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Topic: «System Tray icons and Virtual Desktops , AWM 8.13.2 » on forum: Technical Support   Views: 16616
 
David Lomas
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 377
Joined: 03/16/2006
Posted: 06/14/2019 15:12:29
 
 
 I've started trying to use virtual desktops to separate out different tasks, but I've noticed that many system tray icons don't seem to play well. For example, if I move some terminal windows to the secondary desktop, switch to secondary, and then click on the system tray icon of any of:

- KiTTy
- Dropbox
- Everything
- Insync
- Skype
- Slack

The desktop switches back to the primary to show the menu / window. In some cases (e.g. KiTTY), the menu is 'stuck' (clicking on the desktop doesn't cancel the menu), and I see the spinning 'hourglass' mouse icon when hovering over the menu items. The menus mostly still work, despite this, but it's confusing and frustrating to then have to switch back to the secondary desktop before selecting a new connection. Otherwise the new window is opened on the primary desktop.

I've also noticed that many times some 'ghost' AWM title buttons are still visible on the desktop. These are always where a window _used_ to be on the primary desktop (different apps—Skype, Slack, all show this kind of thing). The window was closed _before_ switching to the secondary desktop.
 
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Peter Beaven
Registered user
 
 Posts: 2
Joined: 06/26/2019
Posted: 06/26/2019 01:17:27
 
 
 I had the same problem and resolved it by changing the HD color background of the display fr om black to a lighter shade. It seemed to me that the "ghost" icons resulted from the fact that, in a sense, you were setting black on black. Perhaps ActualTools should add code to detect the background color and change the icon color accordingly. And, if that's something that is already configurable, let us know wh ere the setting is.
 
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Bogdan Polishchuk
Administrator
 
 Posts: 4010
Joined: 04/04/2012
Posted: 06/26/2019 23:23:55
 
 
 Hello, gentlemen

David,

Quote
if I move some terminal windows to the secondary desktop, switch to secondary, and then click on the system tray icon of any of: <...> The desktop switches back to the primary to show the menu / window.
This problem has been confirmed. We'll try to fix it.

There is a workaround for this problem, but unfortunately, from all the applications you've specified it works only for Dropbox: Open the log window of AWM (AWM tray icon context menu > Show log window) check the Enable logging option in it. Then reproduce the problem with Dropbox. When the first virtual desktop is activated, there should be the yellow line in the log window - the window which caused the switching. Right click it and select "Create new specific settings". The target window parameters should be the following: Window class - Qt5QWindowIcon, Program - C:\Program Files (x86)\Dropbox\Client\Dropbox.exe. Then go to the Startup section of the settings and enable the "Move to virtual desktop: All desktops" action. Click Apply. After you restart Dropbox, clicking its tray icon shouldn't cause the problem. Let us know if it works for you.

About the problem with ghost buttons: have you noticed at what exactly moment they appear? Do they appear right after you close a window, or only after you switch to another desktop?

Are you able to click them or they're not active?


Peter,

Quote
in a sense, you were setting black on black.
Could you clarify what you mean by "settings black on black"? Are you talking about the background and title buttons having the same black color?

Was the problem associated with virtual desktops in your case?


Best regards.
 
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David Lomas
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 377
Joined: 03/16/2006
Posted: 06/27/2019 00:16:58
 
 
 Thanks for the update and workaround for Dropbox.

The ghost buttons used to be a common problem pre 8.13, but I haven't noticed them so much recently. But, switching virtual desktops does trigger them a lot. They tend to come from applications which often don't play nicely with AWM, like Skype and Slack.

The process to trigger them would be:

1. Open the Skype or Slack window on Primary desktop
2. Minimise the window, then restore it again
3. Close the window
4. Switch to secondary desktop
5. Switch back to primary desktop

The ghost buttons are now visible, but completely inactive. Restoring (from the system tray icon) and minimising the 'offending' application will clear them.

I'm not sure what Peter was referring to, but I've tried changing my desktop background colour to something other than black, and still get the same ghost buttons (in white).
 
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Bogdan Polishchuk
Administrator
 
 Posts: 4010
Joined: 04/04/2012
Posted: 06/27/2019 19:30:07
 
 
 David,

The problem with ghost title buttons has been confirmed as well. We'll try to fix it and will post in this topic when it's fixed.

Have you noticed the problem with other applications besides Skype and Slack?


Best regards.
 
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David Lomas
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 377
Joined: 03/16/2006
Posted: 06/27/2019 20:28:11
 
 
 Thanks for the confirmation. Actually, I have, but it's an old niche application that I now support, so I know exactly what it's doing. Perhaps the others are doing something similar?

When you close the window if this particular app, it traps the close event, and calls the Win32 API SetParent(window, HWND_MESSAGE), which makes the window a 'message only' window that isn't visible. It uses this method to allow the application code to continue in the background, and has a small systray icon utility which can send it a message 'restore'.

So, it's the same process to trigger the error—open this application, then just 'close' it (triggering that API call), the window vanishes, along with its title buttons. Then switch desktop back and forth and the titlebuttons are there again. 'restore' the window from its systray icon, and the titlebuttons 'merge' into the window again, and then go when it is minimised or closed. That is, until the next desktop switch...

Hope that helps.
 
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Bogdan Polishchuk
Administrator
 
 Posts: 4010
Joined: 04/04/2012
Posted: 06/29/2019 04:47:51
 
 
 David,

Thank you for this information, it may be helpful in fixing this problem.


Best regards.
 
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Bogdan Polishchuk
Administrator
 
 Posts: 4010
Joined: 04/04/2012
Posted: 10/30/2019 14:30:33
 
 
 Hello, David

You wrote:
Quote
The ghost buttons used to be a common problem pre 8.13, but I haven't noticed them so much recently. But, switching virtual desktops does trigger them a lot. They tend to come from applications which often don't play nicely with AWM, like Skype and Slack.

I'm glad to notify you that this problem has been fixed and the fix is available in the latest version of Actual Window Manager 8.14.2 and our other products as well.

You can update your program to the latest version (program's tray icon context menu > Info > Check for Updates) or download the latest version manually, install it and and confirm the fix.


Best regards.
 
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David Lomas
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 377
Joined: 03/16/2006
Posted: 10/30/2019 17:02:19
 
 
 Fantastic. Just upgraded, and confirm no longer see the ghosts :).
 
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