Folder Optionns applet behaving badly

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tony Luxton
  • Start date Start date
T

Tony Luxton

Hello group. Here's a wierd one: if I open Folder Options from Control
Panel, it starts without the focus, i.e. it's hidden *behind* the Control
Panel window and I don't see it. What's more, its window title bar and
border alternate between active and inactive colours about once a second
(you know when an icon on the taskbar flashes to get your attention? About
that sort of speed). But never gaining focus, always hidden until I close or
move Control Panel.

If I invoke it from an Explorer window, either from the toolbar or the menu
bar, it behaves normally.

If I set Control Panel as a cascading menu on the start menu, rather than a
link, it behaves normally.

It's only when I have the Control Panel window open.

Everything else in Control Panel behaves normally.

I'm not accidently clicking again in the Control Panel window, I use single
click, Internet Explorer style.

Is this a known, er, feature?
XP home, SP2.

TIA Tony.
 
I tried it here both as a link and menu and both work the same as in
correctly.

Suggestions:

TweakUI/General/Focus
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Prevent Programs from Stealing Focus - Undo (Line 66)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

When a window that does not have focus is updated by its program, the
default setting prevents it from becoming the foremost (top) window,
instead, it flashes in the taskbar.

HeldUp is the easiest way to stop windows from disappearing behind other
programs. http://www.johnmacintyre.ca/HeldUp.asp

Programs May Start, Quit, Lose, and Gain Focus Randomly
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313176&Product=winxp

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm
 
Hi Kelly, thanks for your reply.

After reading the last link in your post (the one about advanced text
services), I turned the service off (or was it on?), and it cured the
problem briefly till I got a prompt to reboot, after which the problem
re-appeared.

So I think we're barking up the right tree.

BTW I can force any window to stay on top with the software I got with my
video card, so I don't have a problem generally.

I've also had tweakui for ages-couldn't live without it.

regards Tony.
 
Kelly, I think i've *kind of* sussed it. Your idea didn't work but then I
had an idea. I turned off "prevent progams from stealing focus" in tweakui.
That cured it.

What was happening was the FO applet was trying to steal focus but couldn't,
so, as it didn't have a taskbar button, all it could do was flash its window
(which was of course hidden).

Doesn't solve the problem, though. I mean, nothing else in Control Panel
behaves like this, so why does Folder Options? And I prefer to have a
taskbar button flash rather than have the program itself suddenly in my face
:-)

It's not a huge problem of course, I can live with it, but I'm intrigued as
to why it's happening. Got any thoughts?

regards Tony.
 
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