BUG: Flow Launcher Settings Dialog does not close Wallpaper file on Settings close

[starfishpatkhoo]

Checks

• I have checked that this issue has not already been reported.

• I am using the latest version of Flow Launcher.

• I am using the prerelease version of Flow Launcher.

Problem Description

I use John's Background Switcher (JBS) to change the wallpaper regularly and I just started to use Flow Launcher to try it out. I notice that every once in a while, JBS fails to change the wallpaper. Upon further investigation, I realise that this is due to Flow Launcher's Settings dialog not releasing the wallpaper file, or opening it in an exclusive mode in the Settings dialog.

This bug therefore prevents wallpaper changers from changing the wallpaper file if the Settings dialog has been opened to the Appearance tab.

To Reproduce

1. Reboot computer, launch flow Launcher in background - but don't do anything, check desktop make sure wallpaper is displayed properly
2. Navigate to the current active background file - eg. %APPDATA%\johnsadventures.com\Background Switcher\ActiveBackground.jpg
3. Using a tool like Powertoys File Locksmith, or Process Explorer, etc, check which process is locking said file - it should be: NONE - no one is using the file at the moment
4. Launch Flow Launcher's Settings Dialog - it should be in General
5. Double check File Locksmith (rescan if needed) - it should still be NONE - no one is using the file at the moment
6. Go to the Appearance tab in the Flow Launcher's Settings Dialog - notice the preview has the current wallpaper correctly
7. Double check File Locksmith (rescan if needed) - Now it says Flow Launcher is using/locked the file
8. Close the Flow Launcher's Settings Dialog
9. Double check File Locksmith (rescan if needed) - It STILL says Flow Launcher is using/locked the file
10. Can repeat opening and closing the Settings Dialog, but the file continues to be used/locked by File Launcher
11. Exit File Launcher
12. Double check File Locksmith (rescan if needed) - now it says NONE - no one is using the file at the moment

Screenshots

Flow Launcher Version

2.0.0

Windows Build Number

10.0.26100.6584

Error Log

17:10:12.7824+08:00 - INFO  - Logger.SetLogLevel - Using log level: INFO.
17:10:12.8304+08:00 - INFO  - App.OnStartup - Begin Flow Launcher startup ----------------------------------------------------
17:10:12.8304+08:00 - INFO  - App.OnStartup - Runtime info:
Flow Launcher version: 2.0.0
OS Version: 26100.6584
IntPtr Length: 8
x64: True
17:10:12.8707+08:00 - INFO  - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://fastly.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@main/plugins.json
17:10:12.8867+08:00 - INFO  - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://gcore.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@main/plugins.json
17:10:12.8867+08:00 - INFO  - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@main/plugins.json
17:10:12.8867+08:00 - INFO  - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest/main/plugins.json
17:10:12.9368+08:00 - INFO  - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loaded 274 plugins from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest/main/plugins.json
17:10:12.9368+08:00 - INFO  - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loaded 274 plugins from https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@main/plugins.json
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - ERROR - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Error Occurred
EXCEPTION OCCURS: System.Threading.Tasks.TaskCanceledException: The operation was canceled.
   at void System.Net.Http.CancellationHelper.ThrowOperationCanceledException(Exception innerException, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at async ValueTask<int> System.Net.Http.HttpConnection+ContentLengthReadStream.ReadAsync(Memory<byte> buffer, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at async ValueTask<ReadBufferState> System.Text.Json.Serialization.ReadBufferState.ReadFromStreamAsync(Stream utf8Json, CancellationToken cancellationToken, bool fillBuffer)
   at async ValueTask<T> System.Text.Json.Serialization.Metadata.JsonTypeInfo<T>.DeserializeAsync(Stream utf8Json, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at async Task<T> System.Net.Http.Json.HttpContentJsonExtensions.ReadFromJsonAsyncCore<T>(HttpContent content, JsonSerializerOptions options, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at async Task<List<UserPlugin>> Flow.Launcher.Core.ExternalPlugins.CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync(CancellationToken token) in C:/projects/flow-launcher/Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/CommunityPluginSource.cs:line 57

17:10:12.9557+08:00 - ERROR - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Error Occurred
EXCEPTION OCCURS: System.Threading.Tasks.TaskCanceledException: A task was canceled.
   at async ValueTask<ReadBufferState> System.Text.Json.Serialization.ReadBufferState.ReadFromStreamAsync(Stream utf8Json, CancellationToken cancellationToken, bool fillBuffer)
   at async ValueTask<T> System.Text.Json.Serialization.Metadata.JsonTypeInfo<T>.DeserializeAsync(Stream utf8Json, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at async Task<T> System.Net.Http.Json.HttpContentJsonExtensions.ReadFromJsonAsyncCore<T>(HttpContent content, JsonSerializerOptions options, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
   at async Task<List<UserPlugin>> Flow.Launcher.Core.ExternalPlugins.CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync(CancellationToken token) in C:/projects/flow-launcher/Flow.Launcher.Core/ExternalPlugins/CommunityPluginSource.cs:line 57

17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Plugin Indicator> is <1ms>
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <URL> is <7ms>
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Process Killer> is <2ms>
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Plugins Manager> is <2ms>
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <System Commands> is <3ms>
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Web Searches> is <5ms>
17:10:12.9557+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Shell> is <7ms>
17:10:12.9680+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Browser Bookmarks> is <10ms>
17:10:12.9680+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Calculator> is <13ms>
17:10:12.9680+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Windows Settings> is <15ms>
17:10:12.9831+08:00 - INFO  - Main.InitAsync - Preload programs cost <10ms>
17:10:12.9831+08:00 - INFO  - Main.InitAsync - Number of preload win32 programs <207>
17:10:12.9831+08:00 - INFO  - Main.InitAsync - Number of preload uwps <23>
17:10:12.9831+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Explorer> is <29ms>
17:10:12.9831+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Win Hotkey> is <31ms>
17:10:12.9831+08:00 - INFO  - PluginManager.InitializePluginsAsync - Total init cost for <Program> is <37ms>
17:10:13.7431+08:00 - INFO  - App.OnStartup - End Flow Launcher startup ----------------------------------------------------
17:10:13.7431+08:00 - INFO  - App.OnStartup - Startup cost <999ms>
17:10:13.9455+08:00 - INFO  - ImageLoader.InitializeAsync - Preload images cost <1054ms>
17:10:13.9455+08:00 - INFO  - ImageLoader.InitializeAsync - Number of preload images is <150>, Images Number: 150, Unique Items 101

[Jack251970]

Issue reproduced on my side. Thanks for your report!

[Jack251970]

@starfishpatkhoo I wonder if this PR has fixed your issue?

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/JohnTheGr8/flow-launcher/builds/52758578/artifacts

[starfishpatkhoo]

@starfishpatkhoo I wonder if this PR has fixed your issue?

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/JohnTheGr8/flow-launcher/builds/52758578/artifacts

Ah ha ha! It does!

Buuuuttttt.... Now the appearance preview page doesn't change the wallpaper after the wallpaper was changed.. LOL...

1. Open Settings and Appearance - the wallpaper file is no longer locked
2. Exit Settings
3. Trigger a wallpaper change
4. Go back to Settings and Appearance - the wallpaper file is no longer locked - but notice it is still displaying the old wallpaper from step 1

I think it is a step in the right direction though... Thank you! ^_^

[Jack251970]

@starfishpatkhoo I wonder if this PR has fixed your issue?
https://ci.appveyor.com/project/JohnTheGr8/flow-launcher/builds/52758578/artifacts

Ah ha ha! It does!

Buuuuttttt.... Now the appearance preview page doesn't change the wallpaper after the wallpaper was changed.. LOL...

1. Open Settings and Appearance - the wallpaper file is no longer locked
2. Exit Settings
3. Trigger a wallpaper change
4. Go back to Settings and Appearance - the wallpaper file is no longer locked - but notice it is still displaying the old wallpaper from step 1

I think it is a step in the right direction though... Thank you! ^_^

I cannot reproduce that?

I used this button to set one image as my background.

And setting window responses to this change correctly.

2025-09-18.12-51-35.mp4

[starfishpatkhoo]

Hmm, I suspect one difference is that in that method, Windows changes the wallpaper to point to a physically different file on a timer.

But with a wallpaper changer like John's Background Switcher (it's free, and really good BTW - https://johnsad.ventures/software/backgroundswitcher/windows/), JBS pulls images from online sources (pixabay, wallhaven, unsplash, dropbox, immich, etc etc) and puts them into a local file, which is updated on a timer. In this approach, the file is physically the same, but overwritten with the new image downloaded from the Internet. In the case of JBS, the wallpaper file is always at %APPDATA%\johnsadventures.com\Background Switcher\ActiveBackground.jpg

In this screencap, I change the background a couple of times, but the Appearance preview stays the same as the original (first) one. Then at the end, I restart Flow Launcher, and the Appearance preview is updated correctly...

Screen.Recording.2025-09-18.172650.LQ.mp4

I hope this explains things. Again, I will say, the original issue being that the wallpaper file was always locked prevented the wallpaper from changing at all, and that has been resolved - thank you! So now, is just polishing the UI is all.. ^_^

[Jack251970]

@starfishpatkhoo I disabled cache feature and could you please check if this can work?

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/JohnTheGr8/flow-launcher/builds/52765207/artifacts

[starfishpatkhoo]

@starfishpatkhoo I disabled cache feature and could you please check if this can work?

https://ci.appveyor.com/project/JohnTheGr8/flow-launcher/builds/52765207/artifacts

No, doesn't fix.. I checked, since you changed to using () that should have resolved the file open handle.. but I feel like now, seems like some variable somewhere else is still holding old data that does not get cleared until you quit Flow Launcher and start again... Just a feeling/hunch...

[Jack251970]

@starfishpatkhoo I disabled cache feature and could you please check if this can work?
https://ci.appveyor.com/project/JohnTheGr8/flow-launcher/builds/52765207/artifacts

No, doesn't fix.. I checked, since you changed to using () that should have resolved the file open handle.. but I feel like now, seems like some variable somewhere else is still holding old data that does not get cleared until you quit Flow Launcher and start again... Just a feeling/hunch...

In that case, I am afraid this problem cannot be resolved. I have checked all BitmapCacheOption but cannot find any option which can fix file lock & dynamical loading simultaneously.

So let us go with this solution since it just affects ui but do not bring any file lock issues.

[starfishpatkhoo]

Yeah, I agree... The file lock is blocking other apps (and it shouldn't hold an open file lock on this file anyway), but this is just a UI display in the Settings.. so yes, merge this and release first so that at least the functionality is there.. Thank you again for fixing this issue.. ^_^