Hot Tracking issue - Is this a bug or just an annoying feature

[Andy123]

Hi

A new windows 7 x64 user. Just trying to get used to it.
I absolutely like the Hot Tracking feature coupled with Aero.
However, I have begun to notice an issue with this which
confuses me a lot on regular basis.

Lets say I have 4 windows open with the following hot tracking
colors - Red Green Blue & Yellow (RGBY )

The Red window is the active one so I get a reddish hot tracking
color. Now f I hover over to the Blue windows taskbar icon,
it illuminates bluish while the Red icon gets a whitish sheen.
But if I move the mouse away from the taskbar, the Blue
illumination sticks. Shouldn't it reset back to normal since
I didn't click on it? And the Red Active window's taskbar icon
get back its Reddish illumination? It doesn't do either of these.

This little thing bugs me because it almost always confuses me
as to which is the active window. Is this a bug or just an annoying
side-effect overlooked by the MS team? Can this be rectified?

Thanks!

 

[fseal]

It absolutely should work the way you think it should. Moving the cursor off the task bar or off any icons on the task bar should return the icons to their normal non highlighted state.

So the issue your having is at least somewhat specific to your machine. As to what's causing it, that's a bit puzzling :/

It /may/ be your video driver, but... it may also be a mouse or mouse driver problem. Or an issue with another program stealing mouse input or.. ???

Does it do it EVERY time or only now and then?

Also, if you move the mouse off the task bar and the highlighting sticks, does it go away when you click the desktop or any other program?

 

[Andy123]

Hi fseal

Thank for replying. I am carefully noticing now. It seems to be doing it intermittently.
Just after rebooting, I tried to recreate the state of taskbar after several programs are
opened. It is working fine. (!!)

Also I noticed that when it has that issue, it doesn't show the Taskbar Aero Peek which it
normally does perfectly.

Also, if you move the mouse off the task bar and the highlighting sticks, does it go away when you click the desktop or any other program?

No, it does not go away. That is why it creates the problem. You may click & work in the
active window & this fake-active-window just sits there trying to lure you in
If I glide my mouse along the taskbar & then take it off, the last icon to have the mouse
hover over it will have it hot-tracking color stick.

Right now, as it seems to be working alright (even taskbar aero peek working flawlessly)
I can see that Hot-tracking color is not meant to stick anywhere! Not even the active window,
unless the mouse is over it. Maybe this is happening after long hours of usage in addition to
all the x86 XP programs I use. No idea.

Is there a way to change the active windows taskbar highlight
color or make its taskbar icon depressed?
The whitish sheen is confusing even when it is working alright.
Right now, I am having a wallpaper which has a water stream
flowing down the center. This is making the center icons on the
taskbar look just like the highlighted one.

 

[Bongo]

Is there a way to change the active windows taskbar highlight
color or make its taskbar icon depressed?
The whitish sheen is confusing even when it is working alright.
Right now, I am having a wallpaper which has a water stream
flowing down the center. This is making the center icons on the
taskbar look just like the highlighted one.

Yes there is, I can make you a custom theme where I change the taskbar buttons and remove that whitish sheen for the active window. Take a look at this thread http://www.sevenforums.com/themes-styles/123841-solved-active-inactive-windows-too-similar-aero.html starting from post #3 or 4 I changed the button for this particular person.
If this is something you would be interested in let me know.
Jerry

 

[Andy123]

Hi Jerry
Does this require patching & stuff?
Thanks.

 

[Bongo]

Yes you will need to do 1 of these 2 ways of Enabling custom themes for it to work.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/34579-enabling-custom-themes-windows-7-a.html
Or
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/28377-theme-how-apply-custom-themes.html?filter

You could use that theme in that other thread or I can make 1 for you it's your choice.
Let me know
Jerry

 

[Andy123]

Hii Jerry. Thanks buddy for your kind help. I am still setting up my system so I would much rather that I do the patching/modifying stuff a lil later. Thanks a ton for the help though. Rain check?

 

[Bongo]

You're Welcome, if you need help later on just ask.
Jerry