Can't you start over again by doing View->Layout->Default ?

hi Kevin, thanks. No, there's no option like that in the Powerbar, I know what you're talking about because I did that a number of times in old PB12. It's the weirdest damn thing, I hit some key combo and it undocked the System Tree window (which I always have open) and now the thing just floats, has no popup menu, just a little tiny "x" close button in upper right, and no other menu/options will enable it or make it respond. I was wondering if there was a setting in one of the ini files that I could clear or something. 

Hi John;

  This should work to restore the System Tree for you to factory ...

1) Close your PB2017 IDE

2) Locate your "working" PB.ini file. It should be located in the following folder:

    C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0

3) Open the PB.ini in NotePad and locate the [PB] section

4) Look for the key entry "DOCK="

5) Remove the DOCK line all together

6) Save the changed PB.ini file

7) Re-Start your IDE

   Your IDE should now be back to factory with the System Tree back in the top left corner.

HTH

Regards ... Chris

thanks Chris, interesting. My PB.ini is below and there is no DOCK key in the [PB] section...maybe we should add one, open, close, then remove it? I'll try anything haha.

[PB]
CompilerWarnings=1
DashesInIdentifiers=1
DatabaseWarnings=1
Maximized=1
PromptOnExit=0
StripComments=0
WebLink1=&Community Q&&A,https://community.appeon.com/
WebLink2=&Online Product Manuals,https://www.appeon.com/support/documents/appeon_online_help/appeon_online_help.htm
WebLink3=&PowerBuilder Education,https://www.appeon.com/appeon-u
WebLink4=&Technical Support,https://www.appeon.com/developers/get-help.html
EditorFontHeight=10
EditorFontName=Tahoma
PrinterFontHeight=10
PrinterFontName=Courier New
XPStyleTB=1
LatestProductNews=0

[Application]
DefLib=C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamfe.pbl
WorkingDir=C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0
$C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamfe.pbl(examples)=C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamfe.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamw3.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamd2.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamfn.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexammn.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamuo.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamw1.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamw2.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamd1.pbl;C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexamsa.pbl;
$C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexbm.pbl(benchmark)=C:\Users\Public\Documents\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0\Code Examples\Example App\pbexbm.pbl;

[Window]
GridOn=0
GridShow=1
GridX=8
GridY=8
Status=0

[Menu]

[Database]
AutoQuote=1
Columns=8
NoCatalog=No
ReadOnly=0
ShowIndexKeys=1
ShowReflnt=1
StayConnected=1
TableDir=1
TableListCache=1800
TableSpace=*
TerminatorCharacter=;
HideComments=0
ShowRefInt=1
ODataInPBClassic=1

[Data Window]
GridOn=0
GridShow=0
GridX=8
GridY=8
new_default_datasource=5
new_default_presentation=2
Outline_Objects=1
PreviewOnNew=no
PreviewRetrieve=1
Preview_RetainData=1
PrintOnNew=Yes
PrintPreviewRulers=No
PrintPreviewZoom=100
Ruler=No
Status=0
stored_procedure_build=1
OverlayLineWidth=1

[Library]
ApplicationExplosion=1
ApplicationScripts=1
DeletePrompt=1
DisplayComments=1
DisplayDates=1
DisplaySizes=1
IncludeApplications=1
IncludeDataWindows=1
IncludeFunctions=1
IncludeMenus=1
IncludePipeLines=1
IncludeQueries=1
IncludeStructures=1
IncludeUserObjects=1
IncludeWindows=1
MenuAttributes=1
MenuScripts=1
SaveBackupsOnOptimize=1
WindowAttributes=1
WindowObjects=1
WindowObjectsAttributes=1
WindowObjectsScripts=1
WindowPicture=1
WindowScripts=1
NormalFont=Courier New
NormalFontHeight=10

[Debug]
VariablesWindow=0
WatchWindow=0

[Machine Code]

[SQL Painter]
Hidecomments=0
Tabitem=1

[PB Welcome]
IsEnable = 1
WebLink = news.appeon.com/start.html

Hey Chris, re:

FYI: The PB.ini in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Appeon\PowerBuilder 17.0" is NOT used by the IDE. It only uses that information once to create the real PB.ini under the MS-Windows Uer's account folder.

You are right, found it there and guess what, added your

Dock=1 2001 0 1 26 50 0 0 320 169 2003 0 1 26 50 0 0 320 169 2002 3 1 26 100 0 0 320 169

...and I am back to Good!  I actually added it in both pb.ini's for good measure. My own already has this

Dock=1 2001 5 1 36 100 13 84 775 510 2003 0 0 36 100 0 0 227 117 2002 3 1 18 100 0 0 227 117

...but it wasn't working. God knows how it ended up with that value or screwed up. Thanks a million for the steady help.