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When in fullscreen mode, bottom of Firefox window ends where Windows Taskbar would be, were it not in autohide mode.

  • 4 replies
  • 37 have this problem
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  • Last reply by 6daveroo9

6daveroo9
6daveroo9
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Firefox version: 4 Windows Version: XP-SP3 (automatic updates)

My Windows Taskbar is in autohide mode.

When I launch Firefox in windowed mode and maximize the window, it takes up the entire screen.

When I move my mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen, the Windows Taskbar pops up.

When I select Fullscreen mode in Firefox, the top of the window behaves as it should: Menus disappear, and the toolbar area autohides, reappearing when I move my mouse pointer to the top of the screen.

The bottom of the Firefox window, however, jumps up to where it would be if the Windows Taskbar were not in autohide mode, leaving a black space. While I can move my cursor over this black space, when I reach the bottom of the screen, the Windows taskbar will not unhide, forcing me to use the Windows button if I want to execute some other command.

If I minimize the Firefox window, then select it from the taskbar, it returns to fullsceen mode and takes up the entire screen (no more black space), but I still cannot get the Windows Taskbar to pop up by moving my cursor to the bottom of the screen.

While it may seem nit-picky, this is a dealbraker for me. I set Firefox to run in Fullscreen mode, and expect it to do so properly, without having to go through all of these steps. Furthermore, since I use Windows Start button for everything (my desktop has nothing on it but the Recycle Bin), I often use it while browsing (launching other applications, using the Control Panel, or looking through filesystem, among others).

I am extremely pleased with all other aspects of the browser, right down to the toolbar area not disappearing when my mouse pointer happens to slide off of it after I place my cursor in the search box, and while I would be sad to lose all of these improvements, I will return to Version 3 if I must.

Thank you very much for your time.

~David Morrissey~

Firefox version: 4 Windows Version: XP-SP3 (automatic updates) My Windows Taskbar is in autohide mode. When I launch Firefox in windowed mode and maximize the window, it takes up the entire screen. When I move my mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen, the Windows Taskbar pops up. When I select Fullscreen mode in Firefox, the top of the window behaves as it should: Menus disappear, and the toolbar area autohides, reappearing when I move my mouse pointer to the top of the screen. The bottom of the Firefox window, however, jumps up to where it would be if the Windows Taskbar were not in autohide mode, leaving a black space. While I can move my cursor over this black space, when I reach the bottom of the screen, the Windows taskbar will not unhide, forcing me to use the Windows button if I want to execute some other command. If I minimize the Firefox window, then select it from the taskbar, it returns to fullsceen mode and takes up the entire screen (no more black space), but I still cannot get the Windows Taskbar to pop up by moving my cursor to the bottom of the screen. While it may seem nit-picky, this is a dealbraker for me. I set Firefox to run in Fullscreen mode, and expect it to do so properly, without having to go through all of these steps. Furthermore, since I use Windows Start button for everything (my desktop has nothing on it but the Recycle Bin), I often use it while browsing (launching other applications, using the Control Panel, or looking through filesystem, among others). I am extremely pleased with all other aspects of the browser, right down to the toolbar area not disappearing when my mouse pointer happens to slide off of it after I place my cursor in the search box, and while I would be sad to lose all of these improvements, I will return to Version 3 if I must. Thank you very much for your time. ~David Morrissey~

All Replies (4)

6daveroo9
6daveroo9 Question owner
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The main problem identified above seems to have resolved itself. Firefox now opens in fullscreen mode with no black stripe at the bottom. I would still like to be able to access the Windows Taskbar/Start button without the use of the Windows key, however, though this is now a minor enough issue that I can stay with version 4. Yay!

So, while this downgrades the priority of my question, any suggestions on how to get the Taskbar to pop up would be appreciated.

Cheers.

~DM~

6daveroo9
6daveroo9 Question owner
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I'm sorry, it seems I spoke too soon. The original problem is back: Black stripe at the bottom of the screen. :-(

JeopardyTempest
JeopardyTempest
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I am having the problem as well... but could this be as a result of a virus or damage a virus did to my system? I've been having intermittent taskbar issues all night (such as the time not updating, or it not loading for a while on startup). I've done due diligence on removing any virus, but system seems pretty messy with residual altered registry settings, or perhaps some process still running that I haven't uncovered yet, and tend to think it's the abnormal system rather than Firefox causing this problem? Would be interested to find out if other's have seen the same situation.

6daveroo9
6daveroo9 Question owner
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I don't think it is virus-related... I don't really get viruses. This could simply be a sad testament to how active I am online, but either way, I am 100% protected with a free anti-virus solution (used to be AVG, but since switching to WIN7, found it interfered with too much stuff, so installed Security Essentials from Microsoft). Could have had something to do with WinXP, Firefox 4 (now 5), and widescreen displays... Don't know. The only thing that has changed in my setup is that I have switched from WinXP to WIN7, and while the black stripe has gone away from the bottom of the screen, it now appears at the right side of the screen, though it is much smaller - It took me about a month to notice it. Minimizing and then maximizing the window makes the stripe go away, as before, but the inaccessibility of the Windows Taskbar still persists. Furthermore, this only happens when in Fullscreen mode. In maximized windowed mode, none of these problems exist, so it really has less to do with the Taskbar itself, and more to do with how Firefox is superseding the "Always On Top" function of the Taskbar when in Fullscreen mode.