windows screen popup ?

[Jeff23spl]

Hello all
I know it's a plc forum but i bet some of you may experience the same problem under window XP.

Is there a way to configure something or get ride of this anoying thing:
You have a fully loaded laptop and you open few softwares at the same time...pages takes few secons to open so you go back to work on the previous one that is actually opened but the other being loaded takes control and force open over the one you are working on...The most frustating time is when i click to close the old page but the command goes to the one that just opened...

I would like to configure my windows to remain on the opened page whenever a new page get ready or not....Do someone know how ?

 

[Operaghost]

In the Windows registry look for: ForegroundLockTimeout (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop)

Setting that to zero I believe prevents any apps from grabbing focus.

Record what it was first of course, then change to zero.

UPDATE:
Then again....maybe not. Look for the Microsoft utility called TweakUI. It's part of what they call Powertoys for Windows XP. Run it and install it and there is a "Focus" section and an option to prevent focus from being stolen by another app.


OG

 

[Operaghost]

Rockwell actually makes a neat little tool for changing this setting. Don't need RA software, just this tool. It says Win2K in the name but it works on Win98 through Win XP.

OG

 

[SafewayBread]

What programs are you using that take SO long to load that you have time to switch and work on other things? You should keep as few programs open as possible. I work with a guy who will have his whole start bar full of open programs/folders/documents, 20-30 at a time, and he will complain that his computer dosent run fast enough. Like it should be able to have everything open at once for some reason, you can barely read the titles of the windows in the task bar.

As to answer your question, the only thing I can think of is to make a batch file to open your programs minimized.

-Make a text document
-Type " start/b/min c:\***file location***.exe " (no quotations)
-Replace ***file location*** with the location of whatever program you want to open.
-Save the file with the .bat extension

If you want to get really fancy you can even make it look like the original shortcut you used to use.

- Move the .bat file to the original program folder.
- Create shortcut to desktop
- Right click the desktop shortcut, go to properties
- Click "Change Icon"
- Browse to the installed folder and double click the original program file, original icon should show up. (Most programs have the icon embedded into the EXE, some have a seperate file that is usually in the root folder.)

Edit: Yeah, didnt think of tweakUI, that probably has an option or two about that.

 

[godfrey]

I've experienced this too. If the opening program is freezing my screen, I do an ALT-TAB to switch back to what was opened before. Then when the big-pig program finally decides it is done loading, I can switch back.

 

[Jeff23spl]

A good exemple is on the web when you do a google search but would like to keep the result page by right clicking interresting thread and using "Open in a new window" and going back to the search page while the thread is loading....You got the search page for few seconds but as soon as the thread get loaded, it takes screen control...

I am trying your advice and will comment them in a few...

 

[Jeff23spl]

What programs are you using that take SO long to load that you have time to switch and work on other things? You should keep as few programs open as possible. I work with a guy who will have his whole start bar full of open programs/folders/documents, 20-30 at a time, and he will complain that his computer dosent run fast enough. Like it should be able to have everything open at once for some reason, you can barely read the titles of the windows in the task bar.

This isn't my case, i run only few but i had to have my laptop (T2300 1.66ghz with 4g ram) loaded with Siemens/AB/GE and few other programming software. I never use more than 1 brand at once but manny installed soft use memory to be ready to run in background...
Also with new integrating software, you need to have ladder and hmi soft opened together and this takes a lot of memory...like step7 and wincc flex or RS5000 and RSview....

Sometimes i wonder if it can be my anti-virus Avast that slow down everything i try to open...

Anyway in a week i will get a brand new Laptop with intel 520m that should help...Still a fujitsu with PCMCIA and yes ! a serial port

 

[Jeff23spl]

In the Windows registry look for: ForegroundLockTimeout (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop)

Setting that to zero I believe prevents any apps from grabbing focus.

Record what it was first of course, then change to zero.

UPDATE:
Then again....maybe not. Look for the Microsoft utility called TweakUI. It's part of what they call Powertoys for Windows XP. Run it and install it and there is a "Focus" section and an option to prevent focus from being stolen by another app.


OG

my time was already set to "0" and i tried "5" without better results

 

[Operaghost]

The value represents time in milliseconds so going from 0 to 5 won't do much. The default for Windows is supposed to be something like 2000000.

OG