Sudden controls display problems

[Andrzejek]

We have a group of people working on the same, rather large, system in VB6. A lot of forms, modules, etc. We work on any changes, additions, make an executable (almost daily) for users to use (on Citrix). All of it was working OK for years, but now for last couple of days some forms and controls do not repaint/refresh like they used to before. MSHFlexGrid ‘disappears’, it looks like a whole on the form, I have to add .Redraw = True to see it, some frames show controls that are ‘under’ the frame, even if I do .ZOrder to put the frame on top of other controls. MonthView (calendar) control – once shown, doesn’t want to ‘go away’ and a part of its image stays on the form, etc. It just works and looks ‘weird’ (if that’s acceptable decryption).

I did check the refresh rate for the monitors, and they are the way they’ve always been.

My machine works OK, like it always did, but others have this problem. So 1 computer out of 5 works OK.

Are you aware of any Windows updates lately that could create this problem? That’s just my suspicion because I cannot think of anything else that could create it.


Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

 

[tedsmith]

I had a similar type problems using Windows 7 when you select Aero desktop.
In fact I gave up using labels and use a rich text box instead with Win 7 because the text in labels can flicker when you update them'
Maybe someone has changed your Desktop theme?
Set it to Classic and try again.

 

[CP60]

I have seen things load or refresh much slower since the most recent round of Windows 7 updates - but not with just VB6 programs.
It seems to "hesitate" longer before executing the task, and that on more than one machine.

 

[dilettante]

This sounds more like a Citrix failure than anything else. The symptoms make no sense otherwise.

Monitor refresh rate? Sure you were kidding about that one!

 

[Andrzejek]

Users use the EXE thru Citrix, but all of us (developers) use it straight on our machines (we usually do not go thru Citrix). That’s why I eliminated Citrix (for now) in my quest and concentrate only on our few developers’ machines.

Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

 

[tedsmith]

Exactly that problem you mentioned about parts of pictures underneath frames showing through them happens on one of my machines using Windows7 Pro 64 but not on one using Home version 32 The same exe was OK on an XP machine
It only happens if desktop theme is set to anything but Windows Classic (such as a pretty desktop picture)
No updates have been made since the original (DEL OEM) about 1 year ago.

Some controls like Image controls exhibit it but others do not.

 

[dilettante]

Does this happen to a program using the Common Controls version 6 assembly?

<dependency> 
    <dependentAssembly> 
        <assemblyIdentity 
            type="win32" 
            name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls" 
            version="6.0.0.0" 
            processorArchitecture="X86" 
            publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df" 
            language="*" 
        /> 
    </dependentAssembly> 
</dependency>

 

[Andrzejek]

I don’t think the problem is because of desktop Windows settings. We get new computers every few years and it is too much of a headache to keep changing Windows settings to anything else. So we do not touch those at all, we keep them as much ‘default’ as we can. Besides, we try to have the same setup on all of our developers’ machines, (and match the Citrix servers settings) it makes our life a lot easier.

But what I have noticed with this latest problem: everything is OK until I get the latest version of just one Form. Seams that this one form creates the problem of ‘goofy’ display. My computer was OK (when others’ start to have display problem) until I got the latest version of that Form. Now, even if I go to the previous version of that Form, I still have the display problem. There is nothing ‘special’ about that Form, it has been around for years without any problems.

Is it possible some OCX’s got corrupted and that spreads to other computers?


Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

 

[dilettante]

everything is OK until I get the latest version of just one Form

What does it mean to "get" a Form, let alone its "latest version?"

This all sounds really strange, like a faulty source management system.

 

[Andrzejek]

We keep all applications in Vault (SourceGear product) and it has a version control feature. I can check forms/modules/etc. out, in, get the latest version of anything in Vault, get previous version(s), etc. It is our ‘library’ where we keep all applications that we develop (plus all documentation).

Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

 

[Andrzejek]

Looks like the main culprit was MSFlexGrid and/or MSHFlexGrid. It did not refresh or redrew its contents after populating or re-populating. So a few [tt]MSHFlexGrid.Redrew = True[/tt] in a few places seams to do the trick. Why it suddenly started to happen? Who knows...

Have fun.

---- Andy

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.