Scroll Lock always when enabled when WinAmp has focus
 

Every time I switch to the WinAmp screen on my laptop, the Scroll Lock constantly changes state (enabled/disabled), meaning that the Alt+Tab is constantly blocked, which is rather a nuisance. To correct this issue, I have to constantly click on the Scroll Lock key to avoid this blockage. It essentially occurs as follows:

Outside WinAmp: Scroll Lock OFF --> WinAmp Focus: Scroll Lock ON --> Alt+Tab: FAILS --> Scroll Lock: SET TO OFF --> Alt+Tab: WORKS
Outside WinAmp: Scroll Lock ON --> WinAmp Focus: Scroll Lock OFF --> Alt+Tab: FAILS --> Scroll Lock: SET TO ON --> Alt+Tab: WORKS

However, I found out that this only occurs when there is media playing (music, video, web radio, etc.) and I'm in Visualisation mode.

Is this something done intentionally in WinAmp, or is this some unknown problem?

Either way, I'd like to know some way to resolve this matter if at all possible.

Thanks for your help!

the only thing i can think off is that you've got the Milkdrop visualisation running and that will alter the scroll lock button state as required.

have a look at http://www.nullsoft.com/free/milkdrop/milkdrop.html and search for 'ENTRY 3' which i think should be the cause of what you're seeing.

-daz

It partly is the problem, but MilkDrop will still switch Scroll Lock back on if I try to use Alt+Tab in visualisation mode.

Is there anyway in changing the way MilkDrop works so this is not the case? I mean, Windows Media Player and Real Media Player (and others I suppose, but I listed these two as I use them) don't function like this, so how come MilkDrop operates as such?

Anyway to go about this?

other than changing Milkdrop to not control the scroll lock to show the current random mode.

as for why Milkdrop does this, i think it's from it also being used in situations other than home use where it's good to know if presets are selected randomly or not (VJ'ing i think) plus it's been in the plug-in since before Winamp 5.x when there was no indicator available in the skin in use (still not the case for classic skins) to know if random was enabled or not.

it shouldn't be too hard to add an option to allow it to be disabled but i can't say what client release that would happen for.

[edit]
just tried it and i think i've implemented something - default behaviour is what is currently offered but with the prevent the Prevent milkdrop from controlling the scroll lock key [default: OFF] option checked the scroll lock button state will not be adjusted so if already off it'll stay off and i think it still allows for the random state to be altered with that key as well so as not to break things too much.

-daz

Okay, I've noticed something:

With "Start milkdrop with preset lock [scroll lock key] ON" set to FALSE (unticked), the following happens:

Outside WinAmp: Scroll Lock OFF --> Inside Vis: Scroll Lock OFF --> Alt+Tab: WORKS
Outside WinAmp: Scroll Lock ON --> Inside Vis: Scroll Lock OFF --> Alt+Tab: FAILS --> Scroll Lock: SET TO ON --> Alt+Tab: WORKS

So part of the problem has been solved now; the problem now only occurs IF Scroll Lock is ON when outside of WinAmp.

-----

I tried doing the thing you mentioned in the last paragraph, but I can't find that option in WinAmp, where is it located?

you won't have the last part as i've only just implemented it into the milkdrop plug-in hence the and i think i've implemented something in my edit to the post ;)

-daz

Ah right, sorry.

Was a late night last night, probably skipped that or didn't understand entirely.

But thanks for your help anyway, much appreciated! :D

So would this be part of the next update or something?

correct, it won't be available until the next client release as the current internal milkdrop version is dependant upon some other changes in winamp.exe so can't be released just as a standalone patch.

-daz

Cool, thanks for update! (sorry for the disappearance, been busy with assignments).

It seems this wasn't fixed in 5.58, unless you meant not till v6?

A small improvement seems that if you have random off, Alt-Tab works correctly. But if random is on, you're lucky if you can get Alt-Tab to work. It seems to only work once out of every 3-4 times. Then again, I keep getting the annoying Scroll Lock message on my screen (because of the keyboard I use). :hang:

you need to enable the option in the milkdrop preferences for things to change (as mentioned further up the thread).

-daz

I've looked for the "Prevent milkdrop from controlling the scroll lock key [default: OFF]" option, but that doesn't show up for me. Or am I missing something?

Sorry to be a pain on this. lol. Most of the time, I can figure stuff out instantly without help, but this isn't one of those times. And if this helps, Winamp is reporting that I have v2.21 and I'm running v5.581. The only area that mentions the "Scroll Lock" button is the "Start milkdrop with preset lock [scroll lock key] ON". :/

it turns out my patch never made it into the 5.58x branch so you're unfortunately going to have to wait for the next client release.

-daz

That sucks. I had a feeling something like that happened when I couldn't find that option. Patiently waiting for the next release.

it didn't help that my local version still had the adjusted version so when i'd looked i'd seen it there - it wasn't until i had to do some patches for 2.21 to resolve some unicode display issues introduced into the plug-in that it became obvious the patch wasn't in the distro build.

-daz

Just was wondering, did this get into v5.59 Beta? ;)

should be though it's easier to know if you try it out :)

-daz