I’ve discovered a bug in Windows 7 & Vista (I have all the latest updates installed).
The bug is in the Windows Shell (Explorer.exe) and occurs when renaming a file using in-place editing in a certain way.
Steps to reproduce:
1. Make sure that you’ve set your preferences so that the file extension is shown.
2. Open a folder that contains some files.
3. Select a file.
4. Initiate an in-place edit on the selected file (left-click on the filename and wait for longer than the double-click delay).
5. Change the extension (I usually append an underscore so it can easily be undone). Just change the extension at this stage: don’t commit that change by pressing enter or clicking outside the edit control.
6. Left-click in the client area of the List View Control but ENSURE YOU DON’T click on any items it contains, click on some blank space.
7. A Message Box asking you confirmation will appear (If you change a file name extension, the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?). Select Yes.
BUG: Windows now acts as if the user is trying to make a group selection and as the mouse is moved a selection rectangle is drawn even though the left mouse button isn’t held down.
I ruled out any interference by Shell Extensions by getting a list of third party DLLs loaded in explorer and disabling them.
The problem seem to be a result of the Message Box (Step 7) stealing focus because when I patched out the call that shows it using a debugger and made it behave as if Yes was selected without showing it the problem disappeared.
I originally posted this bug report about Vista at http://social.answer…bf-51d513b50fba but have since gone to Win7 which has the same problem.
No one at Microsoft seem interested in this bug so I am trying to give it some more publicity.
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