Out of the blue - 64bit taskbar icon stops combining

[BetterRed]

No second monitor - it broke ages ago.

If I wanted the editor in the task bar as pinned icon and it didn't combine, then rather than using the Pin to taskbar option from the Start Panel, I would start the program from the .exe and pin that instance to the task bar.

I would bet London to a Brick on that I would need to do that - because Kovid is, if nothing else, consistent in the way he does things.

BR

Added - dunno even know why I had PDF Exchange pinned in my taskbar (ancient legacy I guess), I never start it from there, always from a pdf. It's gone.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

No second monitor - it broke ages ago.

If I wanted the editor in the task bar as pinned icon and it didn't combine, then rather than using the Pin to taskbar option from the Start Panel, I would start the program from the .exe and pin that instance to the task bar.

I would bet London to a Brick on that I would need to do that - because Kovid is, if nothing else, consistent in the way he does things.

BR

Yes pinning from the running Calibre program works, no second icon as far as I can see (for now?).

But it may get reverted during the next update???

[AnotherCat]

So seems to me -

If the application is on the task bar pinned there from either the Start menu or List and there is a shortcut in ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs then one seems to get a double icon on the task bar when the application is run (for me if that is for either run from task bar or run from the Start menu)

If the same is done but there is no shortcut in that directory then no double icon on the task bar when run.

In a multiple display configuration, if in Task Bar settings one sets "Taskbar where window is open" and the applications window is moved to the other display then the second icon disappears off the main display's taskbar.

If the application is pinned to the Taskbar from the running application there seems (for now, not time tested) to be no second icon produced when the application is run even though there remains a shortcut in ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs . My remaining wonder is if that will survive an update?? EXTRA EDIT - It does not stick, the second icon returns even if not updated.

This all applies to the several applications I have just tested on.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

Yes pinning from the running Calibre program works, no second icon as far as I can see (for now?)...

No, hasn't stuck - a second icon suddenly appeared, for no obvious reason, when next run.

Off now to buy my own beer.

[kovidgoyal]

This sounds very much like a timing related issue to me. Probably, there is a race condition between calling SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID and the taskbar deciding icon grouping. If the call happens before the taskbar decides, it groups according to its internal heuristics, if not it groups by uid.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

Yes pinning from the running Calibre program works, no second icon as far as I can see (for now?).

But it may get reverted during the next update???

The PDF one had been there for yonks, and you know how often it gets updated - never had to recreate it. Same with calibre, the running instance icon has been there since Kovid made the relevant change in Q4 2016.

Until this glitch arose I have never had to recreate it - even now I don't. This morning I uninstalled 3.4 and reinstalled 3.3. The pinned running instance icon didn't change and I didn't have to recreate it. It's done via unique application identifiers in the registry. Calibre 64bit, 32bit and portable all have the same application identifier; so, the theory is they will always combine. Personally I'd rather they didn't - but...

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

This sounds very much like a timing related issue to me. Probably, there is a race condition between calling SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID and the taskbar deciding icon grouping. If the call happens before the taskbar decides, it groups according to its internal heuristics, if not it groups by uid.

Can you suggest anyway to test that idea?

I used 3.4 for several hours yesterday, closed/started and restarted at least a dozen times with no problems. This morning when I started calibre, I got the extra icon, if I restarted it I got the extra icon, if I waited a while and started it again I got the extra icon. I did a Repair and all was well again - but I don't expect it to last.

My impression is that something causes Windows to lose whatever pinning a running instance does to the registry - but only for 64 bit calibre, not 32bit calibre or other programs (e.g. PDF XChange), that use the AppUserModelID 'facility'.

I say this because the misbehaviour is essentially the what one gets if you pin to the taskbar from the start menu (or anywhere else) rather than a from a running instance in the taskbar itself, and the fact it can only be fixed by a re-install or repair.

That pinning to the taskbar from within the taskbar does something different to pinning to the taskbar from elsewhere is bizarre - IMO.

BR

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

...My impression is that something causes Windows to lose whatever pinning a running instance does to the registry - but only for 64 bit calibre, not 32bit calibre or other programs (e.g. PDF XChange), that use the AppUserModelID 'facility'...

I get the issue with PDF-XChange and as I have said applications that do so seem to be differentiated from those that don't in that the issue ones have a shortcut in ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs. As far as I have experienced I think all such programs do it for me.

Regarding timing, perhaps the following adds strength to that proposal -

I had a play around with randomly changing the taskbar settings for which displays the taskbar button should display on while the application window was on a second display. As I said before the active instance one would move to the monitor the application window was moved to when set to do so. However, now later, I randomly changed back and forth the setting for the button between "all taskbars", "main taskbar and where widow is open" and "taskbar where window is open" and managed to "trick" it into ending up with 2 buttons on the taskbar of both displays .

So something in Windows affects that behavior in a particular family of application installs (probably just those in the ProgramData directory)???

Off for my evening meal: I would be interested in any outcomes.

[kovidgoyal]

I cant think of any way to test that, short of runnign calibre from source and inserting a sleep before the call to set the uid.

[kovidgoyal]

I tried inserting a 3 second sleep before the call to set app uid and it made no difference, the pinned taskbar icon was still used. So I guess it is not a race. Which leaves myseterious windows goblins.

[kovidgoyal]

I did find one bug while investigating -- basically the app uid calibre was sending to windows was not being interpreted correctly. I have fixed it, unfirtunately the fix means that you will have to unpin and re-pin calibre after the next release.

I dont think this bug has any bearing on your issue however. But it never hurts to try.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I did find one bug while investigating -- basically the app uid calibre was sending to windows was not being interpreted correctly. I have fixed it, unfirtunately the fix means that you will have to unpin and re-pin calibre after the next release.

I dont think this bug has any bearing on your issue however. But it never hurts to try.

Thank you. As I have the same problem... in some computers... (3 Wind 10, one OK, one uncombined and the last, I don't remember), I'll check.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I did find one bug while investigating -- basically the app uid calibre was sending to windows was not being interpreted correctly. I have fixed it, unfortunately the fix means that you will have to unpin and re-pin calibre after the next release.

I don't think this bug has any bearing on your issue however. But it never hurts to try.

@Kovid - No problem with re-pinning, if push comes to shove my neighbour is a seamstress

I'm going to stop investigating the problem, but let me know here or via PM if you want me to do any specific tests. I'm happy to use 32bit, I never have any big conversions, most take less than a minute on this new machine.

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

I get the issue with PDF-XChange and as I have said applications that do so seem to be differentiated from those that don't in that the issue ones have a shortcut in ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs. As far as I have experienced I think all such programs do it for me.

Regarding timing, perhaps the following adds strength to that proposal -

I had a play around with randomly changing the taskbar settings for which displays the taskbar button should display on while the application window was on a second display. As I said before the active instance one would move to the monitor the application window was moved to when set to do so. However, now later, I randomly changed back and forth the setting for the button between "all taskbars", "main taskbar and where widow is open" and "taskbar where window is open" and managed to "trick" it into ending up with 2 buttons on the taskbar of both displays .

So something in Windows affects that behavior in a particular family of application installs (probably just those in the ProgramData directory)???

Off for my evening meal: I would be interested in any outcomes.

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

Thank you. As I have the same problem... in some computers... (3 Wind 10, one OK, one uncombined and the last, I don't remember), I'll check.

Big thank you to you both. Really good to know it's not just me, that it's not peculiar to calibre 64bit, and that it happens on some machines and not others. I just crossed reinstall Windows off the list of possible solutions for this problem.

Can you post which Windows 10 you use, mine is Windows 10 Pro version 1703* up to date as of now.

@John - it would be interesting to know if 32bit PDF XChange suffers the same fate - but I have a feeling its msi combines 32 & 64 bit and it decides which one its going to install. Maybe there's a separate 32bit download.

BR

* !703 - the year in which Daniel Defoe was sent down for sedition and pilloried, it is said he was pelted with flowers rather than the customary rocks.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by BetterRed;3583647...Can you post which Windows 10 you use, mine is Windows 10 Pro version 1703* up to date as of now.

@[B

John[/B] - it would be interesting to know if 32bit PDF XChange suffers the same fate - but I have a feeling its msi combines 32 & 64 bit and it decides which one its going to install. Maybe there's a separate 32bit download.

This machine I have been referring to is up to date Windows 10 Pro 64 bit Core i7 2.4GHz 16GB.

I tried PDF XChange as requested. Today on this i7 PC it is not doing the two button trick with PDF XChange whereas it was doing so yesterday. Now I do not normally have it on the taskbar so have not really taken much notice of the behavior in the past but I am sure that I have noticed it doing so prior to yesterday too. However, I have today been running a couple of applications which do a lot of startup tasks opening and looking for data and audio on Ethernet and USB ports, crunching and painting it, etc. and wonder if that had conditioned Windows timing starting applications in some manner (long shot, I know).

Throughout all the above if I ran Calibre from the taskbar I always got 2 buttons on the taskbar (and best I can remember I have for a long time). In the end it is only a cosmetic issue and has never troubled me.

To see what happens on slower machines and to also meet BR's 32bit request I set up 2 old PCs both up to date Windows 10 Pro, one Core Duo 3 GHz 64 bit and the other Core Duo 2.1 GHz 32 bit with applications on the taskbar. On both PCs PDF XChange did not display the two button issue, nor did any other application I tried including Calibre.

So, after all that, I wonder if the issue is limited to faster PCs (I think all fast PCs are 64 bit these days so unlikely to be able to test a 32 bit fast one?).

[BetterRed]

@AnotherCat - thanks for doing all that. And don't forget to vote.

I just installed version 3.8, for some reason I got this message from the Windows Trusted (ahem) Installer



I've never seen one of them after a calibre install before now, but I think I can recall other people reporting it. But I chose to ignore it; as I always do, some programs seems to issue such messages on principle. The only things running were firefox and my file manager. WTI must have gotten discombobulated because of all the uninstalls/reinstalls of calibre 64 bit I've been doing - poor thing.

I'd already unpinned calibre from the task bar, so I let it launch from the installer - and I pinned that instance to the task bar.

In version 3.7 I was able to consistently induce the extra icon by doing a restart. However, with version 3.8 I can't. I put some load on cpu, memory, and storage (SSD and HDD where libraries are) made no difference, except calibre starts and restarts were a tad slower - but no second icon - so far.

Be interesting to see if AC and TdM see similar results.

BR