Abnormal Behavior of TC 11.55 RC2

[sscireca]

I wanted to report an abnormal behavior of RC2, which I will describe below.

I normally use an encryption program called GPGFrontend in its "portable" version: https://gpgfrontend.bktus.com/

One of the program's features allows opening a "notepad" within the software to write a message and proceed with its digital cryptographic signature and/or encrypt the entire text (including the signature).

I launched the GPGFrontend program from Total Commander by locating the executable in the portable program folder, then performed the operation described above.

I immediately noticed something strange in the program’s behavior: the window displaying the notepad failed to complete the operation. Instead, it continuously increased the number of characters contained in the window without ever stopping.

At that point, I closed GPGFrontend, thinking it had a bug. However, upon returning to Total Commander, I noticed that the window from which I had launched the executable had started to "blink/flash" uncontrollably and continuously.

Moreover, after closing and reopening Total Commander, the affected window—or even others—kept flashing. The only solution was to restart the PC.

I reinstalled version 11.51, and the anomaly disappeared.

I hope this detailed description helps in resolving the issue. Best regards.

[ghisler(Author)]

It sounds like you launched TC 11.55 with higher user rights (as administrator), or with one of the compatibility options like Windows XP compatible or so. Programs launched from TC will inherit these settings, and some programs really have troubles with them.

Please reinstall TC 11.55 and check if one of these is set.

[sscireca]

NO.
I confirm that I launched TC 11.55 RC2 WITHOUT "higher user rights (as administrator), or with one of the compatibility options like Windows XP compatible or so".

I performed the same operation THREE times on my PC, always obtaining the described result. Only after restarting the PC did the system return to normal.

I have a PC with Microsoft Windows:
Processor: 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11700K @ 3.60GHz 3.60 GHz
Installed RAM: 32.0 GB
Operating system: 64-bit Edition:
Windows 11 Pro Version: 24H2 OS build: 26100.4061
Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.84.0

I confirm that I NEVER install or launch TC with "higher user rights (as administrator), or with one of the compatibility options like Windows XP compatible or so." Only by reinstalling TC 11.51 did the situation return to normal.

[ghisler(Author)]

Maybe GPGFrontend was still running in the background (hidden or hanging) when you had this problem. Restarting the PC would close it.

When this happens again, please check in the task manager (Ctrl+Shift+ESC) whether GPGFrontend is still running, and if yes, try closing it.

[sscireca]

Many thanks for your response and for the suggestion.
I would like to emphasize that the reported issue was not related to this "final" aspect, but rather to the initial part of the problem, which I will describe again using the same words:
-----
I normally use an encryption program called GPGFrontend in its "portable" version: https://gpgfrontend.bktus.com/
One of the program's features allows opening a "notepad" within the software to write a message and proceed with its digital cryptographic signature and/or encrypt the entire text (including the signature).
I launched the GPGFrontend program from Total Commander by locating the executable in the portable program folder, then performed the operation described above.
I immediately noticed something strange in the program’s behavior: the window displaying the notepad failed to complete the operation. Instead, it continuously increased the number of characters contained in the window without ever stopping.
-----
This was the unusual behavior, and from this, the subsequent problem arose when I attempted to close GPGFrontend, even with the help of Task Manager.
Best regards.

[ghisler(Author)]

Sorry, I don't understand this part:

the window displaying the notepad failed to complete the operation. Instead, it continuously increased the number of characters contained in the window without ever stopping.

Do you mean that GPGFrontend launched notepad.exe? And notepad.exe opened a new tab for each file?

[sscireca]

No!

GPGFrontend uses a program window that "works like a notepad." In this page, you can paste text from outside the program or have the program "encrypt" the text contained in the window itself. It is precisely during this operation that the "character counter," which I indicated at the bottom right in the image, begins to increase and does not stop anymore, causing the application and the operating system to freeze—only fixable with a restart. The unusual thing is that this issue has occurred "only" with TC 11.55 RC2 and not with TC 11.51.

I hope the image and descriptions have clarified the problem for you.

IMG: Image: https://ibb.co/0pD0PP7q

Best regards.

[Horst.Epp]

2sscireca
Since when changes TC the windows content of any running 3rd party tool.
Start a Windows safe session and test again.
This will stop any other tool you may run in the background.

[sscireca]

2sscireca
Since when changes TC the windows content of any running 3rd party tool.
Start a Windows safe session and test again.
This will stop any other tool you may run in the background.

I don't feel confident enough to perform a 'Windows safe session!'

In any case, perhaps one thing isn't clear to you: the problem occurs ONLY when using TC 11.55 RC2, and if I use TC 11.51, the anomaly does not appear at all.
So, even if I perform the test, the situation does not change because with TC 11.51, there is no need to start any 'Windows safe session.'"

[white]

I tested it in Windows Sandbox and it worked "fine". I downloaded GpgFrontend-2.1.8-qt5-universal-x86_64-portable.zip (from https://ftp.bktus.com/GpgFrontend/), unzipped it and started it with TC 11.55rc2. Created a private key, imported a public key, wrote some new text. Clicked my key and imported key, encrypted it, decrypted it, all worked. Signing and verifying also.

Note that in Windows Sandbox, everything runs as administrator. GpgFrontend seems buggy though, after I closed the program, the window closed, but the process was still running. And every time I started it again, a new process was added. I needed to kill the process in task manager.

[Horst.Epp]

So, even if I perform the test, the situation does not change because with TC 11.51, there is no need to start any 'Windows safe session.'"

I guess you don't make software tests.
It is in many cases not the fault of another version but the effects of failures
in other tools, which are influenced by memory differences and other facts.
What us your problem to start Windows in safe mode ?
This doesn't change your normal system startup.

[sscireca]

I tested it in Windows Sandbox and it worked "fine".

I guess you don't make software tests.

OK!!! ... It seems that the issue I reported is at least nonexistent or due to causes for which TC 11.55 RC2 bears no responsibility.

My report concerned a situation where I was not in a 'Windows safe session' and had not run the program within the Windows Sandbox (where everything runs with administrator privileges). ... Perhaps my system or the conditions in which I operate caused the anomaly.

Better this way! Everything seems to be in order, so the RC can proceed as expected.

Good work. I look forward to the release of the final and stable version.
Thank you for the attention you have given me.

[ghisler(Author)]

OK!!! ... It seems that the issue I reported is at least nonexistent or due to causes for which TC 11.55 RC2 bears no responsibility.

Since it doesn't seem to be caused by Total Commander, I'm moving this thread to "will not be changed".

Moderator message from: ghisler(Author) » 2025-05-23, 08:10 UTC

Moved to will not be changed