Host Engineering Forum
General Category => Do-more CPUs and Do-more Designer Software => Topic started by: Controls Guy on May 13, 2020, 03:29:01 PM
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Many of my project have similar names, so the portion of the name showing in the recent project list is identical for several. I'll be better able to distinguish the project with more of the name than by the last time opened. I don't want to use more pixels by making the whole deal wider, so I'd like to drag the name/date column border to the right. That works but the set position isn't sticky / recorded with the workspace. I'd prefer if it were.
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It's supposed to be sticky. Works for mine. ???
It's a global setting (registry), not workspace.
Sorting, column widths, position, size, everything is saved to registry.
Not sure what's going on.
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It does reflect across multiple versions, i.e. 2.5 is different than 2.6 is different than 2.7.
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It's supposed to be sticky. Works for mine. ???
Weird, just verified. Change, quit, reopen, 'new columns same as the old columns'.
What registry keys?
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It does reflect across multiple versions, i.e. 2.5 is different than 2.6 is different than 2.7.
This is closing and reopening 2.7.4
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This is closing and reopening 2.7.4
Same here. Although I am running logged in as an Administrator. I hope that's not the issue. :-\
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Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Host Engineering, Inc.\DmDesigner2_7.ini\CSelectProjectDlg
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Should work - current user is current user
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I found another one under some weird GUID folder - I'm guessing this is some kind of Windows security thing. The "normal" registry entry is the one I mentioned.
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Same here. Although I am running as an Administrator. I hope that's not the issue. :-\
Doesn't seem to be that. I'm in an admin account, not normally Running As Administrator (I realize not exactly the same thing). So did trying RaA, stretched the columns, quit, and reopened both explicitly as Admin and not, widths not saved.
Checked -- that key doesn't change for me after stretching the columns and quitting DMD.
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There is an entry in the REAL .INI file to handle the situation where you reset the windows layout - this will basically clear the register with the "default" the next time it is loaded. This only happens whenever you do Window->Default Layout
So, from the Apps pane of the Launch Pad, double click on DmDesigner2_7.ini (do NOT try to open it in the Windows folder via explorer!)
Look for the group
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CSelectProjectDlg=1
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
Make sure those are set to 1. If those are 0, then that would explain WHAT is happening (but not WHY those are 0).
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There is an entry in the REAL .INI file to handle the situation where you reset the windows layout - this will basically clear the register with the "default" the next time it is loaded. This only happens whenever you do Window->Default Layout
So, from the Apps pane of the Launch Pad, double click on DmDesigner2_7.ini (do NOT try to open it in the Windows folder via explorer!)
Look for the group
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CSelectProjectDlg=1
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
Make sure those are set to 1. If those are 0, then that would explain WHAT is happening (but not WHY those are 0).
This is getting weirder by the second. I have
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
CCompPgmDlg=1
CBrowseFileSystemDlg=1
so I'm missing that tag entirely!!?? I haven't edited that file. Does it get ported from older installed versions? If so, maybe I unintentionally deleted it from an earlier version and my glitch got ported to the new one.
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Hmmm, thought we were on to something here. Added that tag, no joy.
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Hmmm, thought we were on to something here. Added that tag, no joy.
Wait - you had to ADD THAT? It should already be there. THAT is your problem.
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I bet you have a .BAT file copying over top of your INI file??? Something is not letting Designer write/access that file.
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Wait - you had to ADD THAT? It should already be there. THAT is your problem.
Apparently not. Plus, I have other stuff you don't have. How can this be?
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I bet you have a .BAT file copying over top of your INI file??? Something is not letting Designer write/access that file.
Nope. And the INI isn't getting overwritten anyway. I check it and the changes made are still there over multiple executions of DMD.
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Plus, I have other stuff you don't have. How can this be?
You use different dialogs than I do.
So, answer these questions.
Q1. That entry was NOT there originally?
Q2. Then you added it manually, but it is still does NOT work correctly?
Q3. Look at the INI file again, and paste that section again.
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You use different dialogs than I do.
So, answer these questions.
Q1. That entry was NOT there originally?
Q2. Then you added it manually, but it is still does NOT work correctly?
Q3. Look at the INI file again, and paste that section again.
A1. Correct
A2. Correct
A3. Done. Previous edits still there when I opened it. Cut the entire section and replaced it with yours, even deleted the stuff I had that you did not. No improvement.
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Q3 - sorry, I meant can you paste it here?
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Q3 - sorry, I meant can you paste it here?
Oh, sorry. Right now it matches yours. The following was cut out of my current one.
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CSelectProjectDlg=1
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
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But it does NOT work?
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Resize the dialog, move it to another window. It should remember the size and window position. It's not just the column width/sorting.
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Resize the dialog, move it to another window. It should remember the size and window position. It's not just the column width/sorting.
Normally on the left side. Tore it off, stuck it to the right side, the bottom, and floated it. None of the three were persistent.
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Do you have another PC that has Designer installed on? Does it work there?
Or try a different version (2.6, 2.3). I think we added that in 2.3.
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But it does NOT work?
Correct.
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Do you have another PC that has Designer installed on? Does it work there?
Or try a different version (2.6, 2.3). I think we added that in 2.3.
2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 all the same. Here's the INI section from 2.6
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
CCompPgmDlg=1
CBrowseFileSystemDlg=1
CInstructionPaletteDlg=1
CManagePgmCheckDlg=1
CMemoryEditorDialog=1
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STRANGE!?! No CSelectProjectDlg=1
THAT is why it is NOT being restored.
But then when you ADD it, it still does not work.
There's something strange going on.
See if your New Online dialog (CConnectToPLCDlg=1) remembers it's size/position/sort. It is showing up in your INI file, so maybe that one is working?!?
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OK, just installed in a brand spanking new VM (VMWare). Exactly the same results. Didn't check the INI file contents. This was a virgin install on a brand new VM. No earlier version of DMD had ever been installed.
I'll go check New Online and also check what's in that section of the INI file on the VM. One thing, on the VM install, I unchecked everything but the program, which maybe that gives a more minimal install. Is the initial INI file canned or might it be responsive to install options?
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New Online dialog position is remembered in normal install and also in VM.
This is all that got loaded in my minimal install in the VM.
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CSelectProjectDlg=1
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
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New Online dialog position is remembered in normal install and also in VM.
This is all that got loaded in my minimal install in the VM.
[AutoLoadPlacementReset]
CSelectProjectDlg=1
CConnectToPLCDlg=1
That means you went to the Select Project dialog (which it does by default on a new installation), and to the New Online/Connect dialog (which you probably did to actually connect to a piece of hardware). The other entries are added over time as you utilize them - this is normal.
The only other thing is to look at that Regedit data and see if it changes every time you re-size the dialog (you probably need to "refresh" RegEdit?). Not sure what changes - that's binary data, but it should change (see the ReportState1 and WindowPlacement values on the right pane of RegEdit). If it's not changing, then something is amuck. The one deals with the report control sorting and column widths, the other for the dialog window placement and position - the WindowPlacement one is more obvious if you move it and change its size.
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Checked HKCU\Software\Host Engineering, Inc.\DmDesigner2_7.ini\CSelectProjectDlg in the VM and no change when changing dialog position, column position, float/dock, etc. (although the static unchanging key value is different from the static unchanging one in the real machine)
I could back up that whole branch, move the New Online dialog, which does stick, and diff the new version of the branch against the saved one. That would show me where the New Online config is saved, as welll as any other changes.
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Checked HKCU\Software\Host Engineering, Inc.\DmDesigner2_7.ini\CSelectProjectDlg in the VM and no change when changing dialog position, column position, float/dock, etc. (although the static unchanging key value is different from the static unchanging one in the real machine)
I could back up that whole branch, move the New Online dialog, which does stick, and diff the new version of the branch against the saved one. That would show me where the New Online config is saved, as welll as any other changes.
Do you have multiple monitors? Do the following:
1. Open Designer
2. Close the Select Project dialog if you have it automatically opening at launch
3. Move Designer to some place other than the default position - as far away from the default position as possible (if you only have a single monitor, move it to the bottom right, otherwise a different monitor)
4. File->Select Project dialog
5. NOTE WHERE IT IS POSITIONED - I am guessing it is centered on the Designer window (this is the "default" after a "Reset").
6. Shut down Designer
7. Relaunch Designer - it should open in its normal "top left" kind of position.
8. If it hasn't already opened the Select Project dialog, do so now (otherwise just go to step 9)
9. NOTE WHERE IT IS POSITIONED - Is it centered on the Designer window (but this time it should be kind of top left), or is it positioned where it was positioned in step #5?
Please answer #5 and #9
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That works fine. It's not what I was talking about, although it is a likely solution to the original question. Normally I never use that thing.
What I was asking about originally, and what I sent the picture of, is the top third / project selector pane of the Launchpad. All my responses have been with respect to that. If you move or reconfigure the Launchpad, such as column widths, the configuration isn't sticky. I don't blame you for not realizing that's what it was in the pic, I cropped the screenshot tightly enough there's not much context.
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That works fine. It's not what I was talking about, although it is a likely solution to the original question. Normally I never use that thing.
What I was asking about originally, and what I sent the picture of, is the top third / project selector pane of the Launchpad. All my responses have been with respect to that. If you move or reconfigure the Launchpad, such as column widths, the configuration isn't sticky. I don't blame you for not realizing that's what it was in the pic, I cropped the screenshot tightly enough there's not much context.
Doh!
Yeah, what you originally was asking for we implemented in the Select Project dialog (along with a ton of other features). The Launch Pad is so small, it limits you to any kind of extensive UI enhancements. Sorry.
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OK, so let me reiterate the feature request that the column widths be sticky. Thanks! :)
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I mean, even if the solution is to use the dialog from the menu, then I still want sticky config for the Launchpad, because if those pixels no longer have any cost/benefit ratio, then I want to get rid of the LP (or at least the project selector pane, I do use a lot of the other stuff in there), but I need it to be sticky for that too!