Windows task bar pops in when in full screen mode, randomly

[qballbandit]

Hi,
I use MG, and can't remember if I noticed this in OR, but - throughout the course of running any activity, my Windows task bar will pop into view a few times. I have to click on it, then click anywhere on the full screen of MG, and it disappears again...only to repeat itself again at random intervals.
Wondering - anyone have this issue, and if so, a cure? Or, is this a Windows thing happening?
It's more of a continual nuisance vs. a showstopper, but it does get annoying.

Thanks very much!

[spoony1999]

Hi,
I use MG, and can't remember if I noticed this in OR, but - throughout the course of running any activity, my Windows task bar will pop into view a few times. I have to click on it, then click anywhere on the full screen of MG, and it disappears again...only to repeat itself again at random intervals.
Wondering - anyone have this issue, and if so, a cure? Or, is this a Windows thing happening?
It's more of a continual nuisance vs. a showstopper, but it does get annoying.

Thanks very much!

I know MG has a "windows" option on the OR startup screen, make sure that is "unchecked". For some reason mine flip flops between checked and unchecked when I use OR MG

[niknak]

I know MG has a "windows" option on the OR startup screen, make sure that is "unchecked". For some reason mine flip flops between checked and unchecked when I use OR MG

If I use non-MG then the next time I use MG it's always gone to windowed.

[qballbandit]

My "Windowed" box is always unchecked in the gui; I verify before I start the activity, and verify still unchecked after the activity. That was my initial suspicion as well.
Thanks for your suggestion

[derekmorton]

Gents,

Are you using openrails.ini files in all of your versions?

If you are not then you are sharing settings between all versions.

[qballbandit]

Hi Derek, I am afraid I am not understanding what you are trying to convey with your question, and how it relates to my question? Can you explain with a bit more detail. Thank you!

[derekmorton]

Hi Neil,

I have 4 versions of OR on my disk.
1.4, 1.5.1, unstable and ORNYMG.
If I do not have any ini files, all 4 versions use the same configuration.

If I have ini files then I can use different configurations in each install.

[R. Steele]

Neil, the "OpenRails.ini" file is something that is not documented in the manual, and kind of a pita to get running....at least at first. Derek is one of the few people that appear to have it working.

Here's what I know about this --- subject to feedback from Derek or anyone else who actually has this working: in the same directory as the OR executable file you place the OpenRails.ini file. The first time the executable is run the ini file will be populated by all the settings/configuration you have chosen in the Options/tabs. So the first time around you have to start with a clean slate, then choose the options/configuration you desire.

Some quotes from the ET forums:

James Ross, on 02 November 2013 - 08:10 AM, said:
As of X.1838, if you create an "OpenRails.ini" file in the program directory (i.e. the directory containing menu.exe and runactivity.exe), basic settings will be loaded and saved here instead of the user's registry. Folder and key settings are still only in the registry but I'm working on supporting them in the INI file too.

While this should not be considered the normal mode of operation, it supports some specific use-cases:

• MSTS-style miniroutes, where there is a copy of Open Rails with the route and settings are kept with it.
• People wishing to more easily share, back up or switch between configurations.

James Ross, on 28 October 2014 - 01:51 PM, said:
What you can do is create an "OpenRails.ini" in the executable's directory; at that point, those executables will save all settings in that INI file - including their list of installation profiles. You would have to separate the routes in to different MSTS "installs" based on the settings you wanted to use and remember which one to run, but it should technically work today.

I believe that upon using the ini file for the first time...since it is blank OR will not know where to look for your content...so you have to go to the Options\Content and point OR to all your installations to populate the ini file with those, then you have to choose your desired configuration from among all the other Option/tabs to complete the OpenRails.ini file.

I've been too lazy to try it out! Most users stick with the OR registry entries which affects all versions of OR you have installed....only by using the ini file can each version of OR have it's own configuration....like Derek is using.

[R. Steele]

One last thought, if you are a skilled user of OR and doing testing between different versions ( branches ) of OR, then it is to your advantage to use the OpenRails.ini file. You want different configurations to help identify bugs...using the registry entries will work for the majority of users.

[TrainSimJack]

Neil did you get this fixed?

My first thought was to ask if you have the task bar hidden in windows - if it's hidden in windows, then windows will slide it up anytime the mouse hits the lower part of the screen.
If that's how yours is set in windows consider having it show all the time and then openrails should be able to draw over it, and you shouldn't see it.

[qballbandit]

Derek/Gerry, good information, and I appreciate it - but I still don't draw the line to my issue? I only have one version of MG installed. But, I'll save this info off.

TSJ, my mouse can be anywhere on the screen when it happens (I do have the task bar hidden), but I will try to lock it and see what happens.

[TrainSimJack]

TSJ, my mouse can be anywhere on the screen when it happens (I do have the task bar hidden), but I will try to lock it and see what happens.

The only other thought would be you're accidentally hitting the windows key on your keyboard, but I think that'd be more obvious as it would display the whole windows menu and not just the menubar.

- Jack

[qballbandit]

I tried with the task bar locked, and I did NOT have the problem....who would have thunk it!
Thanks for the suggestion

[AlexGrem]

Thanks for the tip, but I’ve been struggling for a week and can’t figure out what I did wrong, it helped