Windows app behaves oddly when windows is closed
randall.blank says:
If you close the RTM window (as opposed to quitting) and don't notice the little popup from the systray (as I failed to do multiple times), you'll probably think the app has exited. That's a common expectation for Windows users.
As such, you'd also expect that launching RTM from the Start menu would bring it back. But it doesn't, leaving one to think that the process is still running (correct) because it didn't close properly (wrong, but the confusion is understandable). And like many a battle-scarred Windows user, you head for Task Manager and kill all of the RTM processes so you can run it again. Which is pointless, because it was available from the systray all along.
Why this matters: most Windows programs exit when you close the window, and the ones that *don't* (including RTM) are hidden in the systray where they're easily overlooked. Compare this with the behavior of Mac apps that remain in the dock even after their windows have been closed, making them easy to return to.
It *is* possible to emulate the Mac behavior on Windows; Slack and Spotify act as if they're minimized when you "close" their windows, leaving them accessible from the Task Bar. I think that behavior is worth having on Windows — even if it's not standard — just because it makes things easier even if you didn't expect it.
As such, you'd also expect that launching RTM from the Start menu would bring it back. But it doesn't, leaving one to think that the process is still running (correct) because it didn't close properly (wrong, but the confusion is understandable). And like many a battle-scarred Windows user, you head for Task Manager and kill all of the RTM processes so you can run it again. Which is pointless, because it was available from the systray all along.
Why this matters: most Windows programs exit when you close the window, and the ones that *don't* (including RTM) are hidden in the systray where they're easily overlooked. Compare this with the behavior of Mac apps that remain in the dock even after their windows have been closed, making them easy to return to.
It *is* possible to emulate the Mac behavior on Windows; Slack and Spotify act as if they're minimized when you "close" their windows, leaving them accessible from the Task Bar. I think that behavior is worth having on Windows — even if it's not standard — just because it makes things easier even if you didn't expect it.
randall.blank says:
(That should have been "window" singular in the title)
andrewski (Remember The Milk) says:
Hi randall.blank,
Thanks for reporting this! I’ve added this to our list to investigate.
Sorry for the inconvenience here!
Thanks for reporting this! I’ve added this to our list to investigate.
Sorry for the inconvenience here!
devarni says:
I agree.
It would be good to have an additional option in the menu: close and exit. If the main window is closed there should be a message box displayed (with a checkbox "don't show it again") that the app is now running in the background.
It would be good to have an additional option in the menu: close and exit. If the main window is closed there should be a message box displayed (with a checkbox "don't show it again") that the app is now running in the background.
andrewski (Remember The Milk) says:
Hi devarni,
The behavior described is an issue with resuming the app from the Taskbar or Start Menu, which will be addressed.
I’ve passed your idea about the Notification Area icon on to our development team though—thanks for both of your feedbacks!
The behavior described is an issue with resuming the app from the Taskbar or Start Menu, which will be addressed.
I’ve passed your idea about the Notification Area icon on to our development team though—thanks for both of your feedbacks!
scormsby says:
I'm so glad i found this post. I pinned RTM to my task bar and when i closed the window i assumed it closed. so when i hit it on the task bar again I assumed it had crashed. Now i know to look in the system tray. Can it be set to reopen if you have it in your task bar/start menu?
andrewski (Remember The Milk) says:
Hi scormsby,
“Can it be set to reopen if you have it in your task bar/start menu?”
This is not expected behavior, so we have this on our list to investigate. Sorry again for the inconvenience!
“Can it be set to reopen if you have it in your task bar/start menu?”
This is not expected behavior, so we have this on our list to investigate. Sorry again for the inconvenience!
welred says:
Also glad I found this post. I couldn't figure out why the app wouldn't launch -- it was hiding in the sys tray all along!