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Desktop contacts won't stay ontop - Printable Version

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Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by Callum_1991 on 05-11-2010 at 04:32 PM

Hey, for some reason my desktop contacts won't stay ontop of windows after I've run a full screen program such as a game or video. I've checked the 'Always on top' option and they're all ticked, the only way to make them stay ontop again is to lock then unlock messenger or 'hide' them all (middle mouse click) one by one... Is there anyway to stop them from dropping behind other windows? Oh, and my desktop contacts are on a 2nd monitor whilst any fullscreen app I run is on my primary.

Thanks in advance for any solutions

Cal


RE: Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by djdannyp on 05-11-2010 at 05:35 PM

This issue has been reported several times, but as yet there hasn't been a fix for it....some things seem to be able to over-ride it.

I'm sure Patchou will be taking another look at it during the development of Messenger Plus! Live 5, but there isn't anything you can do to solve the problem


RE: Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by Callum_1991 on 05-11-2010 at 05:47 PM

Ahh right, thanks and sorry for posting this issue again then, I did have a quick look round but I probably should've looked harder.

Thanks again


RE: Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by V@no on 08-30-2010 at 06:20 AM

This is actually Window' bug, not application. Windows 7 is the worst. When there are several windows with top-most attribute (desktop contacts + a video player, tested with KMP), and one of them being closed and reopened several times, desktop contacts (and any other top-most windows) will loose their top-most ability until they been manually clicked or closed/reopened. On Windows XP it seems to be little less buggy.

Over a year I've started this topic without any results yet :(


RE: Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by V@no on 10-20-2010 at 01:56 PM

A little more info on the subject:
for unknown reason floating contacts losing ExStyle 0x8 bit (WS_EX_TOPMOST).

I still can't trace when this happens and what causing it (full screen applications mentioned by OP are certainly not the cause, but they could expedite the problem). perhaps if MP!L would "refresh" each floating contact time to time it could possibly eliminate this problem once and for all?
Maybe it could be done via a script?


RE: Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by V@no on 11-27-2010 at 12:58 AM

After WLM looses connection, goes offline and then automatically reconnects the desktop contacts will be re-initialized and will be showed on top again. Also important to mention, when this happens MP!L doesn't steal focus, all that happens on the background.

Now is the question: can we do via a script or anyhow else make MP!L re-initialize desktop contacts on demand, aka refresh them? Perhaps if we could do that, we could make it do it periodically or via hotkey, then problem would be solved once and for all...


RE: Desktop contacts won't stay ontop by V@no on 11-29-2010 at 02:59 AM

Ok, here is a prototype of the script which allow setup a hotkey and/or automatically refresh the floating contacts.
What it does is scans every contact in the list and if finds floating contact it first disables the floating attribute the enables it again. By doing so it creates a little side effect - the "floaters" flicker also chat window flickers too...
http://www.msgplus.net/Downloads/Download-Details/DocumentID/14110/

Now, if someone could point out how to get handle of each individual floating contact window so WS_EX_TOPMOST attribute could be re-enabled, it would probably fix the current flickering side effect...I think...

Thank you.