Alt-Tab fails while in full-screen mode (works windowed)

[eyal0]

I am using UltraVNC for Windows XP. I use Alt-Tab to switch between the remote computer VNC connection and the local applications on my computer.

When UltraVNC is not full screen, it works as expected.

When I'm in full-screen mode, Alt-Tab causes the Windows XP taskbar to show up but the application window is not visible. If I try typing, characters do get sent to the application but I am still unable to see it.

If I switch to windowed (non-full-screen) then Alt-Tab works again.

I think that the UltraVNC window might become topmost when switching to full-screen. When I Alt-Tab, the UltraVNC client stays topmost even though other windows have focus.

Anyone else have this problem? Thanks for the help!

[B]

I confirm this behavior, but I'm not sure it's a bug. The Viewer is running full screen, meaning it's NOT a window. It has control of the full screen. So the only thing it lets you see is the task bar, which I guess has special screen privileges.

One could argue that, as soon as one hits Alt-Tab or another local key, the UltraVNC Viewer should automatically leave full screen mode. (I think that's what similar programs do.)

The current behavior doesn't particularly bother me though. All you have to do is make the viewer leave full screen mode yourself. It's not too much of a hassle.

Another tip I recently learned; hitting Scroll-Lock toggles the Alt-Tab behavior between inside-the-viewer and normal local mode.

[eyal0]

I think that it is a bug because it is inconsistent with most Windows behavior. I just tested with Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer. All three, in full-screen mode, yield to the other windows as I would have expected.

I haven't looked at the code but I guess that UltraVNC is setting itself TopMost when in full-screen mode and doesn't undo it when losing focus.

This is the only reason that I keep TightVNC installed on my computer.

[B]

I think you're mistaken. You're making comparisons to browsers, which are ordinary applications. The entire purpose of a full screen mode in a <b>remote control application</b> is exactly to make your entire screen look like the screen of the computer you're controlling. As I said, it's not really a window at all.

Let's compare it to something more appropriate -- Microsoft Remote Desktop. Using that in full screen mode, you <b>can't</b> use Alt-Tab to see other local windows, or the taskbar, or anything else. Rather, the Alt-Tab is contained entirely within the remote control session and applied to the remote computer.


Let's compare it to VMWare's viewer. The version I have doesn't even allow full screen mode, merely a maximized mode.

Let's compare it to TightVNC, which I generally prefer anyway. I see it lets you flip right back to other windows; it also blacks out unused screen space if "full screen" mode. Apparently in TightVNC the session still <b>is</b> an ordinary window. I tend to <b>agree</b> with you that this is somewhat easier to deal with. <b>However</b> you don't get the nifty Remote Desktop-style top center control thing and I don't see where you can localize the Alt-Tab to the remote session, meaning changing windows within the remote session is a pain.

Personally I'm fine with either approach...


Note to developers: Am I wrong? Could this be considered a bug (only taskbar showing while Viewer is full screen)?

[eyal0]

Right now, with full-screen mode, Alt-Tab serves no purpose. It causes the Windows XP taskbar to show but no windows. If you click on titles in the taskbar, they don't show up.

Fixing this would turn Alt-Tab from useless to functional. Like TightVNC, as you mentioned.

As for Alt-Tab being sent to the other system, Scroll Lock handles that beautifully, as you pointed out.

The point of full screen, in my case, is to match the size and resolution of the target computer.

[B]

You're beginning to convince me.

I think, though, that the right change for UltraVNC might be to <b>disallow</b> the appearance of the task bar and Alt-Tab list at all!

That would make UltraVNC's full screen mode more consistent with that of MS Remote Desktop, which it appears to emulate.

In other words, you'd have to leave full screen mode to do anything local, period.

I might still prefer TightVNC's way of doing it, but the above change would make UltraVNC's behavior more consistent, and perhaps less frustrating to you....

Also, Scroll Lock does NOT have the same effect in TIghtVNC; thus my earlier "however".

[eyal0]

Less frustrating? Just the opposite! I want to use Alt-Tab to switch between the UltraVNC full-screen and Microsoft Word running locally. I'll look into fixing the code myself if I don't find another solution.

[B]

Great; if you do, please share the patch with us.

[B]

Hey, I just noticed something even worse about this.

The UltraVNC Viewer effectively <b>has no maximize mode</b>. For me, at least, hitting the Maximize button immediately puts the viewer in <b>full screen mode</b> instead, without the in-between state of a maximized and well-behaved viewer window.

This, even aside from eyal0's point about task switching, is unacceptable.