Sudden Problems With Windowed Mode

[neuropit]

Hi guys,

I came back to play after a 3 week hiatus and all of a sudden I have a problem with the windowed mode, not only in WWII but even in MBT (see attached file).

This happens whatever resolution I try,

I could still play in full screen mode with no problems at all.

Any suggestion?

Thank you very much!


Max

[Mobhack]

Looks like someone has set the Windows taskbar "auto hide" to on while you were away? (Seeing as there is no evidence of it at the bottom of that screenshot).

The taskbar auto hide must be off, as we detail in the Game Guide.

[neuropit]

Yes, that's that...

Sorry, I didn't checked because I always let the taskbar auto hide off and I don't notice it, just killed my wife for that...

:-)

Thank you!


Max

[Mobhack]

Both games will now check for auto-hide and if found to be ON, an error message will be displayed and the game will abort right away. (Guess who found a useful snippet of code on the interwebs! :happy: );

[DRG]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14037&stc=1&d=1450786614
That's the message that will appear when the next patch is release.

[Wiking]

As I've stated elsewhere, auto-hide has never caused problems for me in windowed mode on Windows XP, 7 or 10 for WINSPWW2 or WINSPMBT. Hopefully this new feature will help out some people who do have this problem. It does unfortunately mean I will not be able to update in the Spring as I don't think its worth the hassle. But if it helps people that's more important than discomfitting one singular user :)

[DRG]

What we need to figure out is WHY it works for you as you're the only one I know of that runs autohide and the game without trouble

[Wiking]

Currently I'm running Windows 10 updated over Windows 7, though OS didn't ever seem to matter previously. I've never had issues with displaying the game, even on full screen. I run my monitor at 1920x1080 and have always had the task bar set to auto-hide, ever since Windows 95.

I'm currently running the latest CD-ROM versions of WINSPWW2 and WINSPMBT and while both are currently modded, I've never had troubles even when running "vanilla." If there's anything more specific I can give you I will, but I haven't a clue what I'm doing "right."

[DRG]

.....and I do much the same as you but get the same results as the first post when I try autohide and either game

[Wiking]

Only thing I can think of is that I have probably more aggressively upgraded my computer, if I am recalling what you've mentioned in the past, Don. But I don't presume anything. I do have a very modern video card if that makes any difference (GTX 970).

[DRG]

My computer is only two years old and I'm running the latest MS OS but what happens when I run the game with taskbar hide is NOT the exception, it's the rule.......just like the example in post 1 and that has been the case since the first day we converted the game to run windowed mode .What you see IS the exception and by "exception" I mean yours is the only case I know of where the game runs OK windowed with taskbar hide on.

[Wiking]

Yes, and like I said on multiple installs on various OS's of windows and even three different computers I've never seen that problem. In fact I was baffled when the installer told me to disable that and I ignored it. If you can think of some information I could provide that might give insight I'd be happy to post specs or things I've installed but I'm grasping at straws here.

[DRG]

Do you have the game properties set to any type of compatibility ?

[Wiking]

Negative. Always just run it in windowed mode 1280 x 1024 with introductions off.

[scorpio_rocks]

Not wanting to be rude Wiking but are you sure you have Auto hide on?

IIRC the Windows default is to have it set off - it interferes with many programs! many people don't ever turn it on.

The same is often true of aero-peek (it can screw stuff up) - it doesn't give problems with the WinSP stuff and most people have it set on.

[DRG]

I would REALLY like to hear from anyone else who runs with auto hide on with the game in windowed mode.......there CANNOT just be one

[Wiking]

No offense taken Scorpio, but I assure you it is indeed auto-hiding. Its the first thing I enable whenever I reinstall Windows. I confess I don't recall what Aero-peek is. Is that one of the features where you can tab through windows quickly?

[Mobhack]

Negative. Always just run it in windowed mode 1280 x 1024 with introductions off.

In which case, you wont get a skewed screen, since the main game window is not trying to use the full depth. You would most likely do, if you chose desktop resolution in order to use the full window real estate, or the window happened to be equal to the screen depth or larger.

In any case, there is now an optional INI file parameter which is to be put into the [graphics] section for those like you who don't want an auto-hide check.

CheckForTaskbar=0;

If the variable is not found on reading the INI file, then the game defaults to 1, i.e. the standard state of checking, so that variable will only need entering for the tiny few who want to override it to 0.

[Mobhack]

Ok - Since somebody seems to be OK with auto-hide, its now a 2 button warning message box with the option to abort or to continue on regardless.

There is also a new button on the game options misc screen for those who find that they love task bar auto-hide, and would prefer not to be nagged by the game test. So they can choose to skip the test for auto-hide if they so desire by setting that button to OFF.