Trombettworks software

Registration - related questions:
Q: Why have you renamed FD from Free Desktops to Flash Desktops? And what does this imply?
- and -
Q: My registration files were supposed to be enabled for FD2 but they don't work!
I have renamed it just because some people complained about the word "Free", since the program was not freeware anymore.

This implies absolutely nothing: if you were a registered user for Free Desktops you are a registered user for Flash Desktops.

The registration files I have sent to all the users who paid with the credit card, and to all the ones who registered when the program was quasi-freeware, were all supposed to be enabled for FD2.

Now the problem is that I had to change the format of the registration files when I built FD2 (now it is a single file, not a couple of files anymore) so the old registration files will NOT work with FD2, unfortunately.

I have already distributed the new (single-file) registration file via email to all the registered users. If you were supposed to be registered for FD2 but you haven't, for any reason, received your new file please contact me.

There are still some registered users of the old times (who registered when there was version 1.20.X out) who still don't have their registration files; and I seem unable to contact them. If you are one of them please write me.

Q: Is it possible to buy version 1.32.16 now?
No, sorry. The current version is 2.xx.xx and it's the only one which is sold now, and the only one which is supported.

Q: Should I register now or wait further versions?
If you like the program as it's now you should register now.
Furthermore please notice that there are currently no new main releases planned after Flash Desktops 2: if there are improvments they will only be minor ones.

Registrations bought now will be valid up to version 3.x included.
As I said I'm not even sure that there will be a version 3.x, so you are most probably registered forever.

Technical support questions:

- Please ensure you have the latest version: FD version 2.
- FD1 is not supported anymore: everyone should upgrade to FD2 because it's much better there are no reasons for not doing that.
- To ask for technical support please write to the forum.

Q: Windows 2000 prevents FD from focusing the correct window when I switch desktop: I only see the the window flashing.
Windows 2000 has got this "feature" which Microsoft made in order to avoid nasty application taking the focus while the user is working elsewhere (there is a timeout after last user input). The problem is that they were so sure about doing the right thing that they did not provide a real override for programmers, which where very sure too :)

I did what I could and FD already behaves better than the majority of the other VDMs. There was another improvement about this in version 2.16.10: upgrade if you have a previous version.

If it's not enough the best thing you can do is setting the hotkey called "Cycle overlapped windows topmost to foreground" (and its companion maybe). That one will allow you to quicly set the focus for the window you like, without moving the hands from the keyboard.

Q: I have Gator installed, and I DO STILL lose Internet Explorer windows of other desktops when an IE popup is generated, like it was when I was using Free Desktops 1.x.
When you THINK you are using an Internet Explorer window (iexplore.exe), but you have Gator installed, you are in facts using Explorer.exe window (by Windows Explorer).
Don't you believe me? Focus an Internet Explorer window and then use the FindWindow hotkey to find it in the list of "All wnds in the OS": the processname will be "explorer.exe" and not "iexplore.exe".

This is a special trick of Gator: IE is so well integrated into the system that explorer is able to work exactly like it, and in facts if you launch "explorer /internet" from the commandline you will have an explorer window which has the shape of Internet Explorer (this is true even without Gator).

There are a few workarounds in order not to lose windows anymore:

- Uninstall Gator, or at least close it and restart all your browsers.

- FD2 default settings use the moveaway technique only for "iexplore.exe" windows. If you want to keep Gator installed you can avoid losing those IE-like windows by using moveaway for "explorer.exe" too. Add "explorer.exe" in the moveaway processes (Hooks page). Remember that moveaway windows will be switched slower, though. Maybe I will add title-matching for moveaway windows in the future so that it will be possible to use the slow moveaway technique only for those windows called "Microsoft Internet Explorer".

Other:
Q: I have tried to upgrade the Free Desktops program with a newer version, but it behaves like before.
You need to shut down any running FD before attempting an upgrade which overwrites the installation.
If you don't do this the executable file will remain unchanged. You can check which version is really running using the "About" button.

This was particularly true with Free Desktops 1.x. In facts the installer of FD2 should give you an error message if you try to install another versions while an instance of Flash Desktops 2 is running.

Q: Your manual is difficult to read!
Sorry, my first language is not English. If you can provide me the "translation" into real English for some chapters (for free! :-) you can post them to me at my email address and I will post them to the site so that other people can read them. I have currently received none. Check here later.

Q: Are you a male or female programmer? With a name like Gabriele is hard to tell...
Male. Yep! The Italian correspondent for Gabriel is Gabriele, the female is Gabriella.

Yours sincerely,
The Programmer