[SOLVED(?)]Random malfunction in context menu

[NottMee]

Hello void,

For over a year, I have randomly had this problem in every version of Everything. I don’t know what causes it.

PixPin_2025-12-31_10-41-46.png (53.12 KiB) Viewed 1251 times

As shown in the screenshot, most context menu options disappear. Only “Open”, two separator lines, “Cut”, “Copy”, “Delete”, “Rename”, and “Properties” remain. In this state, even if I click “Copy” or press Ctrl + C, the copy operation does not work.

At this point, I must press the Esc key within Everything, then the right-click context menu and the copy functionality return to normal.

Is it possible for you to resolve this bug? Please let me know how I can help by providing additional information or diagnostics.
Happy New Year.

[void]

This issue is most likely caused by a context menu shell extension.

related: Copying Failing

Please send a debug log:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Start Debug Logging.
• ---wait for copying to fail.
• from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Stop Debug Logging.
  ---This will open your %TEMP%\Everything Debug Log.txt in Notepad.
• Please upload this file in a bug report.

[NottMee]

This issue is most likely caused by a context menu shell extension.
Please upload this file in a bug report.

Hi void, i've uploaded an Everything Debug Log about the bug "Random malfunction in context menu", time range starting from 1 minute before the bug occured. I hope this will be helpful. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know at any time.

Best Regards NottMee

[void]

Thank you for the debug logs.

no menu 80070006

Everything fails to create the shell menu.
The shell returns error code 80070006.
80070006 = Invalid Handle.



Could you please repeat the debug process with Verbose enabled:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, check Verbose.
• From the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Start Debug Logging.
• ---wait for copying to fail.
• Press ESC.
• from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Stop Debug Logging.
  ---This will open your %TEMP%\Everything Debug Log.txt in Notepad.
• Please upload this file in a bug report.

Verbose mode will show more information about what is failing.
Pressing ESC might help too, it will show what action is being cancelled.



Does it have something to do with opening the search history? (Ctrl + H)
This was the last action before the context menu was shown.

[void]

Is there a file list item in your result?
If so, that might cause this issue.
-Please enable Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> filelist_context_menu



Is the focused item offline or dimmed?
If so, that might also cause this issue.

[NottMee]

Thank you for the debug logs.

no menu 80070006

Everything fails to create the shell menu.
The shell returns error code 80070006.
80070006 = Invalid Handle.



Could you please repeat the debug process with Verbose enabled:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, check Verbose.
• From the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Start Debug Logging.
• ---wait for copying to fail.
• Press ESC.
• from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Stop Debug Logging.
  ---This will open your %TEMP%\Everything Debug Log.txt in Notepad.
• Please upload this file in a bug report.

Verbose mode will show more information about what is failing.
Pressing ESC might help too, it will show what action is being cancelled.



Does it have something to do with opening the search history? (Ctrl + H)
This was the last action before the context menu was shown.

Hi void, I just send you a 60mb verbose debug file in zip format.
after the bug occured, I right clicked few times, pressed ESC to make the context menu normal again, and then stopped the debug.
I hope it will help.

Is there a file list item in your result?
Is the focused item offline or dimmed?

both no.

Does it have something to do with opening the search history? (Ctrl + H)
This was the last action before the context menu was shown.

Unfortunately I can't confirm this, this action is being done too often.

[void]

Thank you for the verbose logs.

Everything creates an "IShellFolder" to show the normal context menu.
Creating the IShellFolder is cancelled because the ESC key is seen as down. (when ESC isn't really down)
When this occurs, the simple context menu is shown.

Physically pressing the ESC key and then releasing it makes Everything correctly see the ESC as up.



Now, the question is, why is Everything seeing the ESC key as down when it's not..
Are you using any scripts to fake an ESC keypress?
or focusing Everything while the ESC key is already down?

You can kind-of simulate the issue by pressing ESC and then right clicking and releasing ESC at the same time.
The Right click will occur, but IShellFolder gets cancelled because the ESC key is down.
If you do this right and at the same time, the ESC key will not close the simple context menu.

[NottMee]

Thank you for the verbose logs.

Everything creates an "IShellFolder" to show the normal context menu.
Creating the IShellFolder is cancelled because the ESC key is seen as down. (when ESC isn't really down)
When this occurs, the simple context menu is shown.

Physically pressing the ESC key and then releasing it makes Everything correctly see the ESC as up.



Now, the question is, why is Everything seeing the ESC key as down when it's not..
Are you using any scripts to fake an ESC keypress?
or focusing Everything while the ESC key is already down?

You can kind-of simulate the issue by pressing ESC and then right clicking and releasing ESC at the same time.
The Right click will occur, but IShellFolder gets cancelled because the ESC key is down.
If you do this right and at the same time, the ESC key will not close the simple context menu.

Thank you for your explanation. I tried holding down Esc and then right-clicking, and it did indeed prevent the other context menu items from appearing, just like in the image I uploaded.

I use AutoHotkey in my daily work, but there's no simulation like holding down Esc at all. AHKv1 has performance issues, and I'm currently migrating my scripts to AHKv2, which may resolve the problem then. Have a nice day!