Powertoys: FZ flashes zones when trying to type symbols or numbers

[LRitzdorf]

Environment

Windows build number: 10.0.18362.449
PowerToys version: v0.12.0
PowerToy module: FancyZones

Issue Details

At the moment, I do not have a precise set of steps to trigger this bug; however, I can describe it and the two scenarios where it has occurred so far.

The issue first popped up while I was typing in a website's text box in Chrome. I attempted to type a left parenthesis (, which did not insert anything into the text box, but instead caused FancyZones to flash the outlines for my current zones. The ) key did the same, and typing other characters did not eliminate the issue. I was only able to do so by dragging the Chrome window (which had been maximized) into its restored-down state.

The issue occurred again while I was typing in a reply box from a "Messages via Your Phone" notification in the Action Center - attempting to enter an exclamation mark ! caused my zone borders to flash. (When you receive a text message, the Your Phone app creates a notification containing the message and a text box in which to type a response. This is the box I was using.) This issue worked in much the same way, but closing and re-opening the Action Center did not resolve it. On a hunch, I dragged Chrome (which was still open) into its restored-down state as before, and the issue disappeared.

It is worth noting that, on my keyboard (a standard US English laptop keyboard with a number pad), the parentheses ( and ), as well as the exclamation mark ! are located on the number keys, requiring Shift to be pressed in order to type them. While the issue was present, typing letters worked normally.

[tehshane]

Had the same issue with plain numbers. Somehow typing 0-9 (with no modifier keys) caused zones to flash.

The only thing that happened right before the problem was locking/unlocking my workstation with WinKey+L.

[LRitzdorf]

UPDATE: It happened again, in another Chrome text box, and I investigated further. As @tehshane noted, any of the number keys (with or without Shift added) caused the zones to flash.

On my keyboard, the top key row (below the function keys) is as follows:
` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = [Bksp].
Curiously, only the number keys, and not -, _, =, or +, triggered the flash.

Also, as I alluded to above, the issue seems to occur (or not) regardless of whether the Shift key is pressed, which I initially thought might be related because placing a window into a FancyZone requires dragging with Shift held down.

[OezDur]

Same, Zones flash and I cant type Numbers. Everytime I hit a key the zones flash.

[BlackWyvern]

Confirmed. Cannot use any key 1-0 on top row.

[enricogior]

@tehshane @LRitzdorf @OezDur @BlackWyvern
can you post a screenshot of your FanzyZone settings? (up to Move newly created windows to their last known zone, since the settings below that shouldn't have any effect on this bug).
Thank you.

[LRitzdorf]

@enricogior Here you go. Everything should still be set to the defaults - I haven't gotten around to messing with these settings yet.

[mck]

same bug for me, on DE keyboard layout

[enricogior]

Hi @mck
did you change any of the default FancyZones settings?
Thank you.

[mck]

@enricogior yes i did

[enricogior]

@mck
I would like to understand if the problem is always happening or if it is intermittent.
If you restart PowerToys, does the problem go away for some time?
Thanks.

[TheTripleV]

@enricogior I am facing the same problem with the 0-9 keys not working. If I restart PowerToys, the issue does go away. It then appears at random. I used KeyCodes3 to look at my key presses. Normally when a key is pressed, a "KeyDown" and "KeyUp" are seen by the application. However, when the issue with PowerToys occurs, only a "KeyUp" is sent. Could PowerToys be intercepting "KeyDown"s for the Number Row?

[tehshane]

I also noted that I could get my number keys back by Shift+dragging a window into another FancyZone. Does that work for others?

Will update this comment with my FZ settings once I'm back at my computer.

[LRitzdorf]

@tehshane For me, snapping a window by dragging it against the side or top of the screen (normal Windows snapping, not via FZ) did fix the issue, albeit temporarily.

[enricogior]

Adding a reference to https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/410 since they may be the same bug.

[tehshane]

@tehshane @LRitzdorf @OezDur @BlackWyvern
can you post a screenshot of your FanzyZone settings? (up to Move newly created windows to their last known zone, since the settings below that shouldn't have any effect on this bug).
Thank you.

@enricogior

[mck]

@mck
I would like to understand if the problem is always happening or if it is intermittent.
If you restart PowerToys, does the problem go away for some time?
Thanks.

@enricogior i haven't found the reason for when it happens but if i restart powertoys it's away for some time

[DrakeLambert]

Bump. I have the same issue as described. Restarting power toys temporarily fixes the issue

[robweber]

I'll jump on this with the same issue here. Intermittent in my case as well. Took me a while to track it down since sometimes other windows were over the top of the zone flashing. Seemed like a keyboard error the first couple times. Confirmed with PowerToys is not running this stops completely. Didn't happen previous to v0.12.0.

[StevenFlannigan]

Same issue here, if it helps I've noticed that re-applying my selected zone fixes it for me. Restart of the app does as well.

[RailRanger]

Yeah same issue here, here are my settings. It went away for now after restarting powertoys.

[jc21red]

Same for me. First I noticed was in a password field in Chrome. Then it didn't matter which app I tried, the top row number keys wouldn't work & would flash the zones. I would restart PC & the issue would go away, but soon return. Not sure if it's a key difference but I have multiple screens?

Also, the reason I found it was PowerToys was that I had task manager open and tried bashing away at the number keys, this caused PowerToys task to increase CPU significantly. As soon as I ended the PowerToys task, my number keys started working again straight away.

[mck]

what i find interessting is that my numpad stil works

[stuseo]

I had the same problem. Number keywords along the top of the keyboard would work initially and stop halfway through the day, although the number pad worked fine. This happened on both the laptop keyboard, and USB keyboard.

I have a two screen setup and initially didn't notice the zones flashing until I had FanzyZones open to edit the regions.

[LRitzdorf]

Also, the reason I found it was PowerToys was that I had task manager open and tried bashing away at the number keys, this caused PowerToys task to increase CPU significantly. As soon as I ended the PowerToys task, my number keys started working again straight away.

That's very interesting; I'll have to check for that next time it pops up. Strangely, I haven't encountered the problem since opening this issue (no, I haven't modified anything).

Also, I didn't try the number pad previously - I'll confirm that too, if this happens again.

Lastly, it's great to see that this is being worked on, and that I've been able to help make PowerToys better. Thank you, everyone!

[enricogior]

Hi @LRitzdorf
we suspect the bug is happening when FancyZones interacts with some specific application that leaves FancyZones in a weird state.
If that is the case, the bug will not show up until that particular application is dragged to a zone.

[razvangoga]

Also happening to me after update from 0.12 to 0.13.

I think i found a way to reliably reproduce the issue:

1. I am using a custom config for the zones with a 1/3 and 2/3 split and have in the 2/3 my mane window of chrome.
2. Sometimes I take out a tab from the main chrome (detach the tab in it's own window) and move it to the 1/3 area.
3. If I do this a coupe of times, the flashing layout / preview of the zones will remain active on top (if this makes sense... - see screenshot) and the numbers stop working. If I press any of the number keys the zones just flash and nothing else seams to happen.
   
4. If I close PowerToys (sometimes via the try icon + exit, sometimes ending the task from task manager because the trey icon context menu also stops working) and restart PowerToys all is back to normal until i redo the above steps

[RailRanger]

I was running .12 and it happens there too, so it isn't a regression.

[enricogior]

Hi @razvangoga
we have a fix ready for that case, we will post here to notify when it's available.
Thank you.

[bzoz]

This was fixed in https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/pull/673, marking as resolved.

[tayaee]

Tried the master version (Just replaced fancyzones.dll with the one from a new build over 0.13.0.0). This issue is fixed by the master version.

Workarounds until next version (after 0.13.0.0) is available are:

1. Restart PowerToys

OR

1. Go to Chrome. Open a new blank tab by pressing CTRL-T. Detach the new tab (at this moment, the problem is fixed). Just close the tab. Note if you move the detached tab back to the same Chrome or another instance of Chrome, the issue happens again.