Matt's Solution Running StrokeIt on Windows 10

Update:
For clarification, this is how I currently have StrokeIt running on Windows 10:

- Find the StrokeIt.exe (C:\Program Files (x86)\TCB Networks\StrokeIt\strokeit.exe) and enable Windows XP SP3 compatibility. For good measure, I also enabled "Run this program as an Administrator". I did this for All Users by clicking the "Change settings for all users"

I also found that it would not start automatically after the aforementioned. I tried copying the .exe to the startup folder, playing with permissions, playing with the settings within the application, etc. but finally decided on the script route.

- Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
- Create a new .VBS and paste the following:

Dim objShell
Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" )
objShell.Run("""C:\Program Files (x86)\TCB Networks\StrokeIt\strokeit.exe""")
Set objShell = Nothing

After saving the file, everything should work normally pre-Win8/10

Woo. Mention. Thank-you!

Hallo,

thanks to Matt for the script.
Another problem is, that still appears the message
(translated from German, may be different in English)
"Do you allow that this app makes changes on your PC"
So I would like to extend the script to close that message.

Dim objShell
Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" )
objShell.Run("""C:\Program Files (x86)\TCB Networks\StrokeIt\strokeit.exe""")
Set objShell = Nothing

Extend above:

Time delay 5 Sec.
Arrow left (changes the message text from no to yes)
Enter

Who can help me to extend the script?
Thank you!

Hi,

I'm not sure what problem this solution fixes.

But I may have found another one : strokeit winminimize changes the normal window z-order, with the minimized window getting stuck "always on top" (on my Win 10 Pro).

I didn't see that mentioned on this forum and spent quite a while tracing the pb back to strokeit.

Solution : as for a number of things that are a bit broken in Strokeit, Autohotkey can help. I use this script:
^!+n::PostMessage 0x112, 0xF020, , , A

with Strokeit sending Ctrl+Alt+Shift+n on the minimize gesture

I had this problem also. The solution above didn't work. I only upgraded from Win7 to Win10. Then I clean installed Win10 and StrokeIt runs properly. :)

Please, is there a better way to fix the "Stuck on Top" issue when using Minimize command? I would like to avoid installing another program just for one use-case.
Maybe using some plugin? There must be hundreds of people affected by this issue.

EDIT:
Ok in order to fix this I'm willing to do anything now.
@Ben could you please describe how to configure AutoHotkey to make it minimize current window? Thank you.

EDIT_2:
After some experiments I found another solution:
1) for minimize gesture create first command "Keys - hotkey" with hotkey: "Ctrl + Alt + Escape" (this will disable On top attribute)
2) for the same minimize gesture create second command with normal "Widnows - Minimize"



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2017 03:52AM by icl7126.

Cool, this small change solved my problem!
Thank you!

After setting StrokeIt to run in Windows XP compatibility mode, does it still have any problems in Windows 10? If there are still problems, please list some examples...

https://techfries.co/disable-narrator-windows/

Hello,
I am happy using StrokeIt since almost 10 years. My recent Windows 10 experience is not entirely perfect. The program doesn't start up automatically should be started manually each time you open your computer.
I have changed the compatibility for WinXP 3 and I have tried Matts Solution with an ......vbs file on startup and is not working, certainly I am missing something..A detailed step by step description of this procedure would be very much appreciated..
More than that, when I manually start the program, It shows me Unrecognized Gesture panel each time I am drawing my usual gestures and I have to Import again the already imported configuration..It seems it doesn't see it or remember it even is displayed correctly in the configuration panel.
Thank you in advance for any help!

Hi,
I found a solution for the "always on top" window issue when minimizing.
Replace the minimize command with:
Command: WinMsg - Post Message
Send message to: current window
Message Id: WM_SYSCOMMAND
WParam: 61472
LParam: (emtpy)

It's very strange because I've been using Strokeit for almost 2 years on Windows 10 no problem, and only now out of nowhere the "Always on top" issue occurred for me. But thanks to m.agostini, it works fine now.

Hi m.agostini,
I'm a StrokeIt newbie, but have been using it for years. The focus to back window has been a real problem for me for a while, so am keen to try your solution.

Would you be able to elaborate on where I could configure this please?
I searched through the StrokeIt folder looking for a config file - there are a few - and am wondering how/where to paste in your Minimize override statements.
Thank you for any help,

Steve

@Steve

for the window minimize gesture, you simply need to replace the minimize command by selecting it then select "WinMsg - Post Message" from the drop down and then fill in the rest of the details there.

@m.agostini

thanks for the solution!

Hi.
sorry for my bad english.
I used m.agostini's solution but program still back to always on top.
My solution is replace it with hotkeys, for all progran have minimize oftion the hotkey is alt + space then "n". for some progam don't have minimize oftion, you need a hotkey program, i use winhotkey, you can download it here https://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Launchers-Shutdown-Tools/WinHotKey.shtml
i want winhotkey to: control current window
make the current window: minize to taskbar

note: config command in strokeit before make new hotkey :d

was using agostini "WinMsg - post message" solution but not sure if related to the lastest windows 10 updates, but the issue is more pronounced resonantly and the fix isn't working

im surpised the "always on top flag" is getting set with a WinMsg WM_SYSCOMMAND command for minimize and nothing else, why doesn't the issue happen with maximize than? would love someone to debug this
------------------------
for now

have switched to "send keystrokes"
[ALT_DOWN][SPACE_DOWN]n[SPACE_UP][ALT_UP]

however, it doesn't work on all programs as some don't allow (or capture) alt-space

I've been trying to understand for two years why my windows keep getting stuck on top! I even just did a clean install of Windows 10 in the hope that it would solve the issue. I'm so glad I found this thread and that I'm not the only with this issue.

Sadly, for me, neither m.agostini's nor icl7126's solutions work!

What are people's current workarounds?

I like noxis' solution, but like they've said, it doesn't work with all programs, and in particular it conflicts with the new Windows PowerToys, which bring up a search bar when you press alt+space.

in specific program profiles, you can set the "/ down" gesture to perform a different action, which will override the global "/ down" gesture for the specific program. that will workaround any conflicts.

Another windows 10 issue/question... has anyone else experienced monitor-specific behavior differences? Have been a long-time strokeit user on Win10 but just got a new laptop and have this issue:

On my external monitor and ONLY in Outlook gestures start way off to the left of where my mouse cursor is and insert a big horizontal stroke into all gestures.

For example I have / set to minimize. It works fine for all apps. It works fine in outlook on my laptop screen. But when outlook or any outlook window is on my monitor it registers /- instead. Really bizarre!

I see a displacement of the "colored line" when I draw a gesture on my second monitor, which I attribute to the different resolution. I don't see app-specific behaviors such as you describe though.

I've tried many ways, but all of them have problems.

We solved it in the following way, so I hope it helps.

Use the run autohotkey exe file.

-------------------
#NoTrayIcon

MouseGetPos,,, aID
WinGetClass, Class, ahk_id %aID%
If Class not in Progman, Shell_TrayWnd
WinMinimize, ahk_id %aID%
-------------------
save run.ahk
and compile run.ahk to run.exe
stroke it run 'run.exe' when /Down !!!