XBMC minimizes to task bar

I upgraded to Beta 2 this week and have it running on my HTPC in the playroom. This m/c is on 24 hrs a day as it also runs several other apps. If I run XBMC and leave it running, sometime during the night it minimizes itself to the task bar, requiring you to maximize it using the keyboard.

I have tried different skins but both AEON and PM£ HD do this. I have downloaded TWEAKUI and told it not to allow focus to be taken but still it minimizes.

Anyone else have this problem, and more importantly fixed it?

Do you have any other programs that run during the night. The only time mine minimizes is when I launch a program.

... I've requested an 'Always On Top' feature for the Windows port.

http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/5009

I had hoped that it would be in Beta2, but alas - not to be. Back to using MP (for the time being) on my two PC-based HTPC's, but enjoying XBMC on my AppleTV!

FYI - on my system I know which app is stealing focus (it's the IR/LCD driver/helper), but there's nothing I can do about it. I also noticed that anything that generates a popup-bubble in the system tray area creates the same effect.

-m

Haven't tested this, but there is a program called power menu that you may be able to use until XBMC solves the problem. It can give any app "always on top."

http://www.abstractpath.com/powermenu/

I actually encountered this last night while watching a video. About 10 minutes into the video, XBMC minimized itself to the task bar. The audio track was still playing through my speakers, so XBMC was obviously still playing the video file while minimized. I manually maximized the application. The file played through to completion (approx. 35 minutes later) with no further issues.

This was a self-compiled build of SVN changeset 15839 (post-beta 2).

I "think" I have narrowed it down to VUZE P2P, when it completes downloading a torrent it pops a message on the task bar and although I have not seen it I am beginning to assume it must steal focus! I say have not seen as I am not aware when they finish, as I am most likely asleep (BT reduces my bandwidth in prime time so must downloads occur during early hours.

I have configured EventGhost as a workaround. In my case the minimization to task bar only happens after booting.
This example alway brings XBMC to front if the focus is lost except if I try to enter the taskmanager.
You can simple edit the example to give the XBMC-Window the attribute "always on top"


Example:

<Macro Name="XBMC Focus Lost" id="174" Expanded="False">
<Event Name="Task.Deactivated.XBMC" />
<Action>[INDENT]Window.FindWindow(u'XBMC.exe', u'XBMC Media Center', None, None, None, None, False, 0.0, 2)
[/INDENT]</Action>
<Action>[INDENT] Window.BringToFront()
[/INDENT]</Action>
</Macro>
<Macro Name="Activate: XBMC Focus Lost" Expanded="False">
<Event Name="Task.Destroyed.taskmgr" />
<Action>[INDENT] EventGhost.EnableItem(XmlIdLink(174))
[/INDENT]</Action>
<Action>[INDENT] EventGhost.NewJumpIf(XmlIdLink(174), 0, False)
[/INDENT]</Action>
</Macro>[INDENT]<Macro Name="Deactivate: XBMC Focus Lost" Expanded="True">
<Event Name="Task.Activated.taskmgr" />
<Action>[INDENT] EventGhost.DisableItem(XmlIdLink(174))
[/INDENT]</Action>[/INDENT]</Macro>

which xml do you put this in?

Next XBMC release will contain a fix to keep focus. Can't tell if this will help in all occasions ...

WiSo Wrote:Next XBMC release will contain a fix to keep focus. Can't tell if this will help in all occasions ...

I hope it still minimizes when I launch a program. Right now it works perfect, I launch Beyond TV and XBMC minimizes. Sometimes when I exit Beyond TV, it doesn't maximize. But I have an alt-tab button setup on my remote that brings focus back to XBMC.