restarting explorer.exe removes tray icon

[Invariant]

Every once in a while I have to restart explorer.exe because the taskbar does not refresh. Seems to be related to using multiple virtual desktops(and almost seems it is connected to using xyplorer and/or obs). In any case. Once I restart explorer.exe xyplorer can no longer be accessed from the tray. Since I minimize it to the tray it then becomes inaccessible and I have to restart it's process too. (simply starting xyplorer is not enough as the process has to be killed)

AFAIK xyplorer is the only one that does not properly restore with the tray. maybe this is how it initializes itself for tray access? Either way likely something could be done about it such as either periodically checking if it's in the tray(although it may return true even when it is not visible) or when xyplorer is started it checks if the process is running and it's minimize to the tray and reinitializes it or simply opens up main widow. I have the setting to prevent multiple instances so likely it checks that first then does nothing.

What I'm guessing is happening is that once the taskbar gets froze(it's only visual since I can still interact with it such as launch apps and such but visually it won't necessarily match as it is frozen from a previous state) and I minimize xyplorer to the tray it doesn't or can't setup the tray icon. The tray icon only exists when minimized. I guess if it was set to always stay in the tray then it would be better. That is, having the tray icon always active would likely be the best option and actually work better for me but there seems to be no option to enable this.

[RalphM]

I have XY added to the taskbar and have to restart the Win Explorer service quite regularly as well for missing icons on the taskbar but never had any problems with it.
I just tested your situation by minimizing XY before restarting the service and the icon remained and I could maximize XY again.
Did you install the installer version of XY or are you using the portable version?

[Invariant]

It is a bug that doesn't happen all the time. I get it about once every 2 days when using obs and multiple virtual desktops. I am using portable I believe. I typically do but I think once I did install it fully. I definitely do not have an xyplorer service unless it doesn't start with x.

The bug isn't necessarily xyplorer. It seems to be something to do with windows itself but because of the way xyplorer handles the tray icon it won't get updated when it is restarted and since I can only access xyplorer from the tray it becomes a zombie process until I kill and restart it. Other apps that use the tray do not have this problem since the tray icon is always active.

I think what happens is that I have xyplorer window open, hence no tray icon, then at some point the taskbar locks up visually(and possibly refuses to update but I can still click on it and apps will run(but there is a mismatch with position so I know it's not updating correctly)). Then I guess I minimize xyplorer as I don't necessarily realize the taskbar has locked since it looks normal and I can then no longer bring up xyplorer. I have to minimize it since that is how I use it on multiple virtual desktops. use xyplorer->minimize(into tray)->switch desktop->open from tray->repeat. This works fine(as I don't necessarily need to have multiple instances running for each desktop since I rarely use secondary desktops anyways(although I'm using more and more of it). But I think simply having a permanent tray icon would likely be best and double clicking on it will either bring up the xyplorer or transfer it to the active virtual desktop.

[RalphM]

I think what happens is that I have xyplorer window open, hence no tray icon.

Are we talking about the taskbar or something else here?
My XY icon is always in the same position on the taskbar and if running has a small underline.

[Invariant]

It is the tray. The try on the taskbar where you can setup xyplorer to close or minimize to.

I just had the issue happen. I had xyplorer open(it does't show the tray icon when it has a window showing). I killed explorer.exe. Then I closed xyplorer.exe and it sent itself to the try. So technically as long as I open up xyplorer from the tray(as long as positions don't change so I know where to click) then I can kill explorer.exe inbetween and get it to work.

But ideally xyplorer.exe will reset the tray icon registration when ran again so if it ever does get stuck running the window will work. Or simply, maybe, when running xyplorer.exe while it already exists in the try will simply open the window. Then closing it should reset the tray icon. Since there is no easy way to execute apps from the tray(no utility AFAIK because supposedly it is a hard thing) it makes it hard to figure out. Maybe there is a way though.