for a more efficient workflow.
Ideate Software Boosts Quality, Transparency & Efficiency for pbr
March 18, 2025
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL - ARTICLE | When the Germany-based architecture firm pbr set out to reinvigorate its ongoing commitment to enhancing precision and efficiency, they turned to Ideate Software to help them automate repetitive, simple tasks and empower their entire team, from junior designers to senior architects, with tools that support productivity and reduce errors.
15@15: Rev Up Your Revit Project Health with the Model Check-Up
March 11, 2025
TRAINING - VIDEO | Are you ready to transform the way you manage your Revit projects? Poorly managed models can lead to slow performance, sync issues, and even crashes—but you can avoid these headaches with the right approach.
Show More
Share by: