Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

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error10
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Joined: 10.02.2013 07:01:53

Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby error10 » 10.02.2013 07:11:33

I'm having a strange issue where certain windows will "follow" me and copy themselves to any desktop when I switch with Alt-# or a mouse gesture. This doesn't happen with all programs, though.

My system: Windows Server 2012; Dexpot 1.6.5.2207. I have a custom rule for Google Chrome that always moves it to Desktop 2, and VMware Workstation is on Desktop 3.

When I open any of the following programs, I get a blank space in the taskbar, and the program's window follows me, copying itself to any desktop I switch to:

* Server Manager
* Microsoft Management Console
* Windows PowerShell
* Hyper-V Manager
* Hyper-V Virtual Machine Connection
* Perhaps others, but these are the ones I've noticed it with so far.

These screenshots show what is happening. In this case, Virtual Machine Connection has followed me from Desktop 1 to Desktop 2:

Image

So I drag it from Desktop 2 and drop it back on Desktop 1. This would normally cause a program to move back and stay on Desktop 1...

Image

But now I click on Desktop 2 to return to what I was doing, and Virtual Machine Connection comes right back.

Image


error10
Posts: 3
Joined: 10.02.2013 07:01:53

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby error10 » 11.02.2013 09:11:30

Running Dexpot as administrator did fix the problem. I don't know how I missed that FAQ entry... :oops:

ramr37

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby ramr37 » 24.03.2013 15:27:40

Exact same problem, running Windows 8, Dexpot 1.6.7, but I had the same problem in 1.6.6.

The main programs I use are Firefox, Chrome, and Explorer, which are different than the OP's, but the problem is exactly the same: some windows are copying themselves to some other desktops. It's usually a few windows from each of the three apps I use the most, but never _all_ the windows from any app and it's never to _all_ of the virtual desktops. It's very difficult to find a pattern in this problem or anything that triggers it; I'm sorry I can't give you more to go on.

Running as administrator does NOT solve this problem.

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Patrick
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Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby Patrick » 24.03.2013 15:50:08

ramr37 wrote:Running as administrator does NOT solve this problem.

Shouldn't that be a hint that it's not the "exact same" problem? :D

Go to "Settings > Plugins and Extras". What's the option "Behavior of windows on other desktops" set to? If it is "Copy window to current desktop", this may be by design. If it's something else, I'll need more information, starting with a log file.

ramr37

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby ramr37 » 27.03.2013 10:42:58

OK, so yes, not _exactly_ the same problem, Patrick. :P Or at least not the same cause, that's for sure, since running as admin didn't help. What I meant was: the same manifestations...random windows from other workspaces copying themselves to other workspaces without apparent rhyme or reason.

More info: when navigating in and assigning windows in Dexpot, 95% of the time I use either 1.) an upper-left hot corner (set to perform an "all windows/all desktops" catalog) or 2.) hotkeys <ALT+Desktop # I Want to Send Window To> and <SHIFT-ALT+Desktop # I Want To Switch To> I keep it this minimal by conscious design (i.e. using only these two methods of navigation/switching in Dexpot) to minimize mental clutter. Maybe knowing this can help you narrow the cause of this problem down. I've also researched and I don't see my hotkeys interfering with any Windows 8 hotkeys.

Also, window behavior is NOT set to "copy" when selecting a window.

I also have a log of about two minutes of Dexpot activity. (That's how long it took to start misbehaving!) How do I send it to you? It won't let cut and paste it here because it's too long. (Sorry for the idiotic question)

dzouras
Posts: 5
Joined: 03.12.2013 23:57:57

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby dzouras » 04.12.2013 00:18:41

I am also experiencing a case where an application clones itself to multiple desktops as I switch. I have only observed this behavior with a single application.

Windows 7 Enterprise 64 bit
The pesky application is ClearQuest for Windows

I read the FAQ, but I cannot run ClearQuest as administrator because my company's security policy does not allow that level of access for us.
I am the one that talked my boss into purchasing a Dexpot license for my whole team and so it is my responsibility to figure out this problem.

Eventually these extra windows make the desktop preview useless because all windows are covered with the ClearQuest window on every desktop. The main reason that I use Dexpot is to keep windows from covering each other and this is defeating that purpose.

It is not clear why ClearQuest windows would be running any differently than others, but it is a critical application for my workflow (as is Dexpot) and I appreciate any additional tips you could offer.

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Patrick
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Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby Patrick » 04.12.2013 00:53:42

So ClearQuest is not running as administrator? Then try this. Create a text file called "mywechsel.ini" in your Dexpot installation folder with the following content:

Code: Select all

[Exe]
ClearQuest.exe=move

Replace "ClearQuest.exe" with the appropriate executable name for ClearQuest, save the file, and restart Dexpot.

[FAQ] What is the mywechsel.ini file capable of?

dzouras
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Joined: 03.12.2013 23:57:57

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby dzouras » 04.12.2013 19:50:02

Thanks for the prompt response.

It will come as no surprise that, due to my aforementioned security restrictions, I am unable to create the mywechsel.ini file in the Dexpot install directory. I read the FAQ link that was provided and saw that an alternative location was suggested, so I created the mywechsel.ini file at C:\Users\ch1dzou1\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot

Then, just for good measure, I rebooted and started opening my applications. Clearquest is still up to the same copying behavior. :(
I cannot tell if the INI file was even considered.

This is what I created:

Code: Select all

C:\Users\ch1dzou1\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot>dir
 Volume in drive C is OSDisk
 Volume Serial Number is 0279-7075

 Directory of C:\Users\ch1dzou1\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot

12/04/2013  10:23 AM    <DIR>          .
12/04/2013  10:23 AM    <DIR>          ..
12/04/2013  10:21 AM                26 mywechsel.ini
12/04/2013  11:06 AM    <DIR>          profile
               1 File(s)             26 bytes
               3 Dir(s)  272,790,671,360 bytes free

C:\Users\ch1dzou1\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot>type mywechsel.ini
[Exe]
clearquest.exe=move

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Patrick
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Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby Patrick » 04.12.2013 22:56:14

The file location should be OK. You can enable the log file and restart Dexpot to verify that the file was read. Look for "Lade WechselAusnahmen aus C:\Users\ch1dzou1\AppData\Roaming\Dexpot\mywechsel.ini" in the log.

Two possibilities. Either "clearquest.exe" is incorrect or ClearQuest is running as admin (or with UIAccess privileges). Open the Dexpot menu and select "Desktop Windows". Point the mouse at the list entry for a ClearQuest window. A tooltip will pop up. The third line is the exe name for the window. If it's indeed clearquest.exe, right-click on the entry. Try to change the window state (minimize, maximize, restore) using the first submenu. If nothing happens, then ClearQuest is running as admin.

dzouras
Posts: 5
Joined: 03.12.2013 23:57:57

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby dzouras » 06.12.2013 17:07:46

I like the attention to detail that you provide in your attempt to debug this issue.

I turned on logging and the .ini file is referenced in the log.

Using your instructions I confirmed that the executable is clearquest.exe.

I then followed the steps to test whether ClearQuest is running as admin. The minimize and restore menu items had no effect on the ClearQuest window, so apparently it is running as admin.

Does that mean we are out of options?

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Patrick
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Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby Patrick » 10.12.2013 14:04:29

There's one more option. Earlier builds of Dexpot 1.6.10 used a special type of elevation which lets it manage such windows without having to run Dexpot as administrator. We had to remove it again because it had a bunch of other unwanted side effects, but it might work in your situation.

Here's the link: http://dexpot.de/download/archive/dexpot_1610_r2369.exe

It has to be installed to "Program Files (x86)" so you still need to have an admin install it for you.

dzouras
Posts: 5
Joined: 03.12.2013 23:57:57

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby dzouras » 04.02.2014 22:00:53

Thanks for trying. It will be difficult to get another build accepted into our approved software catalog. I guess I will just have to live with this. It's not ideal, but I am in the habit of minimizing that one pesky application now.

mimkorn
Posts: 12
Joined: 03.03.2015 10:09:25

Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby mimkorn » 29.08.2016 19:15:51

This is also happening to me on PC at home and on trial on PC at work. I really want to use this product, I donated some time ago, when I used it personally and I would buy it, so I could use it at work, but this bug makes it unusable. On both PCs (work and home) this happens a lot even though I have all the exe files of dexpot running as Administrator.

It happens much more often if I have really many windows opened. Like 15-30 (not including tabs in browser).

I think I did a video about this in the past with posted logs even maybe in some other thread some years ago. I would be willing to do it again, if we could make it work eventually. Cause windows 10 monitor switching is still just functionally poor compared to dexpot. but it works on the other hand.

edit: Oh yeah, I found it. I never received a reply. What a shame. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5916

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Sebastian
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Re: Certain windows copy themselves to all desktops

Postby Sebastian » 29.08.2016 20:38:47

:dex:,

please see my reply in the post you mentioned.
Best regards (wave)
Sebastian Brands, Dexpot GbR


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