Signal.exe --start-in-tray option does not carry across updates

[mhantsch]

• I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

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Bug description

When Signal is run in a tray icon under Windows, when it auto-updates itself it restarts without the tray icon.

Steps to reproduce

1. Use Windows 10
2. Create a shortcut to run "Signal.exe --start-in-tray"
3. Put the shortcut in shell:startup (= Press Win-R, type shell:startup, press Enter, then put your shortcut into that folder)
4. Start Windows and login and note Signal is now running in a tray icon. Click the tray icon to open/close the Signal main window.
5. Receive a notification that a newer version of Signal is available. Click to auto-update.
6. When the updated Signal restarts, your tray icon is gone. You have to quit Signal, then open shell:startup and run your shortcut manually to regain your tray icon.

Actual result:

Tray Icon is gone after the auto-update.

Expected result:

Signal should remember the commandline options (--start-in-tray) and after an auto-update, restart itself using the same options.

Screenshots

Platform info

Signal version:

Signal Desktop v1.10.0

Operating System:

Windows 10 64-bit

Linked device version:

Does not matter, but Android Signal 4.19.3

Link to debug log

(not applicable)

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

In your step #2, did you create your own shortcut? Or did you modify the shortcut that the installer made for you?

[ProactiveServices]

I've come across this bug too; in my case I created a new shortcut using --use-tray-icon --start-in-tray

[mhantsch]

@scottnonnenberg I think (IIRC) after installing Signal using the installer and learning that I need to use --start-in-tray option to make it run in the tray, I did the following:

• Press Windows key and type "signal"
• right click on the "signal" that was found and select "open file location"
• realized a shortcut is there (was probably created by the installer)
• copy that shortcut to shell:startup
• edit the shortcut in shell:startup to add the --start-in-tray option

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@mhantsch So that shortcut copy is edited by the installer? That's definitely surprising.

[mhantsch]

@scottnonnenberg No, the shortcut is not modified by the installer. (That would indeed by strange.) The shortcut stays the same. But still, when it restarts after the auto-update, it does not start in the tray.

My guess is that after the update it re-starts its own .exe directly instead of through the shortcut, thus loosing the parameters that were added in the shortcut. Or maybe it restarts itself through the originally installed shortcut instead of through the shortcut that I had copied in shell:startup and edited to include the --start-in-tray parameter.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Oh, I see. The installer process itself restarts the app, and doesn't use our command-line argument. Now I understand. The good news is that this will go away once this feature comes out of beta and is controlled by settings that live inside the app..

[mhantsch]

@scottnonnenberg Yes, that is what is happening. Glad I was finally able to get the point across :)

[aaronshaver]

What's worse, in the latest version 1.32.2 on Windows, it's actually crashing on startup if you have --start-in-tray

[mhantsch]

latest version 1.32.2 on Windows, it's actually crashing on startup if you have --start-in-tray

Update to v1.32.3. It's just been fixed. See #4085.

[aaronshaver]

Yep, I did so and can confirm that fixes it.

…

On Fri, Mar 27, 2020 at 3:13 AM Maximilian Hantsch ***@***.***> wrote: latest version 1.32.2 on Windows, it's actually crashing on startup if you have --start-in-tray Update to v1.32.3. It's just been fixed. See #4085 <#4085>. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2368 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAPGTMZ4WXB5PV2V2PL3S7TRJR36FANCNFSM4E7OGCNQ> .

[drupol]

Hi!

I'm wondering why is this option not available in the preferences of the application?

It would be so much easier for all the distributions and packagers around here. There will be no need to alter the files (.desktop file for example) after installation of the package.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

The option is in app preferences on Linux for beta users only. feature is in beta only because tray icon support is so unpredictable across all the various linux window managers and distributions.

[drupol]

AFAIK, there are standard spec for this, no ?

[hiqua]

@drupol do you know which window managers implement this spec and which don't?

What about Wayland?

[drupol]

I'm sorry I don't know that. But if there is a standard for that, why not implement it?

Many Electron based apps are available and they are handling this feature properly, except Signal.

[hiqua]

there is a standard

My question was whether this is an actual standard or not. I'm not sure it actually is in practice. See also #5377.

[EvanHahn-Signal]

The original issue was about the --start-in-tray option persisting across updates on Windows. It has been addressed with official support. See Signal's Preferences to enable this. You no longer need the command line flag.

On Linux, it's a different story. Let's move discussion to #5377.