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Topic: «Generally unreliable » on forum: Technical Support   Views: 8290
 
Mike Brazil
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 136
Joined: 07/19/2010
Posted: 02/08/2012 22:38:56
 
 
 It seems that AWM just doesn't apply some per-window/application settings very reliably. Quite frequently, settings such as removing the title bar icon and standard buttons, changing the title-bar caption, changing the program's icon, minimizing to a screen icon, showing the AWM title-bar buttons, etc. just stop working for one application/window or another. Sometimes, the settings can be re-applied and they work again. At other times, I have to toggle the rule off and back on and then use the apply button, and at still other times, I have to close and restart AWM to get things working properly again.

I've also had it happen now and then where AWM doesn't seem to recognize a window that there's been a rule for for quite some time. There again, I have to use one of the three methods I described above to get it working correctly again.

These things happen for quite a few of the programs I use, so the particular app or rule doesn't seem to be the cause, and there's no pattern as to when this happens or which apps it happens to. This isn't a new problem either. I've seen it happen for quite some time through several versions. Uninstalling and reinstalling doesn't help either.

--
Mike
 
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Vasiliy Ivachev
Administrator
-retired-
 
 Posts: 2073
Joined: 11/09/2010
Posted: 02/09/2012 04:58:34
 
 
 Hello Mike,

Thanks for the post.

Could you give me a more detailed description of these problems?

What applications (names, versions, download links would be great) do you have these problems with?
What steps should I do to reproduce these problems?

What versions of Actual Window Manager do you use?

What OS are you running (version, x32 or x64)?

Could you also attach screenshots of these problems?

Best regards.
 
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Mike Brazil
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 136
Joined: 07/19/2010
Posted: 02/11/2012 00:41:40
 
 
 Hi Vasiliy,

I'm running Windows XP Pro SP3 x32 and AWM 6.7.2.

Let's start with one good example:

ATI's Catalyst Control Center (CCC) Ver. 2011.1109.2146.39010. Here's the link to the download <ATI>, but you won't be able to install it unless you've got a machine with an ATI Radeon HD 4xxx series video card (mine is an HD 4650). I just sent my configuration to the tech-support email address so you'll have it if you need it. My rule for CCC includes positioning (with restricted placement), removal of the standard titlebar buttons and icon, minimize to screen with a permanent screen icon, and some other things that don't enter into the problem.

AWM seems to "lose track" of the the CCC window fairly frequently (a few times a day, depending on how much I use CCC or modify and save any window rules). The screen icon disappears even though it's set to permanent, window placement is no longer restricted, the standard caption and standard titlebar buttons return, and the AWM title buttons disappear. It's as if the CCC rule doesn't exist even though it does and it's still enabled. Since the title buttons are missing, I can't use the wrench button to reapply the settings. The only way I've found to fix this that usually, but not always, works is to open the AWM window, select the CCC rule, click the Target Window button, and use the crosshairs to "remind" AWM of the rule and which window it applies to. If that doesn't work, I end up shutting AWM down and restarting it.

The only way you could reproduce this problem would be to have CCC running on a machine with the same model video card, use my CCC window rule, and use the computer for a day or two, making sure to save some rule changes now and then. It doesn't happen every time I save changes, so there's no apparent pattern, and I can't make it happen on demand.

Screenshots of this won't do you any good, since the only thing you'd be able to see is how the CCC window and the screen icon look when it's working correctly and how the CCC window looks when AWM stops applying the rule to it (which is how it looks when there is no rule or AWM isn't running).

There's another program that I have pretty much the same problem with, the Windows "Master Volume" applet, C:\WINDOWS\system32\sndvol32.exe. For both programs, the problem is most likely to occur when I'm saving changes to a window rule, even if it's not the rule for one of these programs. In the case of Master Volume, it's set to minimize to the tray rather than the screen, but as with CCC, AWM "loses track" of the window when saving any rule changes and doesn't minimize the window at all until I can reapply the settings or force it to connect the window with the existing rule.

--
Mike
 
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T Jones
Registered user

 
 Posts: 9
Joined: 02/06/2012
Posted: 02/11/2012 12:41:19
 
 
Quote
@Mike

t seems that AWM just doesn't apply some per-window/application settings very reliably. Quite frequently, settings such as removing the title bar icon and standard buttons, changing the title-bar caption, changing the program's icon, minimizing to a screen icon, showing the AWM title-bar buttons, etc. just stop working for one application/window or another. Sometimes, the settings can be re-applied and they work again. At other times, I have to toggle the rule off and back on and then use the apply button, and at still other times, I have to close and restart AWM to get things working properly again.

I have ATI using CCC which was a big problem too. After buying Actual Windows Manager there was conflicts with CCC and my Windows 7 64bit display setting in the Control Panel wasn't cooperating either.

I had to uninstall CCC and the problems went away.

Actual Windows Manager could not control monitors behavior when CCC was doing "some" of the same things.

I lost the CCC features.

Instead, I chose to have more control over Actual Window Manager because it gave me more on 4 monitors.
 
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Vasiliy Ivachev
Administrator
-retired-
 
 Posts: 2073
Joined: 11/09/2010
Posted: 02/13/2012 02:32:47
 
 
 We'll investigate this.

Best regards.
 
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Mike Brazil
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 136
Joined: 07/19/2010
Posted: 02/15/2012 03:52:00
 
 
 FYI, the only things I'm using CCC to control are gamma, brightness, contrast, and the vertical refresh rate on both monitors and color temperature on one monitor, so I think it's unlikely that a conflict between CCC and AWM is what's causing the problems I described. They are not both trying to control the same functions of the monitors.

--
Mike
 
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T Jones
Registered user

 
 Posts: 9
Joined: 02/06/2012
Posted: 02/15/2012 19:29:15
 
 
Quote
so I think it's unlikely that a conflict between CCC and AWM is what's causing the problems I described

I didn't use AWM for the same controls either.

All I am sharing is the behavior for me occurred after installing AWM and stopped when I uninstalled CCC.

Example. CCC and Windows 7 has always control the detection of monitors, the extending and duplicating.

When I installed AWM and took the same steps taken for years to adjust monitors, the behavior was erratic and annoying.

I use AWM for these monitor adjustment just fine alone without the installion of CCC.

My usage for CCC was the same as you describe that I now sacrifice because I have four monitors which need consistent window placement.

I count on my new monitor for color controls.

I rather have the CCC which is best for my graphic card

HD 6870 900M 2GB DDR5 DUAL MINIDP HDMI DUAL DVI PCI-E
 
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Mike Brazil
Advanced user
 
 Posts: 136
Joined: 07/19/2010
Posted: 02/17/2012 22:01:51
 
 
Quote
All I am sharing is the behavior for me occurred after installing AWM and stopped when I uninstalled CCC.

At present, I'm not willing to give up either AWM or CCC. Apparently, from what you're saying and from what I've observed, there is some kind of conflict occurring between the two. Hopefully, this can be resolved by Actual Tools, since I'm sure AMD/ATI wouldn't even be willing to look into it.

I use CCC mostly to vary the gamma setting to be able to view pictures and videos, since many of these are much too dark when the gamma is set appropriately for all other applications. When the gamma is set appropriately for most photos and videos, everything else is too bright and all washed out.

I'm starting to search for and test other software that claims to be able to adjust gamma on demand, but so far, everything I've found hasn't been updated since 2008 or earlier, and none of them seem to be aware of or capable of setting gamma differently for two or more monitors. Maybe this function should be incorporated into AWM.

--
Mike
 
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