Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 128440
When reading a file from disc, Writer causes entire taskbar to flicker.
Last modified: 2021-03-26 23:20:14 UTC
I upgraded (yesterday)from Win7 Pro 64 to Win10 Pro 64. I was using 4.17. However, when resuming Writer work, taskbar started to flicker (not just an icon; the whole taskbar). This flicker (every 2 or 3 seconds) seemed to be associated with Writer reading the hard drive. When a small file was accessed and stable on the screen, no flicker. When a larger file was accessed and then paged through or changes made, flicker reappeared. I tried updating Writer to 4.1.9, but the issue continued. I then opened the same files in Libre Office, and no flickering occurred. However, I am more comfortable using OO Writer, and want to continue with it. (But it is far too distracting to have the constant flickering at the bottom of the screen.)
I use AOO 4.1.9 and Win10 x64 Pro and I have not this problem. Did you reset the user profile?
(In reply to oooforum (fr) from comment #1) > I use AOO 4.1.9 and Win10 x64 Pro and I have not this problem. > Did you reset the user profile? Just tried resetting the profile. Same flickering problem.
Start Windows in safe mode and give the feedback.
(In reply to oooforum (fr) from comment #3) > Start Windows in safe mode and give the feedback. In safe mode, in problem; no flicker. Going back to regular startup, flicker reappeared. It is of interest that, when I opened a new file, there was no flicker. I filled a few pages with spaces and x's, and then clicked "save as", and when it wrote to disc the flicker happened a few times for the first time on that file. I added a few more pages of random space with letters, and saved. Then, when clicking on the scroll bar (page down and/or line down) the screen would sometimes immediately flicker. This is true of a larger (real, working) file when read from disc; when scrolling one line up or down, or one page up or down, the taskbar flickers several times, then a couple of times once or twice, then seems to calm down.
(In reply to oooforum (fr) from comment #3) > Start Windows in safe mode and give the feedback. In safe mode, no problem; no flicker. Going back to regular startup, flicker reappeared. It is of interest that, when I opened a new file, there was no flicker. I filled a few pages with spaces and x's, and then clicked "save as", and when it wrote to disc the flicker happened a few times for the first time on that file. I added a few more pages of random space with letters, and saved. Then, when clicking on the scroll bar (page down and/or line down) the screen would sometimes immediately flicker. This is true of a larger (real, working) file when read from disc; when scrolling one line up or down, or one page up or down, the taskbar flickers several times, then a couple of times once or twice, then seems to calm down.
It is also of interest that, on a regular working text file, the taskbar will usually flicker when turning on or off the auto spell checker (via the icon).
Experimenting, I located the taskbar to the right side of the screen. It still flickered when there. Related taskbar to bottom. Then I made the working document smaller than full screen. I could see Thunderbird underneath. When scrolling through the OO document, the taskbar flickered, but nothing happened to Thunderbird underneath. Writer only disturbs the taskbar.
I have never seen such a behavior in Windows 10. Since you updated from Windows 7 to Windows 10 I suspect an outdated video driver is still used in your system. Can you give us details about the exact version of Windows 10 you are using now and which video driver is installed? Maybe you can also try to follow the instructions given here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fix-screen-flickering-in-windows-10-f96b545d-a34c-40da-9115-378f78fbbbbf
Created attachment 87012 [details] requested info
Windows 10 version20H2 (OS Build 19042.867) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750Ti: Nvidia Driver 27.21.14.5671 (I tried the link you suggested, but came to the conclusion it was not a driver problem because (a) it was not a whole-screen flicker; only the taskbar, and (b) no other program presented difficulties.) It may be of interest that when OO Writer causes the taskbar to flicker, I can momentarily glimpse the desktop photo underneath, which is not disturbed.
I just noticed that simply opening OO Writer (rather than opening a specific file) causes the taskbar to flash/flicker sporadically 8-12 times.
I updated graphics driver to latest (issued 3/21/2021) and this did not help. However, I found that when I open OO using the general OpenOffice icon (two birds), rather than the Writer icon (two birds with lines underneath), the problem disappears. I suppose that programmers will eventually find some kind of unwanted/inadvertent action that occurs differently depending upon which icon is used for opening the program. Until then, we can consider the problem has a satisfactory work-around, and therefore "resolved." Thanks to all.
(In reply to Ron Tay from comment #12) > Until then, we can consider the problem has a satisfactory work-around, and > therefore "resolved." Done!