[SOLVED] Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

[GreyGeek]

I am helping a relative via Skype and I've verified a problem he has when he runs an app, even Skype. It started out of the blue when he booted up yesterday. All of the applications he had running when he shut down the day before yesterday came up yesterday, BUT, their representations appeared twice in the left side of the desktop panel.

Now, when the app appears after he clicks the app's panel icon, or starts it by any other method, TWO application representations appear on the left side of his desktop panel. If he right mouses on either one and clicks the "Close" button BOTH panel representations disappear and the application closes. I've checked the usual suspects: not restoring a session, the Windows behavior settings in Systemsettings, etc.., but I may have over looked something.

I couldn't find anything similar on the web. Anyone hear of or have this happen to themselves?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

I'm unsure what you mean by "desktop panel".

Do you mean the Task Manager or System Tray?

I'm assuming the "victim" is updated to the latest KDE4 (4.4.1).

I'd suggest removing the offending applet and then add it back again.

Could it be that they have two identical applets on top of one another

Here's pictures of the two applets I mentioned so you can figure out which it is you mean...

Re-reading your post do you mean the Task Manager is showing two side-by-side boxes for each running ap that is weird!

[GreyGeek]

Re: Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

I'm unsure what you mean by "desktop panel".

Do you mean the Task Manager or System Tray?

Ya, Task Manager. I was having a "senior moment" while writing that and couldn't think of the term.

I'm assuming the "victim" is updated to the latest KDE4 (4.4.1).

Karmic, with the latest updates

[quote
I'd suggest removing the offending applet and then add it back again.
Could it be that they have two identical applets on top of one another
[/quote]

Applets are no problem. Only applications.

.....
Re-reading your post do you mean the Task Manager is showing two side-by-side boxes for each running ap that is weird!

Yup, and weird it is. It happens with any application started from the menu, or any application dropped from the menu onto the panel. Reinstalling an app doesn't help. I think my next suggestion will be to move ~/.kde to ~/.kde_backup and reboot. Then talk him through reconfiguring his desktop.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

Yeah - i did find one other post on the web with the same issue and he re-did his whole desktop before figuring out what was causing it.

Have you had him remove only the Task Manager from the panel and then adding it back in?

[GreyGeek]

Re: Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

No. That's a good idea, and an easy fix if it works. Thanks!

[kyonides]

Re: Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

I had a similar problem with the system tray... it made appear 2 apps icons just above the digital clock that disappeared after a while whenever I clicked on the expand systray button... and yes, I have 4.4.1 installed on my system.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

Well, silly me.
I should have recognized the solution instantly, but the suggestion of removing and reinstalling the Task Manager got me to thinking that there might be TWO Task Mangers installed. When I got back on line I have him a Skype call and had him show me his screen. I had him unlock the widgets and hit the Cashew. Then I had him move his mouse over the first occurrence of a double app representation, right mouse and select "delete this" and Bingo! He now has only ONE Task Manager!

Then he asked me why he couldn't get FireFox to move to the very top of his screen? It seems he had a band up there which nothing could move. That I recognized as a second, empty panel.. Right mouse and delete removed it, too.

Having access to seeing their entire screen really helps a lot in figuring out their problems, especially for a 68 year old brain.

[oshunluvr]

Re: [SOLVED] Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

I noticed on my desktop (when I deleted my panel by mistake ) that when I added the panel back it was minimized and tucked into the upper left corner of my right monitor (dual displays). That, along with my desktop image being a night time scene of Paris, made it almost impossible to see!

This actually might be considered a bug...

[GreyGeek]

Re: [SOLVED] Two icons appear in panel when an application runs.

I think so too. Sort of reminds me of the 1x1 pixel frame tracking bug.