#235 Task Bar gives up focus from some applications

[Joseph]

When using Chrome in maximized (not full screen mode) I often hit my Windows Key on my keyboard to quickly launch Classic Shell start menu, if I then use my mouse to left click on the taskbar, it quickly hides itself behind Chrome and I can no longer access it.

[xpclient]

Is it possible that Chrome is launching in Windows 8 Metro mode? Google Chrome has an icon on the its toolbar to its extreme right like looks like 3 horizontal lines. Click it and choose "Relaunch Chrome on the desktop". That should return it to desktop mode.

[Joseph]

No I always launch it in desktop mode. It shows "Relaunch in Windows 8 Mode"

Note this does not always happen, it seems to happen after I've been up and running for a few hours. Also note I use two monitors, one being a large 55" screen which also shows the task bar over there too, not sure if that's related, or dragging chrome between monitors related (could be).

When the issue happens if I kill all explorer.exe processes then restart explorer the problem corrects itself until some time has passed.

[xpclient]

I am unable to reproduce the issue with non-full screen (maximized) Chrome window. Is your taskbar on auto-hide? Also, when you left click on the taskbar, do you mean the taskbar hides or the Start Menu? The Start menu is supposed to close when you click anywhere outside the Start button.

[Joseph]

Its when Chrome is in maximized mode.

I hit the Windows Key on keyboard which brings up Start Menu, if I attempt to click anywhere on "empty" space on the taskbar (not the Start Menu) or on an application that is currently pinned or open in the taskbar, it auto hides itself away immediately.

And yes Auto Hide mode is on (through the Windows Settings, right click Task Bar, Auto-Hide the taskbar option is ticked).

I'll try and catch it next time it happens and do a screen capture video and upload a link to it in this bug report.

[xpclient]

From what you describe, it does not seem like it's a bug. That's the way it's supposed to work. Why should the Start Menu remain open if you click in an empty area of the Taskbar? :)

[Joseph]

Maybe I didn't make it clear, the entire taskbar hides itself away, not just the start menu disappearing. It even does the cutesie animation as it hides from me, after I've just clicked on empty space on the taskbar or application icon, I would expect it to stay there, not hide away when a simple left click is performed.

To me it seems like a ZOrder issue, like the open Chrome is seen somehow as on top of the taskbar, even though the taskbar is visibly on top at the time. Almost like my left click is going through it into Chrome, thus the taskbar hides away neatly.

[xpclient]

Oh ok! So you mean the taskbar hides, not the Start menu. The Taskbar is a part of Windows, it's not added by Classic Shell. The only thing Classic Shell does is it adds a Start button to it. The auto hide behavior is something that only Microsoft controls.

Try this. Exit Classic Start Menu by right clicking the Start button. Then use Win key+T to show the Taskbar and try clicking in an empty area. If it still hides when the Start Menu is not running, then it's a Windows bug and nothing related to Classic Shell.

Also, are you using Classic Shell 4.0.6? (which is the latest version as of this writing).

[Joseph]

Yes 4.0.6, and I will try that next time the issue arises.
I'll also try and screen capture it, as once it starts happening its consistently happening until explorer is restarted.

[Joseph]

Ok it's happening right now, installing some screen recording software.

I cannot right click the start button when this happens, as the whole taskbar just disappears!

It's worth noting that if I hit the Windows key on keyboard while in another app besides Chrome, say an Explorer window for example, the menu behaves normally. If I switch back to Chrome it exhibits the behavior again.

Also mousing down to the bottom of the screen does not unhide the Taskbar as normal. I'm starting to think this is Chrome stealing the screen (and I'm not even in Full Screen mode!)

Anyhow hopefully the videos make sense.. it appears the explorer windows are the only ones I can't click on to switch to. At first I believed this was an MS issue and not a Classic Shell issue, but the second video clearly shows that once Classic Shell is terminated operations return to normal.

Also I think it's worth mentioning that I have a secondary monitor that is currently in extend mode but is physically switched off. So I only recorded the main monitor. I'm running Windows 8.1 (update 1, with all updates as of this post) 64-bit.

Here's the link to the videos hosted on YouTube.
1) http://youtu.be/Ud_grlJsP_k
2) http://youtu.be/FHMvi9q8zkA

[xpclient]

Ah I see. It happens only when Chrome is focused. With the exact same setup (Taskbar on auto hide, latest Classic Shell, maximized Google Chrome on Windows 8.1 Update 1 64-bit), I am unable to reproduce the issue. I have forwarded this to Ivo (the developer of Classic Shell). He'll look into it and tell you if he needs any logs from you. Thanks for reporting it.