Fences Hotkey Freezes Desktop

Last September I reported a problem: after using hotkey to show Fence (toggle), the desktop is frozen (e.g., right-click on the desktop does not work and all files stored on the desktop disappear). I have to press the hotkey again to bring the desktop back to normal. I have also attached a video to show this problem:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ojmtv0n6mju6a7o/Fence%202022-09-09.mp4?dl=0

This is quite annoying and greatly reduce the efficiency of using Fences. A manager called Sean Drohan replied and said this is a known issue (Ref: FEN-148), but it has been three months and this issue is still there. Could you please let me know when you can fix this issue?

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Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. But, that is what the "Toggle" mean, when you turn it on it will bring the Fences to front and disable the "Normal" desktop function. To get back to desktop function, you need to pressed it one more time to turn it off. That is how "toggle" switch work.

If you want temporarily bring the Fences in-front. You need to use "Show Fences(press hold)" hotkeys function. When this is activated. Fences will be brought forward as long as you press that hotkeys. Desktop function will resume when you release that hotkeys.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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Sorry that I might not have made this clear enough, but this is NOT what "Toggle" is supposed to do. You said toggle will bring the Fences to front and disable the "Normal" desktop function --- this is perfectly fine. However, after you double-click an application in Fences and open that application, the desktop function is still disabled --- this is a bug.

The reason to use "Toggle" is to quickly show Fences and open an application in Fences. It's meaningless to keep the desktop still frozen after the user has opened an application in Fences. Earlier versions of Fences did not have this issue. This issue only occurred after updating to Fences 4.

This bug also causes another problem. Sometime you want to use the "toggle" hotkey to bring the desktop to front, but it won't work, because the hotkey actually turns off the previous toggle.

The issue here is the "toggle" should be turned off once you select an application from Fences. For example, "Alt-Tab" is the hotkey to toggle between windows in the windows systems, but once you select a window, nothing is frozen anymore.

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Just curious, what's preventing you from using the option you have disabled since it's imo doing what you want "If you want temporarily bring the Fences in-front. You need to use "Show Fences(press hold)"

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@JanOscar: I actually assigned the hotkey to a side key on my mouse. When I press and hold that key, it's a little hard to left-click or right-click the mouse at the same time. Thus, I prefer the "toggle" function.

What I don't understand is when I show Fences via "toggle" and select/open an app from Fences. The app then becomes the front active window and Fences no longer appear at the front. In this case, what is the rationale to still keep the desktop frozen?

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When using the mouse, I understand how you experience this, but what can I say... that's the solution chosen to do it by design, and so far you're the only one posting about it as being wrong. I don't think the devs ever considered the extra mouse buttons to be used as hotkeys here, only keyboard, and I can't see a "solution" for you other than change how you interact with Fences.

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From what I can see, the desktop need to be frozen/disable for Fences to be in front. And if the desktop return to function, Fences cannot be in front of any Windows for Fences, by default, work on Desktop layer.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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@ basj: sorry but I think you are repeating what we have already known. You said "the desktop need to be frozen/disable for Fences to be in front" --- I totally agree with this, this is perfectly fine. However, after you select/open an app from Fences, the app is in front and Fences is no longer in front. In this case, why still keep the desktop frozen?

@ JanOscar: I think you are right -- they will not change this although I still think this is problematic. Thanks for the comments.

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Yes, I do understand the issue. And I do believe Sean has log in the issue internally. Hopefully it get resolve. https://forums.stardock.com/514327/get;3862485. But, officially there is no new announcement yet on it. Your patience is highly appreciated.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

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