Initial configuration problems with VirtuaWin

[Geek4AllSeasons]

I've had difficult configuring LBC running on Dual Monitor XP SP3 with VirtuaWin supporting 4 desktops.

After tweaking the sample .mcf (including turning autohide on), the dockbar went missing, the options/config dialog was lost in bit space (not visible on the desk reported by VirtuaWin) and neither could be corrected through VirtuaWin. I was working exclusively on Desktop 2. Unchecking the always show on taskbar option didn't work. Several configurations of VW rules were tried. None corrected all problems.

It was necessary to kill the LBC process, because the systray icon was not displayed or unresponsive.  The .mcf contents were lost when the process was killed or exited normally.

LBC appeared to work with some configurations.

I haven't found documentation related to configuring LBC for virtual desktops. I do frequently overlook what in retrospect seems obvious.

Any help reducing the configuration/compatibility search space would be appreciated.

[mouser]

hi Geek!

I have used virtuawin in the past (nice app!), so i will experiment with it and LBC.

I'd be interested in knowing whether the non-hiding/sliding modes of LBC work properly with it.  I know a recent poster was having an issues with LBC and dexpot multiple desktop tool and managed to get it working by telling dexpot that LBC should be preserved across all virtual monitiors -- perhaps that is possible with virtuawin too.

Please keep us updated on anything you may find.

[Geek4AllSeasons]

Hi Mouser,

Thanks for the fast reply, not to mention creating LBC and company.

LBC seemed happier when Auto-hiding was turned off. I didn't try sliding mode.

Adjustments to the sample .mcf were not systematic. It was later in the evening. I wasn't prepared (too fuzzy) for diagnostic mode.

Before assuming the problem(s) lie (solely) with LBC I want to hit the VirtuaWin forums. Recently, phantom/brain dead taskbar buttons for several applications have appeared randomly.

I should have the latest version of VirtuaWin, but my middle name is "often wrong". If you think LBC should be happy in a multi-monitor/virtual desktop environment and everybody thinks they are playing by the rules (following standard protocols) the new kid shouldn't be blamed automatically.

LBC's support for multiple concurrent  docks/configurations stood out among it's impressive feature set. My goal is to set up desktops as task specific environments.

Huge and growing collections of tools, documents and links spanning platforms, domains and paradigms doesn't play well with a one hierarchy/interface approach. Serious Samurize is (candidate) ingredient for the mix.

Its important to understanding how each component works and if/how they can work together. I'm hoping a VirtuaWin rule with the right options will resolve stability/compatibility issues.

Based on what I know of VirtuaWin and have learned of LBC it isn't clear how position bars on different desktops. VirtuaWin rules key on window class and name. IMO, in the "best of all possible worlds" dock location would be explicit and part of it's LBC configuration.

Using the Dock name as the window name would make it possible to create Dock specific VirtuaWin rules. (That may already be the case. At the moment I can't remember.

I'll let you know if I find anything relevant in the VirtuaWin forums.

[Geek4AllSeasons]

 
It appears I was a one version behind the current release of VirtuaWin (4.3) and more fuzzy then I thought installing/configuring LBC.

The current version of VirtuaWin doesn't seem to make much difference, but using (or not using) appropriate VW rules does. I have been running Rocket Dock for awhile without problems. I check and there was no special rule for it. So no rules works better for LBC.

LBC is still crashing with auto-hide on. The error is Access violation at 0x004c4397 location: 0x00000004.

I haven't had the time for anal retentive testing mode, but associating the crash is reasonably certain.

I understand now that when LBC has an episode the .mcf file is OK. Its a .ini file that gets whacked. Not much of a problem/issue recovering from that.

The screen shots on the LBC page make more sense to me now. I believe there is sufficient flexibility laying out Docks for my purposes. Including them as annotated uses cases in the documentation might be useful to newbies.

VirtuaWin isn't hiding LBC's button in the taskbar. Its not the only application either. I've looked at this issue recently. It may be due to the TOOLWIN property somehow getting clobbered. It seems appropriate to raise this issue with the author of VirtuaWin.

[mouser]

Just a note, i added the following to my windows rules in VirtuaWin:

Process name: *\LaunchBarCommander.exe
Checked: Show windows of this type on all desktops

And I have my LBC set to autoslide (should be same as autohide),

And it seemed to work well -- my dock was on all desktops.

I think it would help me if I understood better one issue at a time that you are having since i get lost when trying to figure out multiple issues at once.

[Geek4AllSeasons]

At first, I was a bit overwhelmed myself. Since LBC is being used successfully by lot of users I suspected I had done something, obvious to others, wrong. Big problems are often cause by small mistakes. My intent was to provide sufficient context to identify the problem and/or where I had gone wrong.

I didn't find anything about virtual desktops in LBC documentation and hoped to hear from others to learn from their experience.

I didn't try a rule like that. I will. Most of the problems encountered have been making incremental configuration changes. The following may help.

Initially it wasn't possible to match LBC window classes/names reported by WinSpector and WinList, a VirtuaWin utility. After starting LBC today class/names were consistent and as expected.

The class is TLaunchBarForm and dock window name is "Main" (same as tree node name). A virtuaWin rule was created selecting the "show on all desks" option. LBC and VirtuaWin have been happy so far.

Its possible auto-hide was on when class/window names didn't match. Auto-hide on or turning it on/off was related to configuration change problems in prior posts. It isn't and essential feature for me. As you have pointed out in other threads, minimizing and restoring from the systray icon is functionally equivalent.

I would like to place docks with different configuration on specific desktops. LBC appears to provide the hooks using the dock node name as the window name.

Do you see any problems with this approach? Have other users tried it?

Your help is appreciated. Things seem to be settling down. I hope I'm being more clear.

[mouser]

So it looks like LBC is fine with having docks that stay on all desktops (set using Window Rule as described above).

An initial test by me with dock in SLIDE mode (should be same as hide mode), shows that LBC also seems to do ok if there is no window rule -- and it is only on one desktop.

The part i don't know about is:

I would like to place docks with different configuration on specific desktops. LBC appears to provide the hooks using the dock node name as the window name.

Yeah now this is going to be the tricky part for sure.. i'm not sure how to do this but i don't know virtuawin enough to know if it has special features for this kind of thing.  I look forward to hearing your results.


 

[poyan]

In my environment (win XP Prof, LBC 1.124.01) the title of the lbc window is the dock node name....

greets
poyan