Classic Shell: Forum

I tested Classic Shell V4.1.0 and beta V4.2.0 on Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit), Windows 2012 (64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows 2012 R2 (64-bit) with desktops.exe (Sysinternals).


Start menu can be launched on default desktop immediately, however, it needs to wait for about 1 minute on the secondary desktops.

What do you mean "needs to wait"? What happens if you don't wait?

Thanks for your reply.

On Windows 8 and Windows 2012, the classic shell start button is shown after I switch to secondary desktop and wait for one minute.
On Windows 8.1 and Windows 2012 R2, the classic shell start menu is activated after I switch desktop and wait for one minute.

The start menu feature will not activate if I don't wait on secondary desktop.

Is it looping to search windows? Is it possible to shorten the looping time?

The start menu is not intended to start automatically for secondary desktops. You have to run it manually.
If it works after one minute, it is most likely by accident.

This "accident" happens every time......do you mean that although I can launch Classic Shell start menu on default desktop, I need to run the application manually again on secondary desktops?

I am saying that Classic Shell does not have any intended support for launching automatically on secondary desktops. The behavior you see is a side effect of the way it hooks into the Explorer process (which is different for different versions of Windows). The recommended way is to start it manually. That's because Windows has no built-in mechanism for launching programs when a new desktop opens. For example there is no "Startup" folder for new desktops.

Thanks for your explanation, Ivo.

I tested on Windows 8.1, I still need to wait on secondary desktop after I run ClassicStartMenu.exe manually.
In your environment, you can click and launch Classic Shell start menu immediately on secondary desktop after you run ClassicStartMenu.exe?

If yes, can you help me step by step? Thanks:roll:

I have only tried multiple desktops on Windows 7 and that was long time ago. Classic Shell seemed to work fine if launched manually.

WA...hundred of visitors read this post!
Ivo, we all want to know to official behavior of Classic Shell on secondary desktops on Windows 8, 2012, 8.1 and 2012 R2. Can you help us to us to ask the development team about this?

Thanks and Happy New Year:)

I have it on my todo list to look into multiple desktops sometime in the future. It is not high on the list though.

Along this issue, there's another one — when you are in a secondary desktop pressing a WIN key returns you to the primary desktop.
Is there any workaround for this?

Pressing the Win key returns you to the desktop. There is no primary or secondary desktop.
If you have the start screen opened on a secondary monitor, activating the desktop closes it. That's how Windows works. You can't have the start screen permanently active on another monitor.

@dzshane, thanks for reporting that this happens when using Sysinternals Desktops.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

The bug is fixed in the latest version 4.2.1. The start menu will launch immediately on new desktops (for Windows 8 and up).