ATI Catalyst Bug: XP Remote Desktop Cursor Keys

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spong
  • Start date Start date
S

Spong

I have hit what seems to be a bug in the taskbar app - I tried to report it
to ATI through their "customer service" web form, but don't believe the
report got further than an automated response.

If anyone has an ATI driver bugs email address they can forward this to, it
would be appreciated.

PROBLEM

When using the cursor keys (not the numeric keypad) in a Windows XP Remote
Desktop session, text is selected rather than the insertion point moved, as
if you were holding the shift key down.

No other keys behave as if shifted.

Toggling Numlock allows the keys to be used to move the insertion point, but
then you can't select text using Shift-Arrow Key.

You can use the Programs->Accessories->Accessibility->Onscreen Keyboard to
see the effect - run one copy within the RDP session, and one copy on the
client machine (the one running MSTSC / the Remote Desktop utility).
Pressing the arrow keys shows that the Shift key flashes in the Remote
Desktop window, but they behave normally locally. This causes text to be
selected, or deselect, and breaks the normal use of the Shift key with the
cursor keys.

AFFECTED SYSTEMS

I've had the same problem on:
- Dell D600 laptop with ATI RADEON Mobility 9000 (XP SP1)
- AMD Athlon XP 2100+ w/ Gigacube RADEON 9800 (XP SP1)

The system doesn't seem to matter - recent releases of the Catalyst drivers
including 7.93 (Sep 2003) seem to be the trigger.

FIX

Disable the "ATI Taskbar Icon Application" through Control Panel ->
Settings -> Advanced -> (ATI) Options.

I think this utility installs a keyboard hook, or similar, but I don't
really know, just guessing.

Hope that helps someone sometime...
 
Spong said:
I have hit what seems to be a bug in the taskbar app - I tried to
report it to ATI through their "customer service" web form, but don't
believe the report got further than an automated response.
Click to expand...
<snip technical stuff>

Well since this happens on several CHomPaq EVO D5xx series machines I
manage, of which none have an ATI video card, I think we can assume it isn't
just an ATI-related problem. Not done any other research yet though, but I
know that NV and Intel video cards in these machines also exhibit the same
problem you've described.... leading me to believe it's probably not related
to the video cards at all.
 
When using the cursor keys (not the numeric keypad) in a Windows XP Remote
Desktop session, text is selected rather than the insertion point moved, as
if you were holding the shift key down.

Disable the "ATI Taskbar Icon Application" through Control Panel ->
Settings -> Advanced -> (ATI) Options.

I think this utility installs a keyboard hook, or similar, but I don't
really know, just guessing.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this. I've encountered the same odd behavior on my
home PC (Radeon 9100) and work PC (Rage 128?). I'd assumed that it was
some strange Remote Desktop bug... but I'll try disabling the ATI taskbar
app next time!

Scott
 
I have hit what seems to be a bug in the taskbar app - I tried to
report it to ATI through their "customer service" web form, but don't
believe the report got further than an automated response.

If anyone has an ATI driver bugs email address they can forward this
to, it would be appreciated.

PROBLEM

When using the cursor keys (not the numeric keypad) in a Windows XP
Remote Desktop session, text is selected rather than the insertion
point moved, as if you were holding the shift key down.

No other keys behave as if shifted.

Toggling Numlock allows the keys to be used to move the insertion
point, but then you can't select text using Shift-Arrow Key.

You can use the Programs->Accessories->Accessibility->Onscreen
Keyboard to see the effect - run one copy within the RDP session, and
one copy on the client machine (the one running MSTSC / the Remote
Desktop utility). Pressing the arrow keys shows that the Shift key
flashes in the Remote Desktop window, but they behave normally
locally. This causes text to be selected, or deselect, and breaks the
normal use of the Shift key with the cursor keys.

AFFECTED SYSTEMS

I've had the same problem on:
- Dell D600 laptop with ATI RADEON Mobility 9000 (XP SP1)
- AMD Athlon XP 2100+ w/ Gigacube RADEON 9800 (XP SP1)

The system doesn't seem to matter - recent releases of the Catalyst
drivers including 7.93 (Sep 2003) seem to be the trigger.

FIX

Disable the "ATI Taskbar Icon Application" through Control Panel ->
Settings -> Advanced -> (ATI) Options.

I think this utility installs a keyboard hook, or similar, but I don't
really know, just guessing.

Hope that helps someone sometime...
Click to expand...

FWIW, the same problem happens with TRAOD.
 
I reported this when CAT3.4 was released (previous versions were OK) but ATI
still haven't done anything about it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
The latest ATI Control Panel with file atiptaxx.exx version 6.14.10.5006
causes keyboard problems in other programs when using XP. I noticed this
when trying to delete a command button from a form in my VB IDE. If the Num
Lock is on and you try to delete the button with the Delete key, the current
property of the button is deleted instead of the button. This does not
happen when the Num Lock key is off. Running a keyboard test shows the left
shift key being operated when any of the Insert, Delete, Home, End, PageUp,
PageDown and cursor keys are pressed with Num Lock on.

The problem is with the latest atiptaxx.exe file because if you end it's
process everything works normally again. The keyboard also works normally
after installing the previous version of control panel
 
I tried several other machines while trying to track this down, some of
which has the latest Detonators, didn't try any Intel kit though.

I'm reasonably certain it's something to do with a keyboard hook for hot
keys, so if you've apps running that do that sort of thing, it might be
conflicting with MSRDP.

Might mention it to Microsoft as well, in case there's anything they can do
in the RDP client. Thanks for your experience!
 
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