If MultiCommander started in the Background, is no symbol in the Task Bar

[Matthias515566]

You can repeat this issue when you start MC from the Start menu while pressing the Shift Button to keep the start menu open. Then have no MC-Instance a symbol in the task bar. I have it only with the classic shell Start menu tested, but it can also be tested when you create a batch file to start multiple instances. Use between the starts a timeout of 1s or 5 s.

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timeout 1 When a timeout between the starts are more instances without a taskbar symbol. No other program have this problem. It seems it is a MC-Problem.
I was changing the windows behavior for starting programs in the registry

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Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ ForegroundFlashCount to 0 with no effect.

Sorry, i cant disabling the Classic Shell without removing it. Hoping the Shift Button to keep the menu while starting multiple programs works also with the new Windows Start menu.

[Mathias (Author)]

No I'm not able to recreate this. Win10 ?  Or Win11 ?

Placing the application icon on the TaskBar is not something programs do them self, Windows is handling that. if the application that is opened has a specific Window Flag, Windows place a Application Icon on the TaskBar. Only time MC manipulate that is in you have the Minimize to taskbar thing active and have activated that taskbar icon should not be visible when minimized.

[Matthias515566]

 The Minimize to taskbar thing is disabled. I have Windows 10. Why can MC be started and running without a icon on the task bar? This is strange. And why are you not able to recreate that? I dont understand this. Sure i have with 7+ taskbar tweaker a program which is injected in the windows explorer, but when i remove this have i the same problem with MC and only annoying Thumbs instead of Lists on the Taskbar. But i will test it again without the 7+ taskbar tweaker....

Edit: I have teted it without 7+tt. And it ios the same problem.

It is easy to recreate. Use a Batchfile to start multiple instances and do another winbdow in the foreground before.

if i manually minimize all windows in the foreground incl the already started MC instances, all taskbar icons will be created.

The new started MC instances come not in the foreground automatically. Thats the reason why. But it should also work when the windows be in the background. Thats the error maybe caused by MC. Maybe you can look into that? Why are the taskbar icons not created when the new started windows stay i the background? Maybe other programs are all forced in the foreground.

Just make that MC again be forced in the foreground after start. This solve my problem because i can use a timeout in my Batchfile that all other programstarts be finished before the MC start after a windows start.

[Mathias (Author)]

It is how Windows works.  When an application open that shows a UI Window.. A Taskbar button/icon is added for that application, automatically.
If you do NOT want a Taskbar Icon for a UI Application, Then the program need to do weird workarounds..

Also if application are started "in the background" (It is not started as a background process.. just background in the UI layer) then MC can't popup in the foreground. Windows will not allow it.
Remember on XP when application just started and stole focus when you was in the middle of things.. Windows changed in Windows 7 (or was it 8? ) to not allow that anymore. If an application request to be in the foreground, but another program have focus, Windows will ignore that call, The program in focus must say that process X is allowed to steal my focus away from me.

Also why are you starting it in the background ? what issue are that solving ?

[Matthias515566]

Also why are you starting it in the background ? what issue are that solving ?

The Batch File do it in this way and by the way, the /min parameter works not. I replaced Start with Start /min, this should work, but no instance started minimized. Just one window stay in the foreground and the other starting behind them in the second layer. This is without the /min parameter the same.

Yes i mean not running in the background, but running without a task bar icon is maybe the same like running in the background?

Why is this only with MC so? All other Programs can be started with multiple instances via  batch file. I have tested this with the 2 methods for recreating the issue.

I guess this will never be solved.... I make a Windows Update to 22H1 this weekend. Maybe then is the behavior different, but i dont believe.

When move i to Windows 11?
Then when Win 10 no longer developed.

[Mathias (Author)]

Also why are you starting it in the background ? what issue are that solving ?

The Batch File do it in this way and by the way, the /min parameter works not. I replaced Start with Start /min, this should work, but no instance started minimized. Just one window stay in the foreground and the other starting behind them in the second layer. This is without the /min parameter the same.

Yes i mean not running in the background, but running without a task bar icon is maybe the same like running in the background?

Why is this only with MC so? All other Programs can be started with multiple instances via  batch file. I have tested this with the 2 methods for recreating the issue.

I guess this will never be solved.... I make a Windows Update to 22H1 this weekend. Maybe then is the behavior different, but i dont believe.

When move i to Windows 11?
Then when Win 10 no longer developed.

Background just mean, Do not bring the program to the front. Keep the active program in the foreground.
It is not just MC..  I don't know why Windows does not add a TaskBar icon for you, I'm not able to reproduce that on any machine I got. Might be that MC takes longer to start or something. Don't know.
There is nothing MC about it. It must be a Windows Bug or something that is running on the machine that cause so that Windows Fails to add the Taskbar icon.
Like I said. Adding the TaskBar icon is something that is handled by Windows.

try to turnoff spash
http://forum.multicommander.com/forum/index.php/topic,605.msg1568.html#msg1568

[Matthias515566]

try to turnoff spash

Thank you for this information, this help me and i have created this registry entry. This is good for my config, but solve not the problem.

1 Window stay in the foreground and the next instances will be started in the second layer. This is good, i can write that posting while my MC-Instances starting........ But only the first instance have a taskbar icon and the rest not.

But i found now a solution for the Problem with a very old program which until now very well works. This is called: AutoSizer. Also to Win XP Times i worked already with this program. It works with 64 bit Systems.

Just create a Class name based entry for MC in AutoSizer with "Action to perform" to "Maximize" because MC never start minimized. For Creating the Taskbar icons of the MC instances must the Option: "Automatically bring AutoSized windows to the foreground" enabled and use

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Timeout 5 between the Strings. Then can i just press the "AutoSize Now! shortcut key" and the Taskbar Icons will be created. If it not works change the Action to perform zu "Minimize", Autosize, and then back to Maximize and press then always Ctrl+D before you close the Windows or shutdown the Computer. This is easier than Process Explorer>Window>Bring to front.