Documented Standalone Stack / Stack Docklet Problems

[scissorhands7]

Current News/Suggestions

"Sorry to note this, but I have no intention to support Vista. My objectives are Windows XP and Windows 7" ~Matonga

- Recommending that all vista users who are having problems with the docklet, switch to the standalone stack or upgrade to windows 7 or revert back to xp.

If anyone else has any news/info about what Matonga and Christian S are up to, when they are making an appearance, etc. PM me.

If you have a problem that isn't here post it in the respective standalone stack/stack docklet forums. I'll document it here, and report what OS type etc it is happening for, and who the user is that is having the problem. When a fix/temporary fix is made, I'll post it under the problem. Also if you are using the stackdocklet and are having problems, I suggest you all switch to standalone stack as it won't make your dock crash and has more options and better functionality than the current docklet. It currently is more developed and has way more options + is faster.

Update

Christian S has recently posted an update for his standalone stack that fixes a crapload of bugs and is a great download. Post your bugs/report improvements/problems in the standalonestack thread.

Matonga hasn't posted updates in a while, Matonga reportedly somewhere said he's taking a break until after the new years because he has real-life stuff to take care of. Christian S, is waiting on matonga to update his stacks.lib before he can make anymore improvements off of it.

"Posted by Matonga May 1st 2009, 11:16 AM | Report #309

Oh... THAT blurriness...

Actually IT IS the same icon smile.gif, and not a lower resolution one. The problem is unproper interpolation, I should use Lanczos instead, but Windows GDI+ doesn't give me such option.

Sorry to desappoint you (I mean all of you people): actually I'm moving to C++, so for a couple of months there will be few to no updates, until I finally finish moving to C++ and port all apps to that language."

"Posted by Matonga May 1st 2009, 02:53 PM | Report #311

Let's say for at least about two months."

Posted by Matonga May 2nd 2009, 10:26 AM | Report #315

None of them. For improved stability (less crashes). Writing standalone apps in Delphi is really nice, but whenever I write a plugin/add-on for something else (Winamp, Rocket Dock, Rhinoceros, Foobar, VideoLan, XWindows Dock, etc...) everything goes wrong at some point, and it crashes, and I don't know why. Also while working low-level and with DirectX / DirectShow API I have problems too. So the idea is to switch to C++ to see if I can reach some stability there. Currently I'm developing my own GUI framework. I don't like the complexity of wxWidgets, GTK doesn't use native controls so it sucks in my opinion, other frameworks are too inmature or too complex, in short words: I couldn't find a framework that would let me program as I did in Delphi. The nearest thing to this is using dialog resources, which is pretty interesting, but I couldn't get the tab key working tongue.gif so I just went on my own and things are coming pretty stable and easy up to now (even event handling). I'll post some results in Developer's hangout soon (yes the framework will be open source)."

Posted by Matonga May 7th 2009, 08:09 AM | Report #324 <<<<----------- Matonga's Last post since going on haitus

WOW THANKS! Now this IS helpful. This means icon extraction is crashing.

Now only I wish you had packed all defective icons together to send them to me. smile.gif

I'll be doing a test bed thing soon (search all icons available in my system, even .dll and .exe ones, and pass them to icon extraction routine until it crashes).

Matonga - Last Active 7th November 2009 - 06:19 PM

In other news Boobah, creator of the famous xwindows dock (which you should try), has become interested in helping matonga out in developing the stacks.lib. Boobah made a post on Sept 6 recently expressing his interest in re-writing the stacks.lib to include a scrollbar and to make it faster. However he deleted his post recently. He still has kept his posts letting matonga know that he is interested in lending a hand wherever possible. With three powerhouses, Matonga, Boobah, and Christian S. tag teaming this thing we could have an incredible replacement for explorer in the future.

Also Matonga in the "Developer Hangout" thread has expressed his interest in creating a window cache to be implemented for screenshots for programs such as winexpose, smacky's tasklist docklet (based off of matonga's stack.lib) Since his hiatus however he has said nothing more about its development.

Stacks Docklet Problems - Unrelated to Stacks.lib - Matonga

Hidden Folder Error:

Selecting folders inside a hidden folder works but error occurs when disabling "show hidden files & folders" or restarting ObjectDock, causes crashes sometimes.

Temp Fix

Don't disable show hidden files and folders

Problem

Crashes with RocketDock

Affects

Users who aren't the admins of their own computers

Reportedly rocketdock users maybe objectdock

Final Fix

your user account needs to be given write permission for the RocketDock\Docklets directory.

Stacks docklet (both version 1 and 2) will attempt to create Settings.ini in that directory when you add your first docklet. If Settings.ini is not present and HKCU\Software\RocketDock contains a reference to a stack docklet when RocketDock starts, RocketDock will crash.

Problem

Crashes with Objectdock/rocketdock when adding docklet/already have added docklet

Affects

Users who have the stacks docklet, objectdock/rocketdock, and vista (mainly 32 bit)/possibly windows 7

Temporary Fix

The main problem is icon extraction problems basically you can narrow it down by removing certain stacks from your dock and troubleshooting. If you have 4 stacks remove 2, does it still crash? If no then add 1 stack back at a time till you have found the problematic stack docklet. Do the shortcuts in the stack have a very low quality icon? Doesn't appear right when you are displaying the large type icons? If you have a low quality icon replace the shortcut with a higher quality icon. Basically narrow the bad icons down and post them in the stacks docklet thread so matonga can see whats going wrong

To be more specific Icons that load from .dlls are what is causing the main problem in vista. For example if you have a standalone utility (such as autoruns, etc), your icon is .dll based. If the file in your stack is an application that wasn't installed, try giving it a custom icon.

Furthermore, it could also be because you have a dead shortcut in your stack or a shortcut that is broken/doesn't point to anything. Delete the shortcut now try, test out all shortcuts in explorer.

TIP: here is a tip for vista users : move your rocketdock folder to your Desktop, or in your my documents folder. SD will not crash anymore.

TIP: for all users experiencing crashes of objectdock, delete the CrashRpt.bak inside the Objectdock folder then reinstall the stacks docklet 2.0 then restart your objectdock...... Ive done this method & my dock doesn't crash anymore

TIP: When abnormal rocket dock crashing on startup (randomly not all the time) changed to XP SP2 compatibility mode to see if it works any better and so far it hasn't crashed.

If this fails just use standalone stack which doesn't have this problem

Problem

Stack doesn't update in real time when you delete/add a file inside of the stack, you have to restart to see changes

Temp Fix

This is pending changes, it is recommended to use standalone stack now.

"I need to implement an icon cache instead, but I've no time just now" ~ Matonga

Problem

Name of the stack gets stuck and none of the other docklet labels appear until after a restart

Affects

Objectdock users who have the stack docklet

Temp Fix

Unlock your dock icons and move the order of the stuck one with a non stuck one

Stacks.lib Problems - Matonga

Problem

Can't make the fan go downwards left or right

Temporary Fix

Don't put your dock/standalone stack shortcuts on top if you need fan or choose grid

Problem

Control Panel icons don't work/recycle bin/ does not work when stacked-

Temporary Fix

use kkmenu for control panel items or just keep the links on the desktop/quick launch

Problem

Blurry icons

Fix

Matonga is porting the new stacks.lib to C++

Problem

x64 version of win 7

two Program Files folder. One for 64bit apps and one for 32bit apps. standalonestack gives error messages when I try to open a 64bit program over standalonestack 2:

---------------------

"Path to Shortcut"

The specified path does not exist.

Check the path, and then try again.

--------------------

For 32bit apps it works perfect

Temporary Fix

1. create a folder somewhere on your disk.

2. hold down shift on that folder, right-click and select open command window here.

3. type: mklink /D foldernameyoucreate "full path to original folder in quotes"

example: i created a folder called x64Fix on my disk to hold all my symbolic links for the apps that aren't working. i created my symbolic link inside of it like so (using photoshop as an example):

C:\x64Fix>mklink /D Photoshop "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS4 (64 Bit)"

4. verify message that symbolic link was created (you should also see a shortcut arrow on the Photoshop folder).

5. You should then have a folder path like C:\x64Fix\Photoshop

6. Create your shortcut for the jumplist from C:\x64Fix\Photoshop folder path to the exe rather than the real path.

so, instead of your shortcut being:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS4 (64 Bit)\Photoshop.exe"

it will be

"C:\x64Fix\Photoshop\Photoshop.exe"

also note, if you edit the shortcut you already have, make sure you change the icon and start in path to match the new path.

just so you know (if you don't), symbolic links are essentially shortcuts that windows manages. to get rid of the symbolic link, just delete the folder you created.

Note: This problem is not a standalonestack problem because the stack.lib is for 32bit apps and Christian has to wait until Matonga fixes the stack.lib.

Standalone Stack Problems - Christian S

Problem

Can Not Rename the stacks

Temporary Fix

Just change the name of the shortcut to the stack or delete the stack and make another with the correct name

Problem

When you have too many icons you cant use this tool to view them all, open in explorer button becomes hidden, you can only use the back button then open in explorer.

Temporary Fix

-Better organize your files in folders so this problem doesn't occur

-Make your icons a smaller size

Suggestion for future

Scrollbars/automatic size adjustments per number of icons

Note: This is a stacks.lib suggestion.

Problem

If you're running truetransparency it'll close immediately on open (as some people on the 1st page were noticing)

Final Fix

Click the don't lose focus option

Problem

Stacks aren't remembered/saved in the ini file

Final Fix

right-click on the Standalone Stack application, and

click Properties; click the Security tab; click the Edit button; select your user profile; click the check box next to Full control.

Edited November 29, 2009 by scissorhands7