Hi ,
I'm struggling with visionOS window management and need help with closing child windows programmatically.
App Structure
My app has a Main-Sub window hierarchy:
AWindow (Home/Main)
BWindow (Main feature window)
CWindow (Tool window - child of BWindow)
Navigation flow:
AWindow → BWindow (switch, 1 window on screen)
BWindow → CWindow (opens child, 2 windows on screen)
I want BWindow and CWindow to be separate movable windows (not sheet/popover) so users can position them independently in space.
The Problem
CWindow doesn't close when BWindow closes by tapping the X button below the app (next to the window bar)
User clicks X on BWindow → BWindow closes but CWindow remains
CWindow becomes orphaned on screen
Can close CWindow programmatically when switching BWindow back to AWindow
App launch issue
After closing both windows, CWindow is remembered as last window
Reopening app shows only CWindow instead of BWindow
User gets stuck in CWindow with no way back to BWindow
I've Tried Environment dismissWindow in cleanup but its not working.
// In BWindow.swift
.onDisappear {
if windowManager.isWindowOpen("cWindow") {
dismissWindow(id: "cWindow")
}
}
My App Structure Code Now
// in MyNameApp.swift
@main
struct MyNameApp: App {
var body: some Scene {
WindowGroup(id: "aWindow") {
AWindow()
}
WindowGroup(id: "bWindow") {
BWindow()
}
WindowGroup(id: "cWindow") {
CWindow()
}
}
}
// WindowStateManager.swift
class WindowStateManager: ObservableObject {
static let shared = WindowStateManager()
@Published private var openWindows: Set<String> = []
@Published private var windowDependencies: [String: String] = [:]
private init() {}
func markWindowAsOpen(_ id: String) {
markWindowAsOpen(id, parent: nil)
}
func markWindowAsClosed(_ id: String) {
openWindows.remove(id)
windowDependencies[id] = nil
}
func isWindowOpen(_ id: String) -> Bool {
let isOpen = openWindows.contains(id)
return isOpen
}
func markWindowAsOpen(_ id: String, parent: String? = nil) {
openWindows.insert(id)
if let parentId = parent {
windowDependencies[id] = parentId
}
}
func getParentWindow(of childId: String) -> String? {
let parent = windowDependencies[childId]
return parent
}
func getChildWindows(of parentId: String) -> [String] {
let children = windowDependencies.compactMap { key, value in
value == parentId ? key : nil
}
return children
}
func setNextWindowParent(_ parentId: String) {
UserDefaults.standard.set(parentId, forKey: "nextWindowParent")
}
func getAndClearNextWindowParent() -> String? {
let parent = UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: "nextWindowParent")
UserDefaults.standard.removeObject(forKey: "nextWindowParent")
return parent
}
func forceCloseChildWindows(of parentId: String) {
let children = getChildWindows(of: parentId)
for child in children {
markWindowAsClosed(child)
NotificationCenter.default.post(
name: Notification.Name("ForceCloseWindow"),
object: nil,
userInfo: ["windowId": child]
)
forceCloseChildWindows(of: child)
}
}
func hasMainWindowOpen() -> Bool {
let mainWindows = ["main", "bWindow"]
return mainWindows.contains { isWindowOpen($0) }
}
func cleanupOrphanWindows() {
for (child, parent) in windowDependencies {
if isWindowOpen(child) && !isWindowOpen(parent) {
NotificationCenter.default.post(
name: Notification.Name("ForceCloseWindow"),
object: nil,
userInfo: ["windowId": child]
)
markWindowAsClosed(child)
}
}
}
}
// BWindow.swift
struct BWindow: View {
@Environment(\.dismissWindow) private var dismissWindow
@ObservedObject private var windowManager = WindowStateManager.shared
var body: some View {
VStack {
Button("Open C Window") {
windowManager.setNextWindowParent("bWindow")
openWindow(id: "cWindow")
}
}
.onAppear {
windowManager.markWindowAsOpen("bWindow")
}
.onDisappear {
windowManager.markWindowAsClosed("bWindow")
windowManager.forceCloseChildWindows(of: "bWindow")
}
.onChange(of: scenePhase) { oldValue, newValue in
if newValue == .background || newValue == .inactive {
windowManager.forceCloseChildWindows(of: "bWindow")
}
}
}
}
// CWindow.swift
import SwiftUI
struct cWindow: View {
@ObservedObject private var windowManager = WindowStateManager.shared
@State private var shouldClose = false
var body: some View {
// Content
}
.onDisappear {
windowManager.markWindowAsClosed("cWindow")
NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(
self,
name: Notification.Name("ForceCloseWindow"),
object: nil
)
}
.onChange(of: scenePhase) { oldValue, newValue in
if newValue == .background {
}
}
.onAppear {
let parent = windowManager.getAndClearNextWindowParent()
windowManager.markWindowAsOpen("cWindow", parent: parent)
NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
forName: Notification.Name("ForceCloseWindow"),
object: nil, queue: .main) { notification in
if let windowId = notification.userInfo?["windowId"] as? String, windowId == "cWindow" {
shouldClose = true
}
}
}
.onChange(of: shouldClose) { _, newValue in
if newValue {
dismissWindow()
}
}
}
The logs show everything executes correctly, but CWindow remains visible on screen.
Questions
Why doesn't dismissWindow(id:) work in cleanup scenarios?
Is there a proper way to create a window relationships like parent-child relationships in visionOS?
How can I ensure main windows open on app launch instead of tool windows?
What's the recommended pattern for dependent windows in visionOS?
Environment: Xcode 16.2, visionOS 2.0, SwiftUI
