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Author Topic: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab  (Read 6405 times)

Agalyon

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Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« on: October 05, 2015, 12:15:39 AM »

I am having a problem tabbing out of borderless windowed mode. I have two monitors, and while I can mouse off Starsector just fine, I cant actually minimize it. Attempting to will show the task bar, but trying to pull up any program on the same monitor as Starsector simply results in Starsector sitting in focus, and I am unable to bring any windows over it. As long as what I want to access is kept on the second monitor everything is fine, but it is impossible to access anything on the same monitor as Starsector. Also, pulling up task manager and using the right click menu to forcefully minimize Starsector will allow me to temporarily bring it out of focus and access windows on the same monitor, but the problem persists as soon as I tab back in. Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance.
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Alex

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2015, 10:00:12 AM »

Hi - hmm, haven't seen this before. What operating system are you using?
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Agalyon

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2015, 03:10:49 PM »

Hi - hmm, haven't seen this before. What operating system are you using?
Hello there Alex. I'm using Windows 7.
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Alex

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2015, 11:12:17 AM »

Hmm. Same here, and I don't have this issue - very odd.

Does pressing Windows Key - D minimize Starsector and take you to the desktop? If it does, that might be an easier workaround than using task manager.
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Agalyon

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2015, 11:40:01 AM »

Hmm. Well this is going to be a little odd, but Ill explain it best I can. First does it work; yes and no. If I try it a few times I can pull up some windows over starsector, but it doesn't actually minimize it, and like before upon tabbing back to starsector it is once again impossible to access anything behind it. And now for the convoluted part.

It seems like any time I open starsector, I get a different result, which I know is going to make helping me largely impossible. In any case, some times it works just fine and I can minimize it by simply alt tabbing like I would expect to, sometimes it won't minimize at all and it is impossible to view anything behind it like before, and sometimes while it still won't minimize, I can open windows over starsector without actually minimizing it. These effects seem to last as long as starsector is open, but I haven't tested it extensively.

At first I thought it had something to do with what I had open or how I opened it, for example, if I tabbed off whilst starsector was loading, or If I had other programs open in the background, but if there is a correlation I haven't found it. It also seems to alternate back and forth between being able to be minimized and not. Like if I really wanted to, I could keep launching it over and over until it decides to let me minimize and just keep it open from then on. Sorry though, I know this information is likely useless, but I appreciate the help. If there's anything else you want me to try ill gladly do it. I'm also running a ton of mods if that helps.
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Alex

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2015, 11:55:41 AM »

Huh, as you say, very weird.

A couple of thoughts:

If you're using an Aero desktop theme, switching to a non-Aero one might make a difference. And vice versa.

If you've got multiple graphics cards, then it's possible it's running with a different one each time, so that might be something to look into.

Another possibility is it being a graphics driver issue. Whether trying to update those is worth it to you is up to you - unless they're horribly out of date, one never knows what problems that might cause.
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Xaiier

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2015, 09:02:46 AM »

Hmm.

I've got a similar issue on Win 8. When running in borderless fullscreen, SS lacks a start bar icon and will not minimize. This doesn't prevent me from alt-tabbing to other applications and bringing them up over it, and explicitly bringing up the desktop or forcibly minimizing it from the task manager does hide SS.
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Agalyon

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2015, 04:37:22 PM »

Alright so,

I only have one card, and ill post my specs if you like.

I turned off Aero and tested a few times, no real change from having it on.

My drivers are up to date, and this has been a long standing problem for me, I just now decided to bring it up as I'm spending more time on the forums.

Sorry that took me so long.
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Alex

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2015, 12:08:52 PM »

Thanks for trying stuff. I'm out of ideas at this point, unfortunately. If something comes to mind I'll post back here.
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Tartiflette

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Re: Borderless Fullscreen Alt Tab
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2015, 11:45:22 PM »

Popping in to say that it has always behaved like that with my computer but never bothered me: if I really need something in the background I "Windows+D" it to the task bar, though it tend to pop back up when another window is completely on the same monitor.
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