My mgwood, could you please send in a troubleshooting report?

You can access this from the Troubleshooting menu on the About page. We'd be happy to look into it further.

We recommend:

(1) Enable advanced logging, reboot

(2) Reproduce the problem. Several times if possible, so that it can be clearly seen

(3) Use the "Backups" feature to take backups before and after the "reproduction" step. You can access this from the "Layouts" panel, after tapping Restore a Backup and then "Save Backup"

(4) Finally, upload a report using "Create error report package".

If all that is too much work, you can skip steps 1-3 and just do 4

Thank you!

I thought I was clear on what’s happening, but let me explain more:

I have three monitors. Let’s call them L(eft), C(enter), and R(right). C is my main monitor that I always use. L & R are used for various needs, sometime just one additional monitor, sometime both. My fences are on monitor L, where I want them to always stay (as they did on my previous computer). With all three monitors on, that is where the fences will be. If I turn off L, the fences will jump to one of the other monitors. They will go to R if it’s on, to C if R is not on. Icons that are kept on the desktop L have the same behavior, they also used to stay on L. I don’t want the fences or icons to move from L.

Please wait for Support to get back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

When L is turned back on, do the groups/icons return to L, or do they stay stuck on C/R?

Got it. Well– if L is off, then Windows may be indicating the monitor no longer exists. This means Fences needs to move the icons somewhere. In that event, it may be inconvenient the groups still exist, but they'll need to be positioned somewhere on the C or R monitors when L is off. When L is turned back on, their positions on L should be remembered and they should go back to the correct place.

Is the desired behavior that if L is off that those icons just be inaccessible, or what would you say is the desired behavior?

Right. So I'm sensing this is an issue with Windows – not Fences.

Previously with Windows 10 (/ your previous graphics card), your monitor was not disconnecting from the system when you turned it off. The monitor was off from a visual point of view, but the HDMI connection was still live saying there was a monitor there, and Windows was accepting that / recognizing the monitor as still there.

Your new Windows 11 system (/ current graphics card) is counting the monitor as no longer being connected to the system when it is powered off, which, is technically the correct behavior. It's powered off, so, you only have 2 monitors. Therefore the system adjusts to having just 2 monitors. The mouse cannot be moved on to the monitor that has been powered off etc etc.

"Desired behavior"- again it sounds like you just want those icons to be inaccessible/hidden when the monitor is turned off. I regret to inform that that's not possible. Even in absence of Fences, Windows wouldn't let you do that with icons either. If the system has been reduced to 1 or 2 monitors because some of them have been turned off and Windows is no longer recognizing them as being present, then the content that was on them needs to go somewhere.

Again your layout "with L present" will restore when L is present, so I recommend just modifying the layout for C/R-only setups such that it minimizes disruption to your workflow; stash them in a corner, etc. Alternatively, you can research ways to force Windows to continue to recognize your monitor even when it's turned off, but this isn't something I'm aware of.

Sorry we could not be of more help.