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Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:04 am
by jackson.delahunt
Hi,

I use the alt-tab key sequence constantly, but when Ranorex Studio starts, Alt-Tab is disabled system wide. Is there a way of fixing this? It makes my computer excruciating to use! When I exit Studio, the functionality is restored.

Thanks,


Jackson

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 4:22 pm
by Support Team
Hello,

Unfortunately, I couldn't reproduce your issue.

Which Ranorex version do you use?
Do you use <ALT>+<Tab> during a test execution?

Regards,
Markus (T)

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:14 pm
by mrollins
I also see this issue on Windows 8 using Ranorex 4.1.0. I've had it ever since I started testing on Windows 8 with 4.0.2.

I do not use Alt or Tab in any of my scripts.

The only thing unusual about my configuration is that I have disabled UAC in the registry (which prevents Win8 Metro from starting). Though enabling it again didn't seem to help.

--
Michael

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 12:15 am
by jackson.delahunt
Support Team wrote:Hello,

Unfortunately, I couldn't reproduce your issue.

Which Ranorex version do you use?
Do you use <ALT>+<Tab> during a test execution?

Regards,
Markus (T)
Hi Markus,

I'm using Ranorex Studio 4.1.0.25227 on Windows 8 build 6.2.9200. Alt+Tab is not used in recording, just in every day use, for example, switching between a web browser and studio. When you're used to the instant switch available through Alt+Tab, the time taken to move the mouse down to the task bar, wait for it to appear, click the program you want, and move your mouse back up, it gets very frustrating, especially when you have to repeat it 50 times a day or more. Frustration aside, Windows core functionality shouldn't be changed by using a third party application. Maybe it's a Windows 8 specific issue? Hopefully we can get it resolved! :)

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:55 pm
by Support Team
Hello,

Thank you for the description.
Unfortunately I cannot reproduce the issue. I have tested the behavior on a Windows 8 build 6.2.9200 as well and had no issue using Alt+Tab in order to bring another application in the foreground. It must be a specific setting on your machine.
It is hard to provide a solution when I cannot reproduce the issue.
You could try to reinstall Ranorex completely. Maybe this will solve the issue.

Regards,
Bernhard

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 4:00 am
by jackson.delahunt
Hi Bernhard,

That's frustrating to hear. I am using the trial version currently in evaluation mode. Could this have something to do with it? I have reinstalled Ranorex, but this hasn't fixed the issue. I also note that the Win+X key combination stops functioning whilst Ranorex is running, but other Win key functions (such as Win+D and Win+B) still continue to work. Once again, when I exit Ranorex, Win+X works again.

Are there any other diagnostic steps I can take to help troubleshoot this?

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:03 am
by jackson.delahunt
Furthermore, others in my workplace are reporting this issue, so I am not alone in experiencing the error.

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:20 pm
by Support Team
Hello,

We tried to reproduce the issue on some machines, but unfortunately I cannot reproduce the issue.
Is your machine a virtual machine or is this a physical machine?

Regards,
Bernhard

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:17 am
by jackson.delahunt
Hi Bernhard,

Thanks for your response. It is a physical machine.

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 6:32 pm
by Support Team
Hello,

That's weird. Every key combination works on our machines even if Ranorex is installed. Could you please try to uninstall Ranorex completely from your machine and check if the key combinations are working?
Maybe the reason is another program.

Regards,
Bernhard

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 8:22 am
by swmatisa
Hello,

2 years ago, I had a quite same problem:http://www.ranorex.com/forum/google-des ... t2522.html

Hope this help

Re: How to automate testing of two interacting applications

Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 11:46 pm
by jackson.delahunt
swmatisa wrote:Hello,

To do quite the same and simple 8) :
I run my client application on the same computer as the server application or I use a ftp client to check that the file has been correctly received.

Hope this help
Thank you! That fixed my problem. It was so frustrating! I had to disable "Use asynchronous dispatching of mouse and keyboard events", then Alt-Tab would work again.

Could the support team explain what "Use asynchronous dispatching of mouse and keyboard events" actually does please?

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:30 pm
by Support Team
jackson.delahunt wrote:Could the support team explain what "Use asynchronous dispatching of mouse and keyboard events" actually does please?
That setting influences the way Ranorex records keyboard and mouse actions. If this setting is enabled, Ranorex swallows all events from the physical keyboard/mouse and then - after recording those events - generates the events again to be dispatched by the system.

This is needed to allow for unlimited processing time when recording the events and generating information about the associated UI elements, like RanoreXPath generation and so on, before the keyboard/mouse event is actually dispatched to the system and can influence the application under test.

A problem when this setting is enabled, can be that some (security) applications do not allow "replayed" keyboard/mouse events and filter some of the events or react themselves on those events and remove them from the system. Do you have a security/anti-virus app installed on your machine?

Regards,
Alex
Ranorex Team

Re: Alt-Tab is disabled when Studio starts

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:04 pm
by jackson.delahunt
Hi Alex,

Thank you for clarifying that. Very interesting! Yes, we use McAfee antivirus. This may be causing the issue. Unfortunately I cannot disable it to confirm this hypothesis.

Thank you to you and swmatisa for your assistance in the matter!