Ubuntu and disappearing windows

Efros · Post by **Efros** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:28 am

I run a program called GradeQuick under wine in Ubuntu 8.04. It works well but occasionally I mess up and minimize the window, I immediately lose access to the window as it seems to be invisible to application switcher or indeed the task-bar. Any suggestions how to get it back when I do this? At the moment I have to open system monitor and kill the process, then restart the program and mentally flog myself for minimizing it in the first place.

Marcel W. Wysocki · Post by **Marcel W. Wysocki** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:35 am

On Fri, 23 May 2008 07:28:31 -0500
"Efros" <[email protected]> wrote:

I run a program called GradeQuick under wine in Ubuntu 8.04. It works well but occasionally I mess up and minimize the window, I immediately lose access to the window as it seems to be invisible to application switcher or indeed the task-bar. Any suggestions how to get it back when I do this? At the moment I have to open system monitor and kill the process, then restart the program and mentally flog myself for minimizing it in the first place.

try running in a virtual desktop
perhaps that helps

--
Marcel W. Wysocki <[email protected]>
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Efros · Post by **Efros** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:41 am

Then I would be running it natively under XP, albeit in Virtualbox or something. I would rather run it under Wine, the application is run from a remote server and I don't want to unnecessarily complicate the situation. Also I really don't want to install a virtual desktop for the sake of one application.

Post by **dimesio** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:45 am

He means use Wine's virtual desktop option. Run winecfg, select the Graphics tab, and check "Emulate a virtual desktop."

David Gerard · Post by **David Gerard** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:54 am

2008/5/23 Efros <[email protected]>:

Then I would be running it natively under XP, albeit in Virtualbox or something. I would rather run it under Wine, the application is run from a remote server and I don't want to unnecessarily complicate the situation. Also I really don't want to install a virtual desktop for the sake of one application.

No, no - this means you run the app in Wine in a desktop window. See:

http://wiki.winehq.org/DesktopWindow

You'd need to run it from the command line with something like:

wine explorer /desktop=ref,800x600 [name of .exe file]

(Note that I've never actually tried this myself

)

- d.

Efros · Post by **Efros** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:06 am

Oh I didn't know about that, nice trick will try it immediately!

Efros · Post by **Efros** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:43 am

Same behavior in the virtual desktop, minimize window and it disappears completely.

vitamin · Post by **vitamin** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:53 am

Efros wrote:Same behavior in the virtual desktop, minimize window and it disappears completely.

What Wine version? And you don't have to minimize the window in virtual desktop - just minimize the VD instead.

David Gerard · Post by **David Gerard** » Fri May 23, 2008 9:03 am

2008/5/23 Efros <[email protected]>:

Same behavior in the virtual desktop, minimize window and it disappears completely.

argh. "Don't do that then"?

Might be your window manager (in X) being funny. Can you alt-tab to the app?

- d.

Efros · Post by **Efros** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:23 am

No option to minimize the desktop, alt tabbing takes me to the desktop but not to the minimized app, oh well shall just have to remember not to minimize the window! Wine version number 0.9.59

Post by **DanKegel** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:47 am

Efros wrote:

I run a program called GradeQuick under wine in Ubuntu 8.04.

Which version? BTW, the appdb entry for this app is
http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?appId=1206
and it'd be nice if you could add a test report.

GradeQuick 9 (from 2004) has a demo at
http://www.download.com/3000-2051_4-10305590.html
but I haven't been able to download it.

It works well but [if] minimize the window, [it disappears]

I've seen this before with other apps. The only bug report
I could find just now that seems similar is
http://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6733
Perhaps this is the same bug?
- Dan

Post by **DanKegel** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:27 pm

On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 8:46 AM, Dan Kegel <[email protected]> wrote:

Efros wrote:
I run a program called GradeQuick under wine in Ubuntu 8.04.
Which version? BTW, the appdb entry for this app is
http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?appId=1206
and it'd be nice if you could add a test report.

GradeQuick 9 (from 2004) has a demo at
http://www.download.com/3000-2051_4-10305590.html

I managed to download it. It installs fine and
both minimize and unminimize work.

What version are you having trouble with, and is there a demo
for that version?

Efros · Post by **Efros** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:53 pm

Version is 12.0.0.65

It is run as a Windows shortcut to an executable on a remote Windows Server Drive, so the only thing that resides locally is the shortcut file.

private_lock · Post by **private_lock** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:50 am

Same problems over here:

These programs work as supposed (showing in their own window):
winecfg 0.9.59 Panel www.winehq.org
mp3DirectCut 2.08 www.mpesch3.de
MP3Gain 1.3.4 mp3gain.sf.net
Oscar's Renamer 1.1 www.mediachance.com/free/renamer.htm

These two won't appear in window list and are gone on minimize:
graph 4.3 www.padowan.dk (4.2)
MP3Test 1.6.0.b156 www.maf-soft.de/mp3test (1.5.1.b153)

I've tested both the current and the previous version, each of them having this problem.

As a workaround, I can either configure wine to open a virtual Desktop. The problem is, that this is cumbersome, as all wine windows are sucked up inside. And in addition to Alt+Tab I need another key-combo to switch, that I always forget.

Second, I found this: The KDE windowmanager offers specific settings for each window. There was a grayed out hook set, to skip it in the window list. So I made window specific settings like this:

- run the offending wine application
- Alt+F3 or click on icon in upper left corner
- submenu "advanced" - special settings for this window
- go to tab "personal settings"
- place a hook to the left of "skip window list"
- select "force" in the same line
- and make sure, the hook to the right is unset
- apply and see what happend to your windowlist

This is not perfect, as modal dialogs can get behind the application. It will be, as if it hangs (won't react to any input). It's easiest to roll up the main window (rightclick on minimize) to check, if there are more dialogs hidden.

Any idea, why it only affects some applications? What's the difference between those?
private_lock

PS: The version numbers
wine-0.9.59
KDE 3.5.9
Kubuntu Hardy