Shift key gets stuck when dragging to fancy zones when using iLO Integrated Remote Console

[memin1857]

ℹ Computer information

• PowerToys version: 0.25.0
• PowerToy Utility: FancyZones
• Running PowerToys as Admin: Yes
• Windows build number: [run "winver"] 10.0.18363.1198

📝 Provide detailed reproduction steps (if any)

1. Use shift key to drag a window to a fancy zone.
2. When the window snaps release the left mouse button and the shift key in a very short time compared to each other.
3. Specific shift key (left or right, whichever is originally used to drag) gets stuck.

✔️ Expected result

Shift key getting released, keyboard locale staying intact.

❌ Actual result

Shift key gets stuck. Keyboard locale resets to English (normally kept at Turkish). Tapping on the specific shift key (left or right, originally used) once, releases the shift key. For example if this happens when you dragged with the right shift key, then the left shift key will not fix it. If you remove your finger from the shift key about at least a second after releasing the mouse button, this bug does not happen, shift gets released normally. It is timing sensitive.

📷 Screenshots

[enricogior]

@memin1857
we haven't made any change in this code in the recent releases and it's the first time someone report such a problem.
Can you test it using a different keyboard to make sure it's not a problem with your current keyboard?

[memin1857]

Tested with different keyboards (all wired) it is the same, this is not a problem with the keyboard.
I actualy found out why it is happening. It is only happening with the iLO Integrated Remote Console app of HPE servers. That app normally captures the keyboard input when the pointer is inside it. So when I release the shift key, if the pointer is over the iLO console app at that time and the keyboard release/stroke from powertoys probably get lost to that console. (because they are forwarded to a remote server) I tested and it works normally when the shift button is released outside the iLO console app window.
So this is not a bug of powertoys but a conflict between apps that capture the keyboard. My current workaround is to release the shift key while the pointer is outside the iLO console app.
Not tested but this would probably happen with VMware/Virtualbox etc console windows too I guess as they capture the keyboard too.
I am not sure if it would be worth the time spend to have a workaround for this in the code, but it would benefit people dragging any app that captures keyboard (mostly virtualization or remote consoles) to fancy zones. FYI

[enricogior]

@memin1857
thanks for the follow up.
Is using a secondary mouse button to activate the zone a viable alternative for you?
I suspect that using a different key other than Shift is not a solution for your case since we already know it's not working for other apps like VMWare Workstation.

[memin1857]

Yes, the non-primary mouse button works and is a viable alternative.
It is also fine if I just release the shift key while the pointer is already outside the keyboard capturing iLO console window.
As there is now two possible workarounds and this conflict is documented for community benefit, I guess we can close the issue. Thank you

[enricogior]

Issue added to https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/wiki/Application-Compatibility