Keep windows minimized when switching desktops?

[edkellogg]

v. 1.5.9, build 1503, Windows XP Pro.

When I switch back to a desktop that I left with the windows minimized, they all pop up and open again. These are windows using xwin32 with ssh logged into a linux machine on my LAN. Is there some rule I can write to prevent them opening up and choking the screen?

[Patrick]

That's not supposed to happen. Does the problem occur with every minimized window of every application or only the ones you mentioned?

[edkellogg]

I just did a test.

Had Chrome open in desktop 1, minimized it.
Switch to desktop 3, with xwin32 running.
Open ssh, start profile that takes me to the linux machine.
Open a couple of xterms from there.
In one of those I run xdvi to display a .dvi file.
Then I minimize all windows in desktop 3, go back to desktop 1. Chrome stays minimized there. Switch back to desktop 3, all the xterms and the xdvi immediately pop open, but the original ssh window stays minimized.

[Patrick]

Which version of X-Win32 do you use? I can't reproduce the problem with X-Win32 2011 on Windows 7.

[collier]

I'm having the same problem. For me, it's intermittent, and I haven't been able to figure out (yet) exactly what conditions cause it. It happens more often than not. I'll switch from one desktop to another, and one of the Windows on the new desktop -- seemingly chosen at random -- will open from the taskbar.

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, and I use Chrome as my primary browser. I'd sure like to get this fixed, because it is the ONLY problem with Dexpot that I experience on a fairly regular basis.

[edkellogg]

Which version of X-Win32 do you use? I can't reproduce the problem with X-Win32 2011 on Windows 7.

I use
X-Win32 9.1.1028

on Windows XP Professional version 2002 SP 3.

[Patrick]

I use X-Win32 9.1.1028 on Windows XP Professional version 2002 SP 3.

Please save the attached file to your Dexpot installation folder (C:\Program Files\Dexpot) and restart Dexpot.

mywechsel.ini

(24 Bytes) Downloaded 155 times

[edkellogg]

I use X-Win32 9.1.1028 on Windows XP Professional version 2002 SP 3.

Please save the attached file to your Dexpot installation folder (C:\Program Files\Dexpot) and restart Dexpot.

mywechsel.ini

Great! It's working fine now. Thanks for your quick and capable help, Patrick!

[collier]

I'm still experiencing the problem on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I downloaded that *.ini file and placed it in C:\Program Files (x86)\Dexpot, but it did not seem to help. Any other ideas?

[Patrick]

Are we still talking about X-Win32? The file I posted above only addresses a problem with an old version of that particular program.

[collier]

Sorry for the confusion. No. I do not have X-Win32 installed. In my case, the problem does not seem to be tied to a particular program. In general, I may have all the active programs in one of my desktops minimized. Then, most of the time, when I use Dexpot to switch to that desktop, it seems to pick one of those program at random and maximize it. Generally speaking, the one that gets maximized is usually not the one I want to use, so I end up minimizing it again, then maximizing the program I really want to use on that desktop. I will keep experimenting to see if I can identify a pattern.

By the way, on a different topic, I am 100% certain there is a bug in Dexpot in the "Configure Desktops" module when I try to edit the contents of the "Start-Up" tab across multiple desktops. If I delete a couple of entries for one desktop, switch to the "Start-Up" tab for another desktop, make some changes there, and then switch back to the previous desktop, some or all of the entries I deleted for the previous desktop are back again.

[collier]

Patrick,

One more thing. I am able to duplicate the same problem in a different way. Suppose I am on a desktop that has all of its programs minimized. If I go to the Desktop Preview bar, and drag the icon for one of those minimized programs from the current desktop to a different desktop, it seems that Dexpot picks one of the remaining programs on the current desktop and maximizes it.

[Patrick]

I am able to duplicate the same problem in a different way. Suppose I am on a desktop that has all of its programs minimized. If I go to the Desktop Preview bar, and drag the icon for one of those minimized programs from the current desktop to a different desktop, it seems that Dexpot picks one of the remaining programs on the current desktop and maximizes it.

Save the following file to your Dexpot installation folder and test if the problem still occurs with this version. I don't think it's related to the desktop switching one though...

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10270616/dexpot/1591/dexpot.exe

[collier]

I'm sorry, but that didn't seem to help. I'm still having the same problem. Any other ideas?

[collier]

I finally figured out what was going on. I thought I should post something in case others have the same problem. It's a little embarrassing, but...

Almost always, when I switch from one virtual desktop to another, I use the Desktop Preview module with Iconic Preview turned on to do it. (I guess I got used to that method back when I used to use Virtual Dimension.)

However, I was not particularly careful when I clicked inside the box that represented the desktop I wanted to switch to. I was thinking I just needed to click inside the box in order to go to that desktop. I did not realize that carelessly clicking on a particular icon inside the box would cause Dexpot to maximize the window corresponding to that icon.

So, there you have it. Problem solved.

Thanks for your help.