WAD TCMD 14 Beta

[JohnQSmith]

I figure we should get a thread started about the new beta since I think I found a bug.

Was trying out the new DESKTOP command to see exactly what it did (it's like the multiple desktops you have in various *NIX distributions).

TCC 14.00.14, Win XP SP3

DESKTOP /C TEST

Created a new desktop with all the icons of my original desktop. That worked fine. However, when I hit WindowsKey-E to open up Windows Explorer, so I could make a new instance of TCC 14 so I could switch back to the default desktop, no Windows Explorer appeared. I hit it again, still no luck. Went to START>RUN and fired up TCC from there and switched back to the DEFAULT desktop. That is where I found the two Windows Explorer windows that I had started on the TEST desktop.

Looking interesting so far. I'm SOOOO ready to try the TPIPE command.

Edit: How do I get rid of (close/delete) a desktop that I've created?

 

[JohnQSmith]

Help file. TPIPE command. Command "Format:" instructions use a serif font (Times New Roman?) instead of the sans-serif font (Arial?) used by other commands.

 

[vefatica]

I too would like to know how to get rid of a desktop.

 

[vefatica]

I too would like to know how to get rid of a desktop.

One way: use TaskMgr to kill the desktop's associated EXPLORER.EXE (if you can figure out which EXPLORER.EXE that is). Having done so, trying to switch there gives

TCC: (Sys) The system cannot find the file specified.
"newdt"

 

[JohnQSmith]

One way: use TaskMgr to kill the desktop's associated EXPLORER.EXE (if you can figure out which EXPLORER.EXE that is).

I did that from the TEST desktop I had created and it left me with the desktop without any icons. Since Task Manager was still running, I was able to start a new Explorer.exe instance and get the icons back.

 

[vefatica]

I did that from the TEST desktop I had created and it left me with the desktop without any icons. Since Task Manager was still running, I was able to start a new Explorer.exe instance and get the icons back.

Had you, instead, closed TaskMgr, you'd have been is a real pickle ... a completely empty desktop ... C-A-D-StartTaskMgr starts TaskMgr on the original desktop. I had to C-A-D-Logoff.

 

[rconn]

I too would like to know how to get rid of a desktop.

Me too. But that's not supported in Windows. You can create, but you cannot delete.

 

[rconn]

Created a new desktop with all the icons of my original desktop. That worked fine. However, when I hit WindowsKey-E to open up Windows Explorer, so I could make a new instance of TCC 14 so I could switch back to the default desktop, no Windows Explorer appeared. I hit it again, still no luck. Went to START>RUN and fired up TCC from there and switched back to the DEFAULT desktop. That is where I found the two Windows Explorer windows that I had started on the TEST desktop.

That's a Windows feature/bug, not TCC. I've seen plenty of people complaining about it, but I've never seen a workaround or fix.

 

[vefatica]

Me too. But that's not supported in Windows. You can create, but you cannot delete.

Doesn't CloseDesktop() work (called from the original TCC, perhaps after the new explorer.exe has been terminated)?

 

[JohnQSmith]

That's a Windows feature/bug, not TCC. I've seen plenty of people complaining about it, but I've never seen a workaround or fix.

Guess I'll stick with Dexpot.

 

[vefatica]

Does TCC start explorer on the new desktop or does Windows do that automatically? Perhaps DESKTOP could be enhanced with an option to start an app on the new desktop (STARUPINFO::lpDesktop).

I have read:

IIRC, desktops are reference counted, so they're destroyed when nothing is using them anymore (and having an un-closed handle to one is included as "using").

 

[vefatica]

Perhaps DESKTOP could be enhanced with an option to start an app on the new desktop (STARUPINFO::lpDesktop).

Or maybe START could be so enhanced (or maybe both).

 

[vefatica]

I have read:
IIRC, desktops are reference counted, so they're destroyed when nothing is using them anymore (and having an un-closed handle to one is included as "using").

Apparently, terminating all apps on the new desktop and closing the TCC that created the new desktop does make it go away (DESKTOP in subsequent TCCs shows only the default desktop. I imagine the original TCC's just closing the handle (after the apps were terminated) would have done the same thing.

Somehow, a CTFMON.EXE (Office multi-language input?) got started on the new desktop (anyone know why/how?) and that process had to be killed too.

 

[rconn]

Or maybe START could be so enhanced (or maybe both).

START already does that.

 

[rconn]

Does TCC start explorer on the new desktop or does Windows do that automatically? Perhaps DESKTOP could be enhanced with an option to start an app on the new desktop (STARUPINFO::lpDesktop).

TCC starts Explorer.

And START has an option to start an app on the new desktop.

 

[rconn]

Doesn't CloseDesktop() work (called from the original TCC, perhaps after the new explorer.exe has been terminated)?

Not unless you blindly terminate *everything* on the new desktop (which is impractical and somewhat hazardous).

 

[vefatica]

TCC starts Explorer.

And START has an option to start an app on the new desktop.

Having created "newdt" and returned to the default desktop, these started TCC/notepad (resp.) on the **default** desktop.

start /desktop=newdt
start /desktop=newdt notepad

Does Explorer require special startup options to put it into desktop mode?

 

[vefatica]

Not unless you blindly terminate *everything* on the new desktop (which is impractical and somewhat hazardous).

FWIW it's possible to exit Explorer (say on an alternate desktop) gracefully. I only tried this on Win7.

Click the start button. Now Ctrl-Shift-RightClick on an empty part of the start menu. You'll get a context menu; one of its options will be "Exit Explorer".

 

[vefatica]

FWIW it's possible to exit Explorer (say on an alternate desktop) gracefully. I only tried this on Win7.

Click the start button. Now Ctrl-Shift-RightClick on an empty part of the start menu. You'll get a context menu; one of its options will be "Exit Explorer".

If you happen to have a TCC running, you can start Explorer again (in ProgMan mode) by simply issuing "Explorer".