Posted September 02, 2017
I have two very annoying problems with the Galaxy Client and GOG doesn't seem to care or consider them annoying enough and rather goes for cloud technology (dafug?) that I personallly do not want at all (tho I'm not against an option to export/backup my saves, games and settings to an external drive).
Great mimimi-start, eh? But I assure you, apart from these issues, I absolutely love the Galaxy Client - that's why I began looking for solutions on my own, that I want to share with you and while doing so make GOG look a bit sloppy for not caring about these tiny issues in what feels like ages. I consider myself rather patient, especially since I'm not forced to use the Client, but I'm a developer too and taking more than 6 months to fix very simple minor issue is just too long. If people in my department did this, I'd get very upset with them, since not caring for minor issues makes them stack up and become a huge problem at some point.
I'm German by the way - so I excel at complaining and I may sound pissed, when in reality I'm really cheerful writing this. Hope I don't trigger anyone ;D
I'll keep the title to this thread generic, so you guys may add your own solutions to yet unfulfilled wishes you might have. If any. Since, as far as I'm concerned, I really like the gradual evolution of the Galaxy Client so far.
Aaand I'll mark it as a question - if I'm just stupid and didn't find the options, please let me know.
-----------------------------------------------------
1. When using a dual display setup, negative window positions won't be restored when launching the Galaxy Client.
Bug report: http://mantis.gog.com/view.php?id=4587
Submit date: 2016-09-20 19:05
According to a reply by skeletonbow (reporter) on the bug tracker, the client never restores any positions - but I beg to differ, since on my main display the position always gets restored. Just when the position is negative (meaning I have the window on the left/secondary display) this negative number will be restored as 0, which is the left edge of the right/main display and always in the way of things. I don't like to have to move my windows eeevery single time I launch an application.
In this case the solution would probably be to just change the variable type from unsigned integer to signed integer - meaning the value loses half it's storage capacity on the positive side, but can accept negative numbers as well. Surely not too hard to do? If you're too busy to do such minor tasks along the way, please consider this wishlist entry: https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/open_source_the_galaxy_client
Enough frowning, hehe ;D now the solution.
1.1. Install AutoHotkey from https://autohotkey.com/
1.2. Create the following script
DetectHiddenText, On
Run, "E:\gog\GalaxyClient\GalaxyClient.exe"
WinWait, ahk_class GalaxyClientClass
WinActivate, ahk_class GalaxyClientClass
WinMove, -1520, 80
Exit
1.3. Replace my path to the GalaxyClient.exe with your own path **
1.4. Set the WinMove command to fit your needs *
1.5. Use the script to launch GOG Galaxy Client
* my setting of "-1520, 80" refers to position "80,80" in pixels from the top left of my 1600x1200 pixels secondary display. Since it's 1600 pixels wide, the "0,0" of that display is "-1600,0" relative to the main screen. If your secondary display is above your primary display, you need to set a negative value on the second argument. Just think of X and Y coordinates where "0,0" always refers to the upper left corner of your primary display.
AutoHotkey comes with a wonderful tool called "AutoIt3 Window Spy". Just find it in your Windows start menu and focus the Galaxy Client. Move it to your desired location and the Window Spy will tell you its coordinates right below ">>>>>>>>>>( Active Window Position )<<<<<<<<<<" :-)
** don't know that path? Two ways to get it:
A) While Galaxy Client is running, you may launch the task manager (right click task bar, then select "Start Task Manager") and go to process list. There look for "GalaxyClient.exe" » right click » select "open file location" and your Windows Explorer will open up, where you can copy the path from the address bar.
B) Right click your Galaxy Client icon/shortcut and select properties - there you'll see the path in the "Target" field.
Known issues:
- [FIXED] having this thread open, AutoHotkey may move your browser, since the title "GOG Galaxy Client" matches the title in the WinWait command (lol, looking into it rite nao)
- - Update: haha, not so easy using the WinTitle and WinText, since both, Galaxy Client and the Chrome browser, come as "Chrome Legacy Window" - funny! And interesting, hehe. But using the "ahk_class GalaxyClientClass" to match the window should be safe now :-)
- your tray icon may stick around until you hover your mouse over it (Windows ain't particularily good at tracking software state behind tray icons)
-----------------------------------------------------
2. The option to enable/disable "minimize to tray" is gone.
Bug report: http://mantis.gog.com/view.php?id=5256
Submit date: 2017-09-02 13:21
Yeah, I've just submitted this today, since in the past I considered this a well known issue. There are many wishlist entries for this one "to be implemented" or "to return". Just regard these:
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/not_minimize_to_system_tray
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/bring_back_disable_minimize_to_system_tray
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/return_the_option_to_exit_application_when_hitting_x_instead_of_minimize
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/option_to_disable_minimize_to_tray
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/restore_the_option_to_100_disable_minimize_to_tray
I mean come on now, GOG! Don't you read those anymore? By the way: I've just been whining in the comment section over there and found another bug, website related, where it will first automatically link and then double encode the links I've just posted (I didn't put the HTML code there... I wouldn't have added the <br /> inside the <a> (and if I did, I wouldn't have used a self closing element notation in an HTML5 context (that would've been XHTML style and, while allowed, rather uncommon in HTML5), in case you disagree)->(dear reader, here are some bonus points for you, if you managed to follow my parenthesis)). Do you need help with that? I consider myself quite decent when it comes to web development.
Anyhow, back to topic. If this is intentional, please note that it really is very bad style, since you're overriding the concious choice of people that chose Windows as their operating system, where the X always closes the application. To minimize an application there is the minimize button. I'm not chosing GOG over STEAM to have GOG copy all the bad style of STEAM.
Again, enough frowning, here's the solution...
2.1. Install AutoHotkey from https://autohotkey.com/
2.2. Create the following script
Process, Close, GalaxyClient.exe
Exit
2.3. Use the script to exit GOG Galaxy Client
Please note that this will "abruptly terminate" the process. Quote: "possibly interrupting its work at a critical point or resulting in the loss of unsaved data", Source: https://autohotkey.com/docs/commands/Process.htm
So better make sure the Client ain't updating or installing anything at the time - but if it's not minimized to tray, you'll see what it does anyways, right? And if this leads to some problems... well, the more damage, the better, because your reports will annoy GOG and may raise awareness :p
.oO(no that's not evil haxxorings - computers may crash any time anyways and the GOG Client needs to be able to handle such exceptions, so in fact we're doing some great quality assurance testing work here, höhö)
-----------------------------------------------------
Now. Thanks for your consideration. Please don't take offence :-)
Known downsides to my solutions are that they a) require a third party software (thi AutoHotkey is great, I assure you) and b) still require a double-click each, where a single click should suffice. Anyhow, it's better than the current ways of doing it:
- - [click + wait + move window] to launch
- - [click "show hidden icons" + right click + move cursor + left click on "Exit"] to close or
- - [set the tray icon to always show] + [right click + move cursor + left click on "Exit"] to close
Maybe I'll fetch myself some desktop widget that accepts shortcuts to those scripts and displays them as action buttons. Anyone tried such a thing yet? Suggestions?
Great mimimi-start, eh? But I assure you, apart from these issues, I absolutely love the Galaxy Client - that's why I began looking for solutions on my own, that I want to share with you and while doing so make GOG look a bit sloppy for not caring about these tiny issues in what feels like ages. I consider myself rather patient, especially since I'm not forced to use the Client, but I'm a developer too and taking more than 6 months to fix very simple minor issue is just too long. If people in my department did this, I'd get very upset with them, since not caring for minor issues makes them stack up and become a huge problem at some point.
I'm German by the way - so I excel at complaining and I may sound pissed, when in reality I'm really cheerful writing this. Hope I don't trigger anyone ;D
I'll keep the title to this thread generic, so you guys may add your own solutions to yet unfulfilled wishes you might have. If any. Since, as far as I'm concerned, I really like the gradual evolution of the Galaxy Client so far.
Aaand I'll mark it as a question - if I'm just stupid and didn't find the options, please let me know.
-----------------------------------------------------
1. When using a dual display setup, negative window positions won't be restored when launching the Galaxy Client.
Bug report: http://mantis.gog.com/view.php?id=4587
Submit date: 2016-09-20 19:05
According to a reply by skeletonbow (reporter) on the bug tracker, the client never restores any positions - but I beg to differ, since on my main display the position always gets restored. Just when the position is negative (meaning I have the window on the left/secondary display) this negative number will be restored as 0, which is the left edge of the right/main display and always in the way of things. I don't like to have to move my windows eeevery single time I launch an application.
In this case the solution would probably be to just change the variable type from unsigned integer to signed integer - meaning the value loses half it's storage capacity on the positive side, but can accept negative numbers as well. Surely not too hard to do? If you're too busy to do such minor tasks along the way, please consider this wishlist entry: https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/open_source_the_galaxy_client
Enough frowning, hehe ;D now the solution.
1.1. Install AutoHotkey from https://autohotkey.com/
1.2. Create the following script
DetectHiddenText, On
Run, "E:\gog\GalaxyClient\GalaxyClient.exe"
WinWait, ahk_class GalaxyClientClass
WinActivate, ahk_class GalaxyClientClass
WinMove, -1520, 80
Exit
1.4. Set the WinMove command to fit your needs *
1.5. Use the script to launch GOG Galaxy Client
* my setting of "-1520, 80" refers to position "80,80" in pixels from the top left of my 1600x1200 pixels secondary display. Since it's 1600 pixels wide, the "0,0" of that display is "-1600,0" relative to the main screen. If your secondary display is above your primary display, you need to set a negative value on the second argument. Just think of X and Y coordinates where "0,0" always refers to the upper left corner of your primary display.
AutoHotkey comes with a wonderful tool called "AutoIt3 Window Spy". Just find it in your Windows start menu and focus the Galaxy Client. Move it to your desired location and the Window Spy will tell you its coordinates right below ">>>>>>>>>>( Active Window Position )<<<<<<<<<<" :-)
** don't know that path? Two ways to get it:
A) While Galaxy Client is running, you may launch the task manager (right click task bar, then select "Start Task Manager") and go to process list. There look for "GalaxyClient.exe" » right click » select "open file location" and your Windows Explorer will open up, where you can copy the path from the address bar.
B) Right click your Galaxy Client icon/shortcut and select properties - there you'll see the path in the "Target" field.
Known issues:
- [FIXED] having this thread open, AutoHotkey may move your browser, since the title "GOG Galaxy Client" matches the title in the WinWait command (lol, looking into it rite nao)
- - Update: haha, not so easy using the WinTitle and WinText, since both, Galaxy Client and the Chrome browser, come as "Chrome Legacy Window" - funny! And interesting, hehe. But using the "ahk_class GalaxyClientClass" to match the window should be safe now :-)
- your tray icon may stick around until you hover your mouse over it (Windows ain't particularily good at tracking software state behind tray icons)
-----------------------------------------------------
2. The option to enable/disable "minimize to tray" is gone.
Bug report: http://mantis.gog.com/view.php?id=5256
Submit date: 2017-09-02 13:21
Yeah, I've just submitted this today, since in the past I considered this a well known issue. There are many wishlist entries for this one "to be implemented" or "to return". Just regard these:
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/not_minimize_to_system_tray
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/bring_back_disable_minimize_to_system_tray
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/return_the_option_to_exit_application_when_hitting_x_instead_of_minimize
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/option_to_disable_minimize_to_tray
- https://www.gog.com/wishlist/galaxy/restore_the_option_to_100_disable_minimize_to_tray
I mean come on now, GOG! Don't you read those anymore? By the way: I've just been whining in the comment section over there and found another bug, website related, where it will first automatically link and then double encode the links I've just posted (I didn't put the HTML code there... I wouldn't have added the <br /> inside the <a> (and if I did, I wouldn't have used a self closing element notation in an HTML5 context (that would've been XHTML style and, while allowed, rather uncommon in HTML5), in case you disagree)->(dear reader, here are some bonus points for you, if you managed to follow my parenthesis)). Do you need help with that? I consider myself quite decent when it comes to web development.
Anyhow, back to topic. If this is intentional, please note that it really is very bad style, since you're overriding the concious choice of people that chose Windows as their operating system, where the X always closes the application. To minimize an application there is the minimize button. I'm not chosing GOG over STEAM to have GOG copy all the bad style of STEAM.
Again, enough frowning, here's the solution...
2.1. Install AutoHotkey from https://autohotkey.com/
2.2. Create the following script
Process, Close, GalaxyClient.exe
Exit
Please note that this will "abruptly terminate" the process. Quote: "possibly interrupting its work at a critical point or resulting in the loss of unsaved data", Source: https://autohotkey.com/docs/commands/Process.htm
So better make sure the Client ain't updating or installing anything at the time - but if it's not minimized to tray, you'll see what it does anyways, right? And if this leads to some problems... well, the more damage, the better, because your reports will annoy GOG and may raise awareness :p
.oO(no that's not evil haxxorings - computers may crash any time anyways and the GOG Client needs to be able to handle such exceptions, so in fact we're doing some great quality assurance testing work here, höhö)
-----------------------------------------------------
Now. Thanks for your consideration. Please don't take offence :-)
Known downsides to my solutions are that they a) require a third party software (thi AutoHotkey is great, I assure you) and b) still require a double-click each, where a single click should suffice. Anyhow, it's better than the current ways of doing it:
- - [click + wait + move window] to launch
- - [click "show hidden icons" + right click + move cursor + left click on "Exit"] to close or
- - [set the tray icon to always show] + [right click + move cursor + left click on "Exit"] to close
Maybe I'll fetch myself some desktop widget that accepts shortcuts to those scripts and displays them as action buttons. Anyone tried such a thing yet? Suggestions?
Post edited September 02, 2017 by vertex
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