Actually I have a partial correction to what I said above. I have two installs of RF2, a main one and the VEC one. I forgot I had enabled Windowed mode for just one of them. I checked a few hours ago and enabled Windowed mode for both installs now, and I haven't experienced the Alt-TAB problem since then. Windowed mode used to give me really bad framerates, so I didn't use it, but since a few builds it's been completely fine. I notice no difference in FPS.
This bug has been discussed on the designated track thread on these forums. It's my understanding that it happens only on Nvidia GTX 900 series card, with this track only. No one knows why, but it's an example where 3rd party track is the cause of the bug. When you have a heavily moddable platform, then the mods themselves are also bound to cause some issues.
http://www.howtogeek.com/181761/why-pc-games-struggle-with-alttab-and-how-to-fix-it/ In my case alt tab works OK when playing offline and fails online after a variable number of alt+tab. We don't have full screen windowed mode or not at least for all graphic cards. I can see a borderless option but I cannot select it for unknown reasons. According to the article it is clear that is a code problem and appears to be quite common. Alt+Tab is clearly a known bug and as so should be included in the known issues section and sorted out in upcoming builds. This bug is a showstopper as it can be easily understood. There are many circumstances why being able to return from desktop to game is required. - stupid programs wanting to update or simply grabbing focus. - attending teamspeak - attending remote server when administrating a race. Enviado desde mi GT-I9505 mediante Tapatalk
Just saying: rF2 never automatically minimizes, it's quite obvious it's something running in the background stealing the focus. http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsxp/ht/stealingfocus02.htm Buy a decent system capable to run heavy apps as rF2, disable stupid anti-virus and malwares, useless windows tasks (there's quite thousands of them running by default and can steal the focus as well) and avoid to press the ALT+****ING+TAB if you know that you cannot recovery by that. Too much whining. In addition: some VIDEO DRIVER CRASHES can behaviour exactly like rF2 minimizing, so you think it's an ALT+TAB issue but it's not. If you want to make this sure, use this program: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsxp/ht/stealingfocus02.htm If your rF2 lose the focus, you'll detected from this app. If no program was pointed out as the thief, it's because you have a infamous video driver crash. Simple as that.
As said, I wish people like you didn't tell us what is a problem. You are not helping anybody with your posts. This problems needs to get sorted. I will not post what I think about you because it is not permitted in the forum rules. An BTW read my post and get to understand why sometimes you need to recover from desktop. Yes we have to minimize. You probably do not administrate races and don't need that. But whoever is hosting the server you use needs it. Maybe you simply run offline where alt tab problem does not happen to me either. Enviado desde mi GT-I9505 mediante Tapatalk
It's not you guys, it's your system. Read my post again, including the edited part. In the Technical Support there're several discussions regarding to video driver crashes. There's worth reading there, so there's no use to put a new thread because when you're spitfiring afteryou just miss your online racing which you practiced so much. It's not intended to be personal at all.
and BTW it was iTunes trying to update what caused the problem of descoat going to desktop and not being able to return to game. He had deactivated all the updates before but apparently some programs do what they want. The fact that alt tab fails only online is a quite good proof that there is a code problem with online. ISI knows best what runs different online vs offline. Enviado desde mi GT-I9505 mediante Tapatalk
Well, so if he had tuned all auto-updates off the crash wouldn't happen, just proven what I said before. I had several ALT+TAB failures offline in the past, so MAYBE it's a piece of code in the online mode, maybe it's not. And, your link posted above shows how generally spread is ALT+TAB freezes for all games, not only rF2. If all users take care of all Windows services and installed programs, the chances to have an unwanted alt+tab are minimal to zero. The software I posted before will help you on it showing you exactly what is taking the focus out from your game. That's it, best luck trying to kill this bug out, I know how disappointing that could be. And I hope ISI do their part trying to frame this potential issues out.
I want to be able to alt tab without problems. Can't you understand it? Enviado desde mi GT-I9505 mediante Tapatalk
Anybody tried to force increase program priotiry to avoid anything taking CPU time away from rF2 while minimized? http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/40287-cpu-priority-shortcut-program-create-windows.html
You can do that through line command in the launcher. +procmask=<bitfield> Allows user to specify processor affinity mask, using same bitfield as the call SetProcessAffinityMask(). (SP,MP,DEV,DS) +highprio Sets the priority class of the app to high. (SP,MP,DEV,DS,unsupported) +SimThreadPrio=<priority_level_value> Sets the thread priority for the simulation thread. The default is "time critical", anything lower can result in random latency spikes of over 30ms, anything higher can result in your whole machine coming to a standstill. (SP,MP,DEV,unsupported). So, at least, you don't need to use the malefic ALT+TAB to change the executable priority in the Windows Task Manager.
Q: Why does ALT TAB fail? A: Because ISI has not addressed the issue for 10 years since rF1 was released. Q: How is that possible????? A: Too many people suggesting workarounds instead of asking the developers to take it seriously and get rid of it forever. Enviado desde mi GT-I9505 mediante Tapatalk
Listen. Rf2(ISI) can't be reposible for all the plugins, tracks, cars and other things you decide to put in rfactor. I've been doing endurance racing for many years and trust me - the most common error is people not doing what their suppose to When modding back in rF1 I remember one of our cars make alt tab crash the game. It could be anything.. I don't have it - but I'm not installing anything but league files. But if you have issues - run it windowed. Psst VEC has have 2 24 hours in rf2 on Le Mans - and haven't heard of this issue. 1. Build 660 2. Build 946 So Q: can rF2 make it for 24 hour races A: yes if people would follow the simple procedures...
Funny that, I count 5 occurrences of ISI mentioning Alt-Tab fixes in the change logs since RF2 was released: http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/devscorner/rfactor2-build-notes/#982 If you're gonna blatantly lie at least do your homework and get your facts straight first please, thanks
Hi Jimmi. I understand that tracks, apps and cars not from ISI, can cause problems as I said in my first post. In fact, I had 3 blue screens like other people ( never with another applications ). And yes, I have a 980 GTX. No programs were running wile the race ( included windows update OFF , Steam OFF...). Last nvidia drivers, updated windows one day before, clean and fresh installation of the build with only the race components. One SAI to prevent problems with the electricity in our home, a shower before the race and some beers after first stint. If you can recommend me some more simple procedures, it can be wellcome. Did I needed to run windowed? Some more tips? And if rf2 minimizes and is not possible to return, is it my fault? Do all the racers need to know all this compications tips, type all kind of commands in the console to prevent problems like mine? If Tim or other ISI member, can speak with me in private or public, is really wellcome. Just to know what they think or tips. I want to prevent this kind of problems for me and for our community. By the way... Juan! So sorry for your team. I love rain races, in fact I was waiting this moment and made a special setup just in case, but it's allways a risk for all. Sometimes you win sometimes you loose but rain is so cruel, that's because I love it.
I don't think you nor ISI can do much about this issue, it has been found that Le Mans (and only this track) has periodic freezing with GTX 900 series (thread). A friend of mine has done many clean installations of everything and he didn't get on top of it, only switching to GTX 600 series card solved his crashes. I'm on GTX 660 and it has never crashed for me, I did a couple of those quali races.