Powertoys: WinKey for launcher throws a lot of false positives

[crutkas]

Environment

Windows build number: [run "ver" at a command prompt]
PowerToys version: 0.19
PowerToy module for which you are reporting the bug (if applicable): PT Run

Steps to reproduce

Remap key from alt-space to win-space
execute shortcut multiple times

Expected behavior

don't have start menu false positive executions

Actual behavior

Lots of start menu executions

[arjunbalgovind]

I'm able to hit this only if space gets pressed before the win key. Or when I press them both at the same time but space was by chance pressed earlier

[crutkas]

i find if you do it pretty quick, it triggers. Same speed i would hit Win+R or Win+E

[ThoAppelsin]

I can confirm this.

I had been using Win+Space to switch between keyboard languages. I have never once seen the Start Menu triggering with that. I have just tried PT Run with Win+Space, and this happened on my first try, and consistently later on.

[crutkas]

from #4666 looks like we get some false positives for even alt-space

[enricogior]

We are going to test a possible fix, replacing the low level hook with the Win32 API RegisterHotkey (that we use for the FZ editor and doesn't have those type of problems).

[arjunbalgovind]

@enricogior will that work for overriding windows shortcuts like Win+R/Win+Space? Launcher used to use the NHotkey API earlier which internally used the Win32 RegisterHotkey API.

[enricogior]

@arjunbalgovind
after talking with @crutkas as well, since we need to support those shortcuts, we will keep using the low level hook, but with a different approach (similarly to what FZ does for the Win + Arrow hotkey).

[arjunbalgovind]

Agreed. I think the event-queue based approach added in #3825 could have threading related issues so using the FZ approach would be better.

[crutkas]

Fix committed in 0.19.1. https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.19.1

[Bandit]

FWIW I'm still getting this issue - seems to be if I press space within ~150ms of holding down the Windows key, it opens the start menu. If I hold the Windows key, wait a split second, then try, it works reliably. Using a Satechi Mac keyboard (so my Windows key is a CMD key if that makes any difference).

[xt0rted]

Still seeing this as well. I've been using AutoHotkey to map Win + Space to F13 and then I use that to trigger Wox. Until PowerToys Run can match this experience, as well as offer a setting to clear the last search term, I'll be sticking with this setup.

[josh-the-tech]

Sadly still getting it too and just updated to v0.19.1. See my awful gif example!

[arjunbalgovind]

@Bandit I'm able to get Start menu to pop up like this if I press Win+Space, but I release the Win key before I release Space. I think that might be what's happening while hitting the shortcut quickly.

[carlocardella]

So far I am unable to reproduce with the default ALT+Space; I could repro at almost every keystroke with the previous release, it was impossible to type anything

[crutkas]

We are reopening and a PR for a fix is under review now

[crutkas]

Fixed in 0.19.2