Why does Visual Studio start the Pen and Touch driver? - visual-studio-2010

I have an aging laptop with a shoddy mouse pad (the mouse cursor literally erratically and randomly jumps around). It's one of those convertible laptops that also allows pen input. The pen input is based on a windows service. So I disabled the service and use an external USB mouse.
For whatever reason, when I start VS2010 and do something with it, like debug/edit/run/etc..., the IDE will actually start the Pen/Touch driver. Here is proof that it was started by VS2010, with the description of what this driver is.
From Process Explorer:
From Task Mananger
Any idea as to why this is happening and how to stop it?

Related

Mouse/keyboard probably hacked

I recently played a game called "Quake Champions" from Steam. Against a player I know for a fact is a cheater, my left mouse button stopped to work whenever he was in a close-radius.
I am sure it is a cheat because my mouse works just fine on other computers.
I heard of DLL injection and cheaters using such methods. I am afraid somehow my mouse and maybe keyboard are being monitored remotely.
What can I do to find out, and also solve the issue ?
I tried re-installing display drivers, full game and deleted all files, mouse driver and app (mouse is Razer Basilisk Essential), I tried anti-malware softwares, etc.
Now even outside of the game the mouse seems to skip clicks at times, especially when I hold and drag (continuous fire in the game...).
I documented myself a bit and heard of hooks. I would ideally like to figure out which process (visible or not in task manager) hooks or interacts with both my keyboard and mouse, it would probably be a great way to figure out if I am in trouble or not.
Formatting the computer in full IS an option, but one I would prefer to avoid as I have costly licenses that I may lose, due to a limited number of activations...
Any help appreciated.
Further info:
Razer Central/Synapse -> Keyboard: Razer Cynosa Chroma ; Mouse: Razer Basilisk Essential
Further anxiety:
Shortly after this event happened, I received an alert from my Facebook saying somebody tried to log in... It was not me. It may be a coincidence, it may not. Fortunately my Facebook password is strong enough. But this is further reasons to be anxious on my end...

Prevent MS Windows from drawing on secondary monitor

I have a scientific instrument that is connected to my computer's graphics card and functions like a monitor. I want to completely define what is displayed on that instrument at all times. Unfortunately, Windows displays all kinds of junk whenever it decides to repaint all monitors and in other cases as well. In 2020, Microsoft announced a Windows Pro/Enterprise feature to "Remove display from desktop", which would stop Windows itself from displaying anything on that monitor, but still allow the programmer to access it from their code. Does anyone know how to do this, programmatically (WinAPI?) or via some trick?
P.S. Currently, I have 2 ways of drawing on my instrument: SetDIBitsToDevice() and a PyQt5-window, but I could also program in OpenGL, for example.

visual studio 2015 multi-monitor tool window dragging

The behavior I'm about to describe extends across computers and versions of Visual Studio (2013/2015) and Windows (7, 10).
I like to have my solution explorer and diagnostic tools as floating windows, and put them on other monitors so that my code monitor is just code. But, in doing this, I've invariably encounter the odd behavior that when dragging a floating window, such as the solution explorer, across a monitor divide, that the mouse and the window title bar and window outline become out of sync. My mouse is ahead of the window now. Then, my mouse reaches the edge of the monitor and can go no further but the tool window is still way behind.
I actually have four monitors, and so often the window will be two monitors back.
Furthermore, these undocked windows ignore Window's sticky-edge policy. Although I have sticky edges turned off, and other programs behave when dragging across monitor divides, these windows stick to every edge.
The long and the short of it is that these windows hardly work at all in a multi-monitor situation and manipulating them makes VS feel like a half-baked torture device.
Is there something I can do to fix this myself? Does anyone else see this behavior?

How to unhide the cursor without changing the application

I need to do a pre-purchase evaluation of a Flash application that is intended for a touch screen.
Since I still don't have the touchscreen now, I need to run the application on my desktop computer and the application is unusable without a visible cursor.
I am using Windows.
Is there a way to unhide the cursor without asking the developers to change the application?
I've previously used remote access software (such as Windows Remote Desktop or TeamViewer) for this purpose. Another option is a virtual machine - in both cases you'll be able to see the cursor on the local/host machine.
If you happen to be on a Windows 8 machine, you might give a try to the Windows Simulator (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/archive/2011/09/29/first-look-at-windows-simulator.aspx, available for free with Visual Studio Express) that additionally simulates multitouch gestures such as pinch/rotate with only a mouse.
A few other ideas:
1) You can try using the "Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key" mouse visibility property (Control Panel - Hardware and Sound - Devices and Printers - Mouse - Pointer options). Although not entirely convenient, it might help you if the application doesn't require quick response times.
2) If the application is distributed as a .swf file and the right button hasn't been disabled, sometimes right-clicking (anywhere in the application) to bring up the context menu will cause the cursor to show up and remain visible.

2 Mice, capturing exclusively one mouse on windows (DirectInput, DDK, Linux, anything)

I have connected 2 mice to PC and I wish one mouse to work as regular mouse and capture second mouse exclusively.
First I was trying DirectInput. It showed 2 devices with word mouse in InstanceName.
But only one device had DeviceType.Mouse and it was only really working device.
When I was acquiring it was blocking both mice.
Second I decided to create driver. I downloaded WinDDK. There is Mouse Filter driver sample.
I was able to compile it.
But I am not driver programmer. It is complex for me to understand but it has some code related to PS/2 mouse. All my mice are USB.
It should be installed with .INF file. I prefer it be dynamically loaded.
I am not quite sure that it is right direction.
I do it for my hobbyist robotic project. I wish PC take some information from mouse as sensor.
I think there must be existing similar projects or solutions.
I have linux pc on my table as well. May be better to attach mouse to linux and parse
/dev/input/mouse0
/dev/input/mouse1
/dev/input/mouse2
looks like
sudo cat /dev/input/mouse1 - gives some data but does not block device from clicks and movements.
I hope simple solution already exists
Cheers
Max
For Linux, you need to either declare the first mouse as the CorePointer or configure the second mouse to have SendCoreEvents false. See the xorg.conf(5) man page for more details.

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