WitP-AE Minimizes Itself

[CaptDave]

One of the infuriating things with all the advances in Windows over the years is the decline in native troubleshooting tools!

I'm having a problem that I haven't seen reported before, though that doesn't mean nobody else has seen it and said something (in other words, it could well be there and I just missed it). With an annoying frequency, my WitP-AE window minimizes itself. If another application is open it will be the visible window, if not then I'll be at my desktop -- but in either case, doing Alt-Tab to get back to AE shows that AE is still the active program. It almost always takes two cycles to maximize AE again, then it behaves anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes.

I'm literally doing nothing when this happens; in fact, my hands are often completely off the keyboard. My IT skills are rusty enough that I have no idea what might be causing this. Relevant specs (that I can think of) are Windows 10 Pro, Dell laptop, McAfee AV (needs to be replaced, but a year's subscription came with the machine and I'm cheap), everything kept up to date. Windows does have the latest monster update, but this was happening before that took place.

Has anyone else seen this, or have any idea what to look at?

[Yaab]

Try disabling McAfee and see if it helps.

[Oberst_Klink]

This phenomena happened to me a few times, too. But... I narrowed it down what might have caused it. It seems to occur only after the PC has been in hibernation/sleep mode for some time and WitP AE being started. After a fresh restart of the OS the issue described didn't occur anymore.

Klink, Oberst

[m10bob]

I happens to me on a factory installed win10 HP Pavilion if I am running a file sharing program in the background..I usually avoid it by moving the mousepad around a few times during the active ground combat sequence..(NOTE:I MUST have all other running programs minimized or they will bleed onto the gamemap.

I have 8gigs of RAM.

[witpqs]

It's usually something in the background calling for attention. Sometimes anit-virus, sometimes an error message from the system, sometimes a screensaver, sometimes an active wallpaper.

[rustysi]

This has crept in occasionally on my Win7 platform of late.

It seems to occur only after the PC has been in hibernation/sleep mode

For me this seems to be the likely culprit. I the past I really never used it as I rarely was away from my keyboard for long periods. I never had sleep enabled. If I were to be away for long I just turned the computer off.

Sometimes anit-virus,

For me no, as I always turn off my anti-virus when not on-line. Not that it can't be the problem for someone else.

[CaptDave]

Good suggestions. I can rule out almost all of them (this happens whether or not any other applications are running, I have hibernation set to never if the computer is plugged in, and so on). I did mention McAfee because anti-virus programs can be the scourge of getting things done on a computer and it has long since blown its reputation as a good, well-behaved AV.

Unfortunately, I'm always connected to the Internet, so investigating that possibility will have to wait until sometime when I know I can disconnect myself for a while. In the meantime, all suggestions are still welcome!

[Korvar]

Stealing focus is the term which describes what you are experiencing.

The first thing to do is figure out which program is doing it. Although I haven't used it myself, Windows Focus Logger looks promising and appears to be free to use.

I use Display Fusion Pro to prevent other applications from stealing focus on applications/games that I care about. I also use it to manage multi-monitor environments (switching between how many monitors I want to use), so that helps justify the $25 purchase price for me.

For WitPAE, I have DisplayFusion automatically upon launch of WitPAE move WitPAE to the correct monitor, in the correct position (pixel specific positioning), and prevent other applications from stealing its focus. This is particularly useful when I use the other monitors to help with planning - or if I want to watch a movie while I'm playing, for instance.

[Chris21wen]

Alt-Tabbing is exactly why I use a window. I could never get it to run in full screen properly

[Korvar]

I run WitPAE as a 'full-size' window, that is - a window that matches the resolution of my primary monitor.

The only problem is that WitPAE won't position itself exactly right in that configuration without some help. DisplayFusion automatically tweaks WitPAE's window position (upon maximizing the window) to 4 pixels to the left and 27 pixels up. WitPAE then appears as if it is full screen, but I'm still able to minimize it if needed (with either Win+D or Win+down arrow) and restore it (Win+up arrow) without restarting the game. It works quite well.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Korvar

I run WitPAE as a 'full-size' window, that is - a window that matches the resolution of my primary monitor.

The only problem is that WitPAE won't position itself exactly right in that configuration without some help. DisplayFusion automatically tweaks WitPAE's window position (upon maximizing the window) to 4 pixels to the left and 27 pixels up. WitPAE then appears as if it is full screen, but I'm still able to minimize it if needed (with either Win+D or Win+down arrow) and restore it (Win+up arrow) without restarting the game. It works quite well.

In the shortcut properties there is a "Run" field with a pull down menu beside it. Usually selecting "Maximized" will solve the problem I think you described.

[witpqs]

BTW, I make my windowed AE be a few pixels less than the full height of the screen so it leaves the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen showing. That way I can also just click on any app I want to switch to.

[Korvar]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

In the shortcut properties there is a "Run" field with a pull down menu beside it. Usually selecting "Maximized" will solve the problem I think you described.

It will work in a pinch, but it doesn't remove the title bar at the top. My method hides the title bar off-screen to give the appearance of a borderless windowed application. There is still a little bleed of 2 or 3 pixels of the window border to the left and right (on the secondary monitors), but it's not enough to fuss about. I've got WitPAE in a pseudo full screen at 1920x1080 with correct proportions and am able to freely use other programs while I play - I'm a happy camper! [:D]

[Lecivius]

Another thing to check, which fixed my similar problem using WIN10, was to un-check Always on Top in the toolbar tool bottom left of the screen. It's not on older versions of Windows, but it can cause havoc on games in a WIN10 environment.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Korvar

ORIGINAL: witpqs

In the shortcut properties there is a "Run" field with a pull down menu beside it. Usually selecting "Maximized" will solve the problem I think you described.

It will work in a pinch, but it doesn't remove the title bar at the top. My method hides the title bar off-screen to give the appearance of a borderless windowed application. There is still a little bleed of 2 or 3 pixels of the window border to the left and right (on the secondary monitors), but it's not enough to fuss about. I've got WitPAE in a pseudo full screen at 1920x1080 with correct proportions and am able to freely use other programs while I play - I'm a happy camper! [:D]

Right! I was only referring to the position of the window when it starts, not the title bar.

[afspret]

And here I thought it just me having this issue. With me I doubt it might be a hibernate/sleep thing because there seems to be no consistency as to when it will happen. Most of the time it doesn't happen at all but then there are times it will happen on the first turn, and other times 2 or three turns into a playing session. Also there seems to be no consistency as to at what point in the game it will happen, sometimes it will happen during the orders phase and at other times during turn resolutions.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: afspret

And here I thought it just me having this issue. With me I doubt it might be a hibernate/sleep thing because there seems to be no consistency as to when it will happen. Most of the time it doesn't happen at all but then there are times it will happen on the first turn, and other times 2 or three turns into a playing session. Also there seems to be no consistency as to at what point in the game it will happen, sometimes it will happen during the orders phase and at other times during turn resolutions.

I have seen what you describe. Every time it happens, my router/modem is flashing like crazy and I have a new e-mail. The minimizing is the anti-virus taking over control to check the e-mail. I tried turning off the modem while playing the game and never had a problem with minimizing, but ... I had a problem remembering to turn the router/modem back on.

[rustysi]

TBH for me at least the whole thing is a non-issue as I have a 'windows' key on my laptop and pressing it restores the game. It also minimizes it so I can get to my task bar.

[geofflambert]

I get alot of peek throughs, like when the clock changes on the taskbar, sometimes the whole desktop appears, but usually the game is in the background, not minimized. It doesn't bother me that much, I just click once on the game icon on the taskbar and it comes back quick. Sometimes just clicking on an empty space on the desktop brings it back, and when that does the hex the cursor was over is selected. Having a browser on in the background plays hell. If you put the cursor on the screen edge the map will scroll even though you can't see it.

[MakeeLearn]

Make a note of the time(s) when this happens then check your Event Viewer and look for events that happened at that time(s).