new beta 1.05.15 (update only) available to beta testers

[mouser]

v1.05.15 is now available for beta testers
http://donationcoder.../FindAndRunRobot.zip

this is the new exe ONLY, and is only being made available for those who are helping me try to fix some bugs; if you don't fall into this category then you might as well wait a couple days for a real release.

here are the things im trying to fix with this version:

added info about running main executable with -tray commandline option
fixed a failure to identify some duplicate links
added browse for file+folder buttons from the config add/edit entry dialogs.
removed menus to load and save configuration files (not it always use the main FindAndRunRobot.ini file.
program tries to grab focus back whenever it loses it.
attempt to fix issue with launching SFN versions of apps (ie opera problem).

the most important things are focus grabbing and duplicate bugfix.
i tried to address the sfn issue (see scott's post about opera), but i am worried that in the process i may have re-broken the problem we had where some strange shortcut links weren't launching properly, so i'm keen to hear if i have really fixed the opera launching issue and not broken other things.

look forward to hearing a report.

[mouser]

important suggestion for testers:

create a copy of your find&run robot dir, and copy this new exe over the old.
that way you can run the old version and compare it to new version.

BUT remember to check the tray (or titlebar) to make sure you are really running the version you think you are before you report that a problem still exists.

ie, im saying dont just permanently overwrite old version without keeping a backup, or it may be hard to check back on previous behavior.

[mouser]

1.05.16 is up

fixed bug where it kept re-activating the start-with-windows switch (bug also could cause tiny slowdown on startup)

[kfitting]

I have only tested for 10 minutes but i have to get to bed.  Initial trials however yielded positive results.  Focus seemed to stay with FindRun (only one not repeatable glitch).  Also, the duplicates are gone... thank you thank you!  As far as lnk files are concerned, I was able to open most of them.  I only had trouble with CDBurnerXp (but this lnk file only seems to link to the folder not the exe.  No idea how windows knows to run the exe) and an excel lnk file.  The excel lnk is to a particular excel file and is located in the Recent folder.   Dont know if it's worth spending a huge amount of time on these lnk problems.... now to bed.  I will install the new version at work tomorrow and continue testing.  Thanks again,

Kevin 

[mouser]

id be particularly interested to know if the old f&r could launch that excel file.. if so then i need to address it.  if not then i still need to address it   but at least ill have a clue as to how to attack it.

[mouser]

if the loss of focus is fixed for 90% of the cases and happens randomly in others, i may be able to fix that extra 5%, as i'm guessing that would mean that its just that the other app is grabbing focus in the right smack in middle of f&r trying to regain focus, and that i could use a little temporary timer to check for such a degenerate condition.

[kfitting]

For both of the lnk files I mentioned, the old FindRun does not open them either.  And after a little bit of searching... I know why the excel one doesnt work!  The lnk file points to a file that is not on my desktop anymore.  Duh!  Sorry about the "scare" there.  Question that remains, is there any way to have FindRun check to ensure the file is there?  For the CDBurnerXP lnk, I cant change the Target field in the properties dialog (it's grayed out) and it's not pointing to the exe file, or actually, to any path at all.  It just has the name of the program in it.  The Start In field is set to the exe, however.

As far as focus is concerned...  it's definitely way better than before!  The screen tends to flicker sometimes, I'm guessing this is because of the focus flipping back and forth very quickly?  Any way to avoid this?  If not, not a big problem.  It's more just a tweak for polishing.  It definitely is nice to have FindRun stay on top! 

Any other questions?  Let me know.  I'll try and answer as soon as possible,

Kevin

[mouser]

it's not a bad idea to check if the file pointed to by a shortcut exists before listing it, seems reasonable and shouldnt take much time as long as i do it only for shortcuts that are about to be added.  although if i remember correctly, there are certain shortcuts that use these strange special windows links, like ms office apps, that dont actually point to files but just special names, and lets windows resolve these.   so it may just not be practical to distinguish a broken shortcut from a special shortcut that the OS is expected to resolve, so it might not be fixable.

in fact it sounds like this is exactly your cdburnerxp issue.. but then you are saying that f&r is not launching this properly..
i wonder if this is what is happening.. did you say that there is a FOLDER named with same name as the name inside the shortcut?  it may be that the existence of that folder is confusing F&R and preventing it from launching the shortcut.  i could try to make a test for this degenerate case if we think this might be the problem.  it seems like this might be whats happening to me, assuming the shortcut to that app works when you run it through start menu.

as for flickering, yeah i guess thats probably unavoidable, unless i can find a different technique for preventing apps from stealing focus; right now it doesnt prevent another app from stealing focus, but rather it grabs control back.  but there is one more dif. way i can try.  ps. if you want to see some real flicker, find another app that also refuses to let itself lose focus and let f&r fight with it

[kfitting]

For the burner software the target is just the program name (CDBurnerXP Pro 3).  The Start In field is ("D:\Program Files\CDBurnerXP Pro 3\cdbxp.exe").  I believe it's mostly coincidence that the folder name and app name are the same (meaning, entirely at the whim of the authors). 

I had to laugh about letting the apps fight over focus.  But, it raised a question: would the use be unable to do anything in this situation?  Would there be a way to let the other app have focus?  At least then you could shut down the one program or something.  I'm just picturing a battle where the computer is, for all intents and purposes, locked up. 

Kevin

[mouser]

well you could always kill one of the programs from task manager.
i think youd also be able to close either one from the close box on upper right of window, so its not a big deal, would just be strange.

if the startin field of the app is "D:\Program Files\CDBurnerXP Pro 3\cdbxp.exe", then it sounds like what you have their is a malformed shortcut, where the startin field should specify the directory but instead specifies the actual full filename.  so that would explain why its not being launched right.

[Scott]

I don't run Opera anymore, so I can't test that directly.  Never mind me--I got 4 hours' sleep last night and it has colored my entire disposition today (as can be told from my other posts of today, no doubt).  I will test this under Win2K using VMware.  You took the time to try to fix the issue, so that's the least I could do.

I noticed you set ForegroundLockTimeout to 0.  I'm not complaining, just making sure you didn't mean to change that.

[mouser]

I noticed you set ForegroundLockTimeout to 0.  I'm not complaining, just making sure you didn't mean to change that.

i think this is a holdover from code i used to try to fix a bug where message boxes would appear below windows - but as per previous discussions here i've started removing it from my tray-based programs, so i'll try removing it from f&r in next version.  thanks for reminder.

[Scott]

 
The issue with Opera seems to be resolved.  Thank you!