Fences 4.21 Snapshot Restore Fails to Correct Issue

from Stardock Forums

I am running Fences 4.21 installed from Steam and recently updated with the latest version after the following incident in an failed effort to recover.

I am using the Desktop Pages feature extensively, keeping hundreds of installed games desktop shortcuts organized into multiple fences across 6 pages.  My default desktop/monitor and game resolution (where possible) are set to 1920x1080.  As long as I only run 1920x1080 games, all is well with the world.

However, if I run a full screen game that defaults to a lower resolution (before I can alter it to 1920x1080 if even possible), Fences kicks most of my shortcuts out of their respective fences and returns them to the main desktop, where they fail to even fit since there are too many to fit the screen.  This happens with most if not all of the lower resolutions commonly used by older or even ancient games (I am a collector).

All fence's sizes are configured to just fit their contained icons and are not rollups, and at least some of the fences are large enough that they would not even fit on a screen with a lower than 1920x1080 size, so I can understand the complexity or impossibility of dealing with the issue.  However, if I run FENCES and attempt to restore a prior snapshot that appears to represent my shortcuts not being crammed on a single desktop page to fix the issue, though it accepts the restore request without issue, nothing changes, and the shortcuts remain fenceless and crammed on the normal desktop.

Any words of wisdom to prevent me from having to manually move hundreds of shortcuts back to their mostly empty fences on multiple desktop pages?

I am running Windows 11 23H2 OS Build 22631.4541 with the following Debug Log captured after the event and restoration attempt...

===Fences MultiMon Debug Log===

===Time: ld, UpTime ld===

 

===Display Devices===

Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1\Monitor0, ID: \\?\DISPLAY#GSM5B8E#5&138f1f04&0&UID4354#{e6f07b5f-ee97-4a90-b076-33f57bf4eaa7}, Key: \Registry\Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e96e-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0001, String: Generic PnP Monitor, State: 3, (0, 0 / 1920 x 1080)

 

===Monitors (1; 0,0; 1920x1080)===

Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1, IsPrimary: 1, DPI: 96, (0, 0 / 1920 x 1080)

 

===Groups===

0-2|97|47|1726|302|0|Steam` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|3|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{72EBB155-A413-498F-BFF9-4B8763AD07A7} |

1-3|92|46|1726|227|0|EA` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|4|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{9C96F8C0-D40C-4412-9FAC-56360B32858E} |

2-4|955|47|750|152|0|Battle.Net` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|0|0|255|0|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{F86BC269-6334-4411-AB60-C7F0F8ED3867} |

3-5|266|47|675|77|0|Launchers` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|0|0|255|0|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{C7A12205-6483-4A86-A05F-34D7FF25AE9C} |

4-6|95|49|750|77|0|Amazon`Games` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|5|` |-1|0|0|1|0|{2B5F5DB5-4373-4A0F-88EE-5FA3937B01B4} |

5-7|98|47|1726|602|0|Epic`Games`1` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|1|` |-1|0|0|0|2|{4FC867AE-9889-47B2-AD7B-DA145BED0F4F} |

6-8|1620|49|202|77|0|Rockstar`Games` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|5|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{22523073-7B28-4F96-90E0-D08E2504A7F0} |

7-9|858|49|750|77|0|Ubisoft`Connect` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|5|` |-1|0|0|1|0|{6BFA59BF-6648-482C-96D2-CA62FB9A32DE} |

8-10|858|175|750|77|0|GOG`Galaxy` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|0|0|255|5|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{3E38481A-7B55-436E-9C93-7932422E3712} |

9-11|97|49|1726|602|0|Epic`Games`2` |\\.\DISPLAY1` |0|0|1920|1080|1|0|255|2|` |-1|0|0|0|0|{59E8FDB2-11A3-4DB3-B16D-BD9134C90728} |

 

===Settings===

AdjustGroupsForResolution=1

AdjustGroupsForResolution_FollowPrimary=0

StoreGroupDataPerResolution=-1

ResolutionLast=[0|0|1920|1080|1|\\.\DISPLAY1];

Moved to Fences area

stardock software fences
3,262 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Partially Resolved!  I had recently added the DESKTOP folder in Microsoft Onedrive for backup to the cloud, not realizing this actually moved all the files on my PC into a different Onedrive folder.  Once I returned all files in the Onedrive version of the DESKTOP directory back to its normal location under C:\Users\..., the recovery mechanism of FENCES returned all shortcuts to their normal fence location, clearing my main desktop.

The resolution change issue remains, unless that is also associated with the Onedrive reconfiguration change.

I am currently abandoning Onedrive once I undo all the harm it has caused.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Yes, It is known issue with Onedrive Desktop sync causing the missing icons or icons drop off from it assigned Fences. As for the issue on changing resolution, it look like, this issue was resolved with the Fences new layout engine introduced in Fences 5.5: Refer here: https://forums.stardock.com/528229. You should do a 30 days free trial and see if your issue resolved with the current Fences v5.

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks for the quick response.  My last post for the benefit of any Fences user discovering this thread...no Stardock response expected.

I uninstalled Microsoft OneDrive after manually relocating all OneDrive backed up files (including my Desktop) back to their normal default directories to ensure that the OneDrive uninstall would do no additional harm.  This had fixed the Fences "Snapshot Restore" issue and averted my need to manually move hundreds of icons back to their correct Fences!

Given the Stardock response provided, I also altered my Fences 4.21 configuration from "Preserve my desktop layout by scaling my Fence groups" to "Store my Fence group positions on a per-screen-resolution basis".  This appears to behave better after temporary changes of the desktop screen resolution due to running an antiquated game in "Full Screen" (i.e., not windowed) mode.  Only my Windows 11 desktop page's non-Fenced icons are subject to getting new screen positions within the boundaries of the lower resolution, and this is easily dealt with due to the small number relocated.  All Fences on all Fences "Desktop Pages" are unaffected (or return to correct positioning and icon content after being invisibly affected).

I will look into a Fences 5 upgrade at some future time.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Great, glad you resolved your issue.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant