Processes started by PT-Run are considered children

[oorzkws]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.55.1

Running as admin

• [X] Yes

Area(s) with issue?

PowerToys Run

Steps to reproduce

When running a process with PT-Run, the process it starts is considered a "child", when this isn't the expected behavior.

✔️ Expected Behavior

The process starts independently

❌ Actual Behavior

The process is started as a child of PT-Run

Other Software

qBittorrent 4.4.0

Reproducible with any other software by running internet explorer from PT-Run then checking task manager.

[franky920920]

Able to repro this.

[reZdotjson]

Doesn't seem to happen with me on win 11.

[htcfreek]

How do you started the process? File link, App plugin or Run plugin?

[htcfreek]

I can confirm this behavior. I have tested it for Program plugin, Run plugin and Search plugin: (Screenshot from Sysinternals Process Explorer.)

I am not sure if we can start the processes independent.

[oorzkws]

I am not sure if we can start the processes independent.

If I start a process directly from Windows Explorer (ex: %ProgramFiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe), it doesn't show as a child in Task Manager. Is there any way we can use the same behavior?

[crutkas]

can verify via process explorer, still a thing inside 0.64

[Jay-o-Way]

Is this still an issue with the latest version? /needinfo I cannot reproduce P.S. 🎈 happy anniversary 🥳

[oorzkws]

Is this still an issue with the latest version? /needinfo I cannot reproduce P.S. 🎈 happy anniversary 🥳

Thanks for checking in. After the last Windows upgrade I did, it stopped grouping in task manager - I'm not certain if it was a PT-Run change around the same time, or if there's just a quirk that's present on an older windows build that is no longer present.

It still groups in Process Explorer, but I don't consider this an issue as it doesn't actually affect how I interact with managing processes like the grouping in Task Manager did.

The issue in the original post is thus resolved, unless you consider the Process Explorer grouping an issue I'm happy to see this closed.

[Jay-o-Way]

Thanks for the reply. I don't use Process Explorer myself, but I'm thinking maybe it has a different definition of "child process"? I mean, of PT Run starts an other app, isn't that still a relation?

[oorzkws]

I mean, of PT Run starts an other app, isn't that still a relation?

Sure, but the practical part of the issue was that when managing running processes in task manager, the "child" processes of PT-Run would be hidden without another click (example below)

It's useful behavior when the processes are truly related, but it was frustrating when PT-Run wasn't really actively involved with those processes beyond being where I chose to launch them from. That's no longer the case, thankfully - though I couldn't tell you why or when that changed.

[oorzkws]

@franky920920 would you happen to still be able to reproduce this, or is it resolved for you as well?

[crutkas]

@jay-o-way why did you flip the fix label here?

[Jay-o-Way]

Can't remember. Might have been a local test.

[crutkas]

@oorzkws is this still an issue for you? /needinfo

[oorzkws]

@oorzkws is this still an issue for you? /needinfo

No longer occurs for me, I can't tell you if it was a PT-Run fix though - I had an OS reinstall a few months after filing the issue.| edit: feel free to close the issue if that's a workable answer, no protest here

[crutkas]

Fixed in 0.71 release of PowerToys. aka.ms/installpowertoys