Suggestion Box 4

re: Suggestion Box 4

Chris Hill — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:37:33 GMT

Discuss the use of Structured Exception Handling (SEH) by the implementation of the Windows user interface functions such as those in user32, particularly those which call application code. Explain implications for applications that might generate typically fatal exceptions like access violations while being called by a system function such as TranslateAccelerator.

re: Suggestion Box 4

alv — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:02:40 GMT

- Why does the IsDialogMessage function have to be called inside the message loop? It seems to me that all its activity could take place inside the window procedure of the modeless dialog itself when it has focus, just as if it were a modal dialog; and when it doesn't have focus, it should't be called for the dialog anyway. Is it my limited understanding, or does it have some historical reason? (There has been a post about TranslateAccelerator earlier where it was nicely explained why that one has to reside in the message loop, but in my understanding those reasons don't apply to IsDialogMessage).

- I understand that the AltGr key is only a shortcut for Ctrl+Alt. However, many programs which are unaware of the fact that using a non-English keyboard layout, many characters can only be typed using AltGr, and therefore they define several keyboard shortcuts with Ctrl+Alt modifiers, making it impossible to type several characters. My opinion is that it would be good idea to implement keyboard handling in a way that when such a key combination is pressed, it should never be interpreted as a shortcut, but only as the character being typed. Is this even possible in a global manner? If it is, I think it would be a better solution (I'm trying the cancel the 'Because the alternative is worse' argument here) because functionality available through shortcut keys is almost always available through other means (like as a menu item), but being unable to type specific characters in legacy applications one has to use without any chance of getting them fixed is extremely annoying.

re: Suggestion Box 4

James — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:25:26 GMT

I was wondering why many windows APIs kept DWORD for the length for parameters instead of upgrading to SIZE_T (or DWORD_PTR). For example CompareStrings[Ex].

Is there some historic reason here or is it just a design bug?

re: Suggestion Box 4

Busiturtle — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:06:17 GMT

Could you provide some history on Window Media Center Edition (MCE)? Why did MCE get rolled out as a unique platform? Could it not have been sold as an application or service pack instead of a dedicated OS?

Second, has there ever been a more painful user interface than the Set Top Box configuration wizard in MCE? The wizard demands the user have the infrared receiver extender AND infrared blaster AND the Media Center remote before MCE will display video from the S-Video or Composite Video inputs. Many MCE users have expressed great frustration about this design (you can google it). What makes the Wizard design completely baffling is that after forcing the user to provide these components the Wizard does a lame job of actually ensuring the remote control function actually works. Would it not have made a better user experience to separate the selection of the video input from the configuration of the remote control?

re: Suggestion Box 4

Roni — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:29:35 GMT

Suggestion 1: What about how Explorer handles documents being renamed? I have noticed that (at least in Windows 7) Explorer keeps track of renamed / moved recent documents, so opening a shortcut to a renamed file actually updates the shortcut's destination and opens the renamed file. How is this done? Is it an NTFS feature?

Suggestion 2: It would be nice to know about the history of multi-monitor configuration support in Windows, for example, since when it is supported, were there any limits (monitors of the same resolution maybe?) and so on.

re: Suggestion Box 4

Ian Boyd — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:32:24 GMT

The edit delay in Windows Explorer. Is it 500ms? Why 500ms and not 1 second, or 20ms? Is it a property that comes from the ListView common control? Is it a customizable preference in Windows? Through my testing it does not appear linked to configurable double-click timeout.

re: Suggestion Box 4

Alex Cohn — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:25:21 GMT

My program uses Network Connections shell folder to find and programmatically enable a wireless connection. I can use InvokeCommand() with verb=16 or "enable". Is there some way, other than trial and failure, to find this verb?

re: Suggestion Box 4

Amnesia — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:48:51 GMT

On a dual monitor, exiting from the lock screen, why some programs (like notepad) are replaced to being totally visible in one monitor and others not ? (when you locked the computer the window app was on both monitor)

re: Suggestion Box 4

Alasdair King — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:32:09 GMT

Why are there all of "Text Document" and "Text Document - MS-DOS Format" and "Unicode Text Document" Save As formats in WordPad (on Vista)? Isn't at least one redundant?

re: Suggestion Box 4

kinokijuf — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:18:08 GMT

@Justus: because the logonui.exe process (or whatever you chose for logon host) doesnt close. (btw the „A:-)Brunuś” post was mine)