Fences Portal Problem

Opening file in portal

from Stardock Forums

Windows 10 22H2. Fences 4.21.  I have had, up until 2 days ago, been running fences in a couple portals.  Always when opening a file in a portal, I get asked if I want to download the file.  Once open, if I close the file, I cannot just save it and overwrite the old file.  I have to save it to a new location.  I also can't just cancel saving.  Fences will crash.  

As I write this, I have a file stuck in this process. I can't save it, or cancel the save, and Fences stops working.

fences portal fences
15,153 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Please try purge and reinstall steps as mention here : [Link]. Just make sure to redownload the latest version from your account page. Reboot after the purge. Reinstall and reboot again after the installation. Retest and report back here.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Ok.  Purge/Reboot/Install/Register/Reboot completed.  A regular fence (non-portal) created and worked without issue.  Portal fence created and seems to work without issue.

Thank you.

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Awesome, glad it worked.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Update.  I spoke too soon.  The issue of a hung document did get resolved.  What I don't understand is the folder portal mode.  If I have a portal the contains folders, and I have one of those folders open, any file I try to open will do so, but I will be asked if I wish to download it.  I could understand if it were a folder on a server, but this is a local folder.  

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

I'm having the exact same issue. 

 

I installed Windows 11 (full fresh install)  a few weeks ago and about 10 days ago the same behavior here.  I've tried the purge fences and the clean boot and still the same thing.  For now I put a shortcut to the folder as a work around.  I also deleted the portal and replaced it with new portal, same directory.  I use 2 portals on the desktop, spreadsheets  (MS Office Excel) is the problem, movies portal works as expected.

 

At first I had Freeoffice installed and I suspect the problem started when I installed Office.  I reinstalled FreeOffice and the problem went away.  I then uninstalled FreeOffice and reverted to MS Office and the problem returned.  Hope this helps.  Just so you know, I still have a file download dialog box opening on a double click within the portal, with OPEN, SAVE, or CANCEL as my options.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Retired, reply 6

I'm having the exact same issue. 

I installed Windows 11 (full fresh install)  a few weeks ago and about 10 days ago the same behavior here.  I've tried the purge fences and the clean boot and still the same thing.  For now I put a shortcut to the folder as a work around.  I also deleted the portal and replaced it with new portal, same directory.  I use 2 portals on the desktop, spreadsheets  (MS Office Excel) is the problem, movies portal works as expected.

At first I had Freeoffice installed and I suspect the problem started when I installed Office.  I reinstalled FreeOffice and the problem went away.  I then uninstalled FreeOffice and reverted to MS Office and the problem returned.  Hope this helps.  Just so you know, I still have a file download dialog box opening on a double click within the portal, with OPEN, SAVE, or CANCEL as my options.
End of Retired's quote

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Need details on your system. Please refer here: https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1387954197/Contacting+Stardock+About+Fences+Issues.

What needed:

  1. Windows full version numbers.
  2. Fences full version numbers.
  3. Portal Fences issue link to a folder in internal drive?
  4. Issue with MS office file only? Which version of Office you have on your system?
  5. Please post a video showing us the popup asking to download the file. And the whole process of saving on different location etc.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Edition Windows 11 Pro

Version 22H2

Installed on ‎9/‎15/‎2023

OS build 22621.2428

Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22674.1000.0

Fences Version 4.21

Portal links to a local drive D:

As far as I can tell, all Office files, Excel and Word.

Running MS Office Professional 2021

 

Will work on getting a video made.

Been using Stardock software for close to 20 years.  Thanks for a quick reply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBAqaVJSG4Q

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Retired Guy - interesting observation about Office Pro.  I'm running Office 365. 

As much as I like Fences, I gave up on it.  I did find another program that will do what I need without the problems that Fences gives me.  I have been through the Purge/Reinstall cycle several times without getting rid of the issue.  However if Stardock can fix the Fences problem, I would rather use Fences.

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello DanMalcolm and Retired Guy,

Seem that I also can duplicate this issue on my system.

  1. Double click on an Excel document within a Portal Fence that have "allow navigation" turned on.
  2. Fences seem going into loading loop until it crash and turn itself off.
  3. The crashing loop seem return if I try to enable Fences again.
  4. Only way to get out of the crashing loop, is to restore previous day layout snapshot.
  5. And if I turn off "allow navigation" it seem to open the file with out issue.

Are these same steps appear on your system too?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Basj,

That seems to work on my system.  It seems "allow navigation" is a problem.  I would like it to work properly, but if this is the workaround I can deal with it. 

Are there any plans to fix it?

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Same results here.  Turning navigation off lets it work as expected, except you can't navigate.  I have numerous directories of spreadsheets and need to be able to navigate as well.  Windows explorer shortcut still best option for now.  Why it thinks we are trying to download a file is the other half of the problem.

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

I already send it the report to Support on this issue. Hopefully, it get resolved soon. What I notice this issue never reported before, my guess something change with Windows and Office that creating this issue now.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
I have forwarded your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

If any of you are running Windows 11 and have Windows Sandbox enabled, open an instance of it, install Fences, do you still see the issue?

Either way, someone is going to have to post a video of it:

  1. Fences 4 or greater
  2. No Windows Explorer Shell replacement (No Directory Opus, Total Commander, or the like)
  3. Creating a folder portal to a local C folder
  4. Show the actions that illustrate the issue

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

 

 

Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top

I have the same trouble for about two or more years on both my two PCs. Turning off "allow navigation" works but I need navigation so I don't want to turn it off. Today I uninstalled my Fences4 and installed my Fences3 and found that I can open office files without any trouble! The "allow navigation" was on and didn't cause any trouble.

Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting guxuanjun, reply 18

I have the same trouble for about two or more years on both my two PCs. Turning off "allow navigation" works but I need navigation so I don't want to turn it off. Today I uninstalled my Fences4 and installed my Fences3 and found that I can open office files without any trouble! The "allow navigation" was on and didn't cause any trouble.
End of guxuanjun's quote

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Please post a video of this issue while you on Fences 4, as requested by Sean in his reply#17.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant