Easy to reproduce bug - Critical - Makes TC stop responding
Moderators: Hacker, petermad, Stefan2, white
Easy to reproduce bug - Critical - Makes TC stop responding
My mouse (A4Tech) as many other mice has programmable buttons. Two of the functions I assigned to these buttons are 'minimize window' and 'minimize all windows'.
If I apply the 'min window' on TC while some panels like 'Connect to FTP' are open, TC will minimize and stay minimized. Nothing works to repair the problem, well except to kill it (Control+Alt+Del).
I have:
Latest version of TC
Win XP + all updates.
A4Tech with original drivers.
To reproduce it:
Start TC
Open the 'Connect to FTP' panel
Press 'Edit' button
Bring the mouse cursor on top of the window
Press the 'Minimize current window' mouse button.
Can be reproduced any time. It is not random.
Fix:
Kill Commander. All current work (file transfer, viewers, etc) will be lost.
This is a few years old problem!
If I apply the 'min window' on TC while some panels like 'Connect to FTP' are open, TC will minimize and stay minimized. Nothing works to repair the problem, well except to kill it (Control+Alt+Del).
I have:
Latest version of TC
Win XP + all updates.
A4Tech with original drivers.
To reproduce it:
Start TC
Open the 'Connect to FTP' panel
Press 'Edit' button
Bring the mouse cursor on top of the window
Press the 'Minimize current window' mouse button.
Can be reproduced any time. It is not random.
Fix:
Kill Commander. All current work (file transfer, viewers, etc) will be lost.
This is a few years old problem!
Hello, cubic.
Here, I cannot confirm and reproduce the problem by following the steps you give.
As I do not use any mouse software like A4Tech, I used Sysinternals Process Explorer in order to minimize T.C. when the FTP connection edit box was on top.
First of all, the ftp edit box was not minimized, only the T.C. main window and the ftp connection list.
Second, Process Explorer could simply restore the windows to their original positions.
Third, as the edit box stayed open, it was easy to cancel it thus getting a chance of restoring T.C. from the task bar without using Process Explorer for it.
OK, I could reproduce the problem to some extent using Nirsoft WinLister.
It can do what the A4Tech software seems to do: It minimizes the the FTP connection edit box as well as the FTP connection list box although both windows do not have an active minimize button. So they should not be minimized forcefully.
As stated before, Nirsoft WinLister can do exactly this.
Yet, Winlister can restore all 3 T.C. windows to their original sizes and positions. Process Explorer could not do so when the edit box had been minimzed. But Winlister could. So there was no need to kill Total Commander.
So in case the A4Tech software should really not be able to restore any window which it minimized, you might call Nirsoft WinLister to your rescue.
I have not got an idea whether Christian has got a real chance of preventing A4Tech and Winlister from minimizing any edit box they like.
Kind regards,
Karl
Here, I cannot confirm and reproduce the problem by following the steps you give.
As I do not use any mouse software like A4Tech, I used Sysinternals Process Explorer in order to minimize T.C. when the FTP connection edit box was on top.
First of all, the ftp edit box was not minimized, only the T.C. main window and the ftp connection list.
Second, Process Explorer could simply restore the windows to their original positions.
Third, as the edit box stayed open, it was easy to cancel it thus getting a chance of restoring T.C. from the task bar without using Process Explorer for it.
OK, I could reproduce the problem to some extent using Nirsoft WinLister.
It can do what the A4Tech software seems to do: It minimizes the the FTP connection edit box as well as the FTP connection list box although both windows do not have an active minimize button. So they should not be minimized forcefully.
As stated before, Nirsoft WinLister can do exactly this.
Yet, Winlister can restore all 3 T.C. windows to their original sizes and positions. Process Explorer could not do so when the edit box had been minimzed. But Winlister could. So there was no need to kill Total Commander.
So in case the A4Tech software should really not be able to restore any window which it minimized, you might call Nirsoft WinLister to your rescue.
I have not got an idea whether Christian has got a real chance of preventing A4Tech and Winlister from minimizing any edit box they like.
Kind regards,
Karl
Last edited by karlchen on 2009-11-25, 15:34 UTC, edited 1 time in total.
- ghisler(Author)
- Site Admin
- Posts: 50509
- Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
- Location: Switzerland
- Contact:
Try sending the active Total Commander window a WM_SYSCOMMAND message with SC_MINIMIZE parameter, this should work.
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
https://www.ghisler.com
SOLUTION FOUND
I don't want to force it minimize. I just accidentally click to minimize it, forgetting that it has one of those modal panels (FTP is not the only one) open.karlchen wrote:So they should not be minimized forcefully.
A4Tech driver does not attempt to also restore the minimized windows. The user is supposed to do that by simply clicking the taskbar icons. And it works for ALL programs except TC.karlchen wrote: So in case the A4Tech software should really not be able to restore any window which it minimized, you might call
From now on I will use your tool and I won't have to kill TC. This is a great relieve!!!
THANKS!
------------------------
Edit:
WOW WOW WOW!
WinLister really works! I have tried other similar tools (like WinDowse) over the years but none worked.
After so many years, its like finding your teddy-bear you lost when you was 5 years old.

Thanks again.
- sqa_wizard
- Power Member
- Posts: 3893
- Joined: 2003-02-06, 11:41 UTC
- Location: Germany
- ghisler(Author)
- Site Admin
- Posts: 50509
- Joined: 2003-02-04, 09:46 UTC
- Location: Switzerland
- Contact:
Unfortunately I cannot reproduce this problem. Any idea what your mouse is sending to Total Commander to cause this misbehaviour?
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
https://www.ghisler.com
I don't know exactly which message it sends.
Maybe is sending the same message as explained by Carl:
The thing is that other mouse drivers may use the same method to minimize windows.
Maybe is sending the same message as explained by Carl:
If there are any tools to see the message sent, I can use them to monitor my mouse.OK, I could reproduce the problem to some extent using Nirsoft WinLister.
The thing is that other mouse drivers may use the same method to minimize windows.