[FancyZones] Applications that don't activate/can't be dragged to a zones [issue tracker]

[enricogior]

Please see https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/wiki/Application-Compatibility

[ivenhov]

Hyper-V Manager
Notepad++

[enricogior]

@ivenhov
thanks for reporting the apps. Regarding Notepad++, I used it daily and I never had any problem with it. In your case the problem happens with SHIFT-drag or even if the SHIFT requirement is turned off?

[ivenhov]

Hi
I have SHIFT option enabled and there is no snapping.
With SHIFT option off snap area appears, it becomes blue when dragging Notepad++ into it, but dropping the window does not snap it

I'm on Notepad++ 7.8.4 in case it matters.
Windows Version 10.0.18363 Build 18363

[enricogior]

Not sure it makes any difference, but just to verify:

• did you installed it or are you using the portable version?
• 32-bit or 64-bit version?

It's indicated in the "About Notepad++" dialog

[ivenhov]

It is a 64-bit version, installed (not portable) but I think it was installed with chocolatey.

[patrick-reyes]

After installing v0.15.1 I encountered the same issue with Visual Studio not snapping to a zone.
In general settings I changed the "Always run as administrator" to On and that fixed the issue for me.
I then tried turning the option back off to see what the behaviour would be and surprisingly the zone snapping still worked.

Are there some settings that require admin privileges to be set which could be missed on install?

Windows 10 Pro 1909
PowerToysSetup-0.15.1-x64.msi

[crutkas]

@PatReyesAU are you running VS as administrator?

[patrick-reyes]

@crutkas Yes I am

[crutkas]

That is why. An non elevated process can not resize / move an elevated process. We have a work item to detect this scenario and prompt you

[crutkas]

#1015 is the tracking issue for that

[patrick-reyes]

@crutkas Ah that makes sense. Thank you for the info!

[enricogior]

@PatReyesAU

I then tried turning the option back off to see what the behaviour would be and surprisingly the zone snapping still worked.

The option will have effect after you restart PowerToys, if you didn't restart it that explains why you were still able to drag the VS window.

[ivenhov]

Hi
Thanks for pointing that out. It turned out @PatReyesAU and @crutkas
In my case Notepad++ was running in Administrator mode as I was editing hosts file at some point.
With Notepadd++ it is very easy to go into Administrator's mode so It was left as that for some time.
I've checked and re-launching it in normal mode fixes the problem
I'm assuming Hyper-V Manager will be the same, although I'm not launching it as Administrator
I did not know elevated mode may matter. Since there is #1015 I would consider my problem as a duplicate.

[The-Randalorian]

IDLE (Python IDE) also appears to be affected. This is in python version 3.8.0, 64-bit.

Other tkinter based applications seem to be affected similarly. (Perhaps this extends to tcl/tk based GUIs in other languages?)

Other python GUI systems may not be affected. I personally tested pygame(sdl2) with no issues.

[MichaelPeter]

I found another issue not shure if I should open a seperate Issue.

I just updated power toys using the MSIX Installier to 15.2.

If I start Visual Studio 2019 Preview normally I can drag the window.
If I start Visual Studio 2019 Preview with Admin rights I cannot drag the Visual Studio window.

I need to start it with AdminRights otherwise I cannot build my Xamarin UWP App.

[crutkas]

A non admin process cannot do many things to admin processes. When PowerToys isn’t run as admin and you are running something else as, we cannot move / resize it. Issue #1015 is designed to notify users when we see this scenario and let you decide what to do.

[ChrisRichner]

Tested with PowerToys v0.15.2 and Visual Studio Version 16.6.0 Preview 1.0 running with non-admin rights on a Windows 1909 Build (18363.720).

The Tool Window Test Explorer does not activate the drop zones.

[crutkas]

Tested with PowerToys v0.15.2 and Visual Studio Version 16.6.0 Preview 1.0 running with non-admin rights on a Windows 1909 Build (18363.720).

The Tool Window Test Explorer does not activate the drop zones.

@enricogior tool windows do activate aero snaps.

[enricogior]

@crutkas supporting tool windows is very tricky, the current code tries to figure out if a window can be snapped based on certain properties and the VS tool windows are currently not supported.

[ChrisRichner]

I see, maybe it helps to know that this used to work in a previous version of Powertoys and Visual Studio.

[enricogior]

@ChrisRichner
there has been several changes since the first release, in some cases adding support for some windows/dialogs caused regressions for other applications.
The work is still in progress, so we may be able the support VS tool windows at some point.
There is also the problem that some tool windows should not be resized, while in other cases the desired behavior is to resize them, that distinction is not yet implemented.

[verglor]

supporting tool windows is very tricky, the current code tries to figure out if a window can be snapped based on certain properties

Is it possible to add such option that any window regardless of it's properties will be snappable with shift key ?

[crutkas]

@allansramblings where is the tracking issue for that? I'm playing with that window and it looks like you can't resize it anyways. If a window expressly says "no thank you" to resizing or has limits, we respect those restrictions.

[allansramblings]

@allansramblings where is the tracking issue for that? I'm playing with that window and it looks like you can't resize it anyways. If a window expressly says "no thank you" to resizing or has limits, we respect those restrictions.

I mentioned it in this previous issues thread: #209 (comment) where it was added to release milestones. I wasn't looking to resize the window, but place it in a fixed, predetermined location that's much easier to do through the use of FancyZones.

[plhatcher]

Autodesk Revit (2019 or 2020) does not appear that child windows honor fancyzones.

[zoeesilcock]

Unity (2018 and 2019 tested, but likely all versions), only the main window can be assigned to zones. Tabs in Unity can be detached into their own windows, those windows cannot be assigned to a zone. It would be super helpful if all those sub-windows could be assigned to zones also as it would allow making a layout using FancyZones and thereby circumventing the limitations of Unity's own layout system.

[PatrickdeBie]

Spotify seems to snap only to zones on my primary monitor. On my secondary monitor it doesn't snap.
Also when I use the windows key + arrow keys (I've got override Windows Snap Shortcut enabled) Spotify immediately jumps back to my primary monitor.

[enricogior]

@PatrickdeBie
that is a different problem, specific to Spotify, please one a new issue with detailed description, thanks.

[PatrickdeBie]

Will do when I got a spare moment. Thanks for the reply!

[angrynerd]

I am personally having issues trying to snap task manager and aimp music player.

[pressRtowin]

@enricogior do you know if this issue also applies in any way to windows created via Unity mode in VMware? I have some window resizing/positioning scripts set up in DisplayFusion (on the host system) that seem to be able to control these virtualized app windows just fine, but FancyZones has no effect on them. If not relevant to this issue, is this something that FZ would ever be able to address? I'll create a new issue if so.

[enricogior]

@pressRtowin
I haven't tested it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't work since VNWare workstation is also not working with FZ.

[mandusm]

Hyper-V - Enhanced Session Window