no sleep unless finder has focus

[Slacker]

My 2009 iMac running lion doesn't go to sleep unless Finder has focus. If Safari, or Mail, or iTunes or any other program has focus my Mac will not go to sleep or even display the screensaver. Does anyone else have this happen to them? I'm trying to decide if this is expected behaviour or if it's just me.

Thanks.

[cooky560 Veteran]

Is an app like Caffeine installed?

Otherwise I've seen my mac fail to sleep if I've received a mail or chat message if the program is configured to show a badge number.

[Miuku.]

Same here - I've had iTunes, Terminal (iTerm), Chrome etc. running (and in focus) and the boxes happily sleep.

[Slacker]

No, nothing like caffeine running. However, I also discovered that his only happens when a program running in full screen mode is in focus.

Seriously, nothing strange running, Safari, iTunes, Mail, iCal and Pages. It's a fresh restart too. This also happens without fail, like, if I ever walk away from my computer when any app is in fullscreen mode, the computer will not go to sleep or even switch to screensaver.

[Slacker]

sorry, I forgot to mention that it doesn't better what programs are running, I can run anything I want, is matters which program is in focus (active?) and in fullscreen mode.

[cooky560 Veteran]

do a clean reboot, open applications monitor, select "All processes, Hierarchically" and look for anything unusual.

[Slacker]

The most recent OS X update seems to have solved the problem, whatever it was.

Thanks all for your input and feedback!

[cooky560 Veteran]

since the latest update I've had a new problem, although this may be a power issue. Which is whenever I turn on any high drain electrical device in the same room, it wakes up from sleep.