Podium Light System, Color Panel Problem in SketchUp 2016 Windows

Disappearing Podium Light System Color panel in SketchUp 2016 Win Release 1 (16.0.19912) and how to work around it

Problem: In SketchUp 2016 Windows Release One (16.0.19912), if you choose the Browse option in Podium Light System, a color panel will open. If you move your mouse cursor anywhere in the SketchUp Window, the color panel will disappear. In reality, the color panel dialog is "pushed" back behind the SketchUp 2016 Window.

Solution: Minimize the SketchUp 2016 Window and you will see the color panel dialog on your desktop. Pick your Omni or Spot color. Click OK. Then maximize your SketchUp Window. The color you choose will appear in the Podium Light System dialog.

Why has this happened in SketchUp 2016 Windows versions? Something changed in SketchUp 2016 Windows where the focus of SketchUp is always in the foreground so that when a 3rd party plug-in panel is displayed, this panel is forced to the background. This is a recognized problem in SketchUp 2016 Windows and will likely be fixed in a later maintenance release. Cadalog, Inc. is also trying to find a work around to this issue.

When you select the Browse button in PLS,

a color panel dialog will appear. If your SketchUp 2016 Window is maximize, it's likely this color panel will seem to disappear when you move your mouse cursor across the SketchUp 2016 Window.

Minimize the SketchUp 2016 Window.

You will then see the color panel dialog on your Windows desktop. Select a color and select OK.

Then maximise the SketchUp Window and you will see the color change in the PLS dialog box.