Control placement of SmartConsole window

[amk_]

Hi,

I am confronted in a problem with SmartConsole user interface, specifically placement of the application window.

For some reason it saves the position somewhere, and when opening next time it fails to check whether the saved position is visible on the current screen.

I have a big screen at one place and a smaller one elsewhere. When stopping the app on the right part of the big screen, next time on the other one the window opens (visible in Taskbar) but there is no way to move it to the visible desktop.

Usual Windows apps respond to Alt-Space with a menu that is always visible and allows to resize or move window. In the case of SmartConsole this menu is limited to "Align session toolbar', restore, minimize, maximize, close. Maximize allows to reveal the window, but there is no way to resize it, since restore moves it back off screen.

I consider this a bug in the UI part, anyone knows where the window location is saved so I could reset it prior starting? user.config under AppData...SmartConsole does not appear to contain it.

Any hints? Our current build SmartConsole 81.20.9700.653

_amk

[G_W_Albrecht]

I think the System Option Remember Window Position could be the reason - can you try to disable it ?

[amk_]

Hi,

I cannot find that option at all, can you advise where to look for? Google points me only to Windows 11 settings and I am at Windows 10 and SmartConsole is the only application giving this issue.

Looking further in the many user.config files underneath SmartConsole/UserSettings I found something in user.config placed into directory username/serverIP. There following entries are found:

<item key="/mainWindow.WindowState">Normal</item>
<item key="/mainWindow.Width">1920</item>
<item key="/mainWindow.Height">926</item>
<item key="/mainWindow.Left">1913</item>
<item key="/mainWindow.Top">152</item>

So this seems to be the correct place to update once I end up in the situation next time.

Still, the app should provide user with a possibility not to save the window position. And most importantly, adjust the coordinates to current screen during startup.

[G_W_Albrecht]

Hmmm...underneath SmartConsole/ i have R82 folder, but no user.config file ! I think this file is created by another app or Win10, not SmartConsole ! Lot of details from internet available, e,g, https://smartwindows.app/blog/remember-window-size-and-position-in-windows/

[amk_]

I think you are looking underneath \Program Files (x86)\CheckPoint\SmartConsole and not in %APPDATA%\Check Point\R81.20\SmartConsole. This is also the place where one can disable the nagging dialog ...
https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Management/How-to-get-permanently-rid-of-Introducing-Expert-audi...

[G_W_Albrecht]

Yes - i see it now... C:\Users\xxYX\AppData\Local\Check Point\R82\SmartConsole\UserSettings\user.config, but here on Win11, nothing about windows position is included.

Click to Expand

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="userSettings" type="System.Configuration.UserSettingsGroup">
<section name="CP.Infrastructure.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<userSettings>
<CP.Infrastructure.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="Dictionary" serializeAs="Xml">
<value>
<dictionary>
<items>
<item key="LoginType">Username</item>
<item key="LoginUsername">admin</item>
<item key="SsoChecked">False</item>
<item key="ServerType">Direct</item>
<item key="LastConnectedServers">xxx.xx.xx.xx</item>
<item key="Fingerprint Server: xxx.xx.xx.xx">LEA INCA AUTO BODY LAIR LOAD SEAL GAGE HOST DOLL SOCK SHUN</item>
<item key="SmcUpdateVersion">82.0.9800.1027</item>
<item key="CloudDemoLoginUsername">admin</item>
<item key="PreviousColorScheme">CPTheme.Base</item>
<item key="PreviousAccessibility">false</item>
<item key="LastScreenName">\\.\DISPLAY1</item>
<item key="LastCloudSessionId">700147150</item>
<item key="RecentCloudSessionIds">700147150,245278226</item>
<item key="ExpirationCloudSessionDate: 245278226">12.11.2024 18:09:18</item>
<item key="Fingerprint Server: demoxxxxxxxxxx.mgmt.cloud">HERD FEND WAY KEEL BASH TERN OTIS TEAL TONY MAP SIGH HOBO</item>
<item key="Fingerprint Server: demoxxxxxxxxxx.mgmt.cloud">NAGY RANT WIRE LAWN EMIT CHOU ODD RACY MYRA SHUN BERN TAUT</item>
<item key="ExpirationCloudSessionDate: 700147150">12.02.2025 16:12:41</item>
<item key="GettingStarted">False</item>
</items>
</dictionary></value>
</setting>
</CP.Infrastructure.Properties.Settings>
</userSettings>
</configuration>

[amk_]

In the directory UserSettings there are further directories for domains as well as users. Under my username there are further directories for every server connected and underneath for domains. Each directory contains file called user.config, you can find the keys I pasted above in some of them. 

[G_W_Albrecht]

Yes, true !

[G_W_Albrecht]

I have replicated the behaviour in Win11 using 2 Monitors, System Option Remember Window Position changes nothing. So the dashboard remembers it...

[amk_]

Thanks for the reproduction. It would be helpful if you could raise it as a bug to the attention Checkpoint.

While we have a helpful contact at the sales team, raising a TAC case is a cumbersome process for us for contractual reasons so I did not want to bother with it for this not-so-critical issue.

[G_W_Albrecht]

I need a customers UserCenter Account for opening a SR# with TAC ! I do understand nothing about your contractual obligations, sorry! If your products are under Collaborative Standard Support, you need your CCSP to open the SR# with CP. Also, the local Sales Team may be able to relay the question to TAC  for you (although this may depend on the contacts willingness or importance of the issue, but they usually get customers questions answered from internal ressources).

But it is not a bug, it is a feature - when you start a dashboard to one SMS, you get the last stored screen position, and every different SMS will remember its own. I find it rather very good !

Not remembering the windows position needs a workaround: You would have to make sure that this user.config is not written to by Dashboard any longer. But this may have side effects 😞

If you have another idea how to implement the feature in a way that keeps the current behaviour but resolves your issue, you can submit it here:

sk71840: How to submit a Request for Enhancement (RFE)

[amk_]

While saving window position of several dashboards might be seen as a feature, failing to adjust the saved position in case it happens to be outside of current desktop is a bug in any point of view.

While I do not want to waste time explaining the problem to a intermediary with CCSP, I am even less willing to request an "enhancement" to make sure that the application window pops up on the user's screen.

Workaround is documented in this thread, anyone willing to arrange for a real fix can find all information here as well.

[G_W_Albrecht]

If you happen to forget switching on one monitor, you will be happy if no adjustement is made to adhere to current desktop size - so what is a bug and what is a feature is a matter of personal view sometimes.

But if you are not willing to waste any time for making a product better, do not rant here (no offense meant of course 😉 as people like me do this all the time without much complaining, and i am proud that i fixed quite a few bugs or security/usability issues together with CP 😉