Local PopMenu Not Working

[drwiseking@comcast.net]

Sirs;

I'm using WB+Compiler 2024A and I recently replaced a Windows 10 computer with a Windows 11 computer (both HP desktops).

Almost everything works; except, the Local PopMenus.  So, I tried to (re)create them.  I removed the
    SkipLocalEdit=1 (I put a ';' in column 1)
line from my POPMENU.INI file.  When I click on the PopMenu icon (on the Taskbar), the following line:
    "Create menu for [Custom Notification]CustomNotificationView..." (w/o the quotes)
appears on top of the right-side.  When I click on it, a
    HwndWrapper[OmenCommandCenterBackground.exe;;1b05ef60-582c-4a61-af91-df26fdf4dddc].mnw
file (or similar) is created in my WinBatch\System folder.  I added my stuff to this file, and it seemed to work.

However, it stops working (e.g., after a reboot) and a different "Create menu for ..." filename appears when I click on the PopMenu icon.

What can/should I do to get my Local PopMenus to work permanently, or allow me to recreate them?

Thanks in advance,
Harvey Solomon
DrWiseKing@comcast.net

[td]

The SkipLocalEdit=1 line is commented out by default, so I am not sure why you had to do this manually.

On Windows 11, the right-hand side "Create menu..." application text is based on the application Window that currently has the input focus. After you create a menu file by saving with the editor that Popmenu launches, the menu for an application will appear only when that application has the input focus when you left-click on the Popmenu icon in the task bar.

I would recommend adding a menu fold path to the "MenuDir=..." line in the popmenu.ini file. Make sure that the folder is both readable and writable for standard users and non-elevated admins.

If you wish to make a menu item always available, you can edit the Popmenu.mnw file.

[drwiseking@comcast.net]

Dear td;

Thank you for your quick response.

I've already done what you suggested (I think).

Starting from 'scratch', with Notepad as the 'active' app., the right-side says 'Create Menu ...'.  When I click on it, the following file is created (in the ...\WinBatch\System folder):
  HwndWrapper[OmenCommandCenterBackground.exe;;9ef067b4-191c-47f8-92cd-3a5e4430ab5f].mnw.

I added my items to this file and everything works.  Specifically, I started and stopped Notepad several times.  Each time the right-side said "Edit Menu ..." (as it should), and all of its items (including mine) worked as they should.

However, I rebooted and things went back to "square one".  Specifically, when Notepad was the 'active app.', the right-side said "Create Menu ..." (vice "Make Menu ...") and clicking on it created the following new file (in the ...\WinBatch\System folder):
  HwndWrapper[OmenCommandCenterBackground.exe;;0dc9b61a-ea39-4f69-a867-9e906e931ca4].mnw.
This file only contains the default items.

How do I make Local PopMenus permanent?  (I.e., make them survive a reboot.)

Regards,
Harvey Solomon
DrWiseKing@comcast.net

[td]

On my Windows 11 system, when I start Notepad and launch PopMenu, it creates a file named "notepad.mnw". I then use the editor's "Save As" menu item to save the file to the directory specified in the "MenuDir=..." line of the popmenu.ini file. When I reboot the system and make Notepad the active application, Popmenu displays my modified contents of "notepad.mnw" when I left-click on Popmenu.

Your problem is that your application generates a new window class name with each launch. That is what some "managed apps" do. You would need to modify the main "popmenu.mnw" file by adding the menu items you want for your application. If your goal is to send keystrokes or whatnot to the application, you may need to figure out a different way to identify the target window. WinBatch offers multiple ways to accomplish this.

[drwiseking@comcast.net]

td,

Again, thanks for the quick response.

I agree - my problem is that my app (the same Notepad that you have) generates a new "windows class name" each time.

The issue is WHY and how to stop it.  I'm using the same Windows version (Win11) that you are (mine was installed by HP on my OmniDesk AI MO3-0054 - new: May 2025).

Obviously (since I'm asking for your help), I don't have the expertise to find/fix the problem myself.  For example, I don't have any idea how to "... figure out a different way to identify the target window" as you suggested.  Is the problem in my Windows or my WinBatch (or both) configurations?

I'm available to help, via email or phone, most afternoons (ET).

Regards,
Harvey Solomon
DrWiseKing@comcast.net

[td]

As far as I can tell, this is not a WinBatch problem nor a Windows problem. It is simply the way managed applications work sometimes. I am unable to replicate the issue with Notepad, so I am unsure how much assistance I can offer. You need to be sure you follow the steps I mentioned earlier, keeping in mind that the menu for an application only appears when the application has the input focus. 

[td]

Windows 11 underwent several iterations of the Notepad application after Notepad's conversion to a managed application. After several Windows updates that included Notepad fixes, MSFT finally got it to behave. It could be that your Windows 11 is not fully updated to the latest iteration of Windows 11 (and Notepad), and you have one of the versions that have the misbehaving Notepad managed application.

[drwiseking@comcast.net]

td,

According to several sources, I already have the latest version (24H2) of Windows 11 Home on my HP OmniDesk AI MO3-0054 desktop that I purchased in June of this year.

What else can I (or you, or anybody else) do?

Harvey

[td]

Windows 24H2 has received at least two major updates since its release, so having that version does not, in and of itself, mean you have the latest version.  That said, your version may not be the issue; it is but one possibility.

The reason for the speculation is that some versions of Notepad, as a managed application, declared themselves as an "immersive process." Popmenu does not create menus for immersive processes because they do not follow Windows desktop z-order rules.