"Lights" tab not opening

[echomokona]

Describe the bug The alienfx-gui.exe (AlienFX Control) program opens directly into the "Fans and Power" tab, and the "Lights" tab cannot be opened. Clicking the tab makes the GUI flash white briefly, then immediately return to the "Fans and Power" tab.

Version in use: AlienFX-tools 7.4.2.0 (latest as of this writing's moment). Windows 11, clean installation (no "upgrade" or anything that carries any data over)

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Open AlienFX Control (alienfx-gui.exe)
2. (Optional) Click on the 'Lights' tab

Expected behavior The 'Lights' tab should open and its content be normally visible and in operating state.

Screenshots It would be a few-seconds-long video showing that accessing the 'Lights' tab flashes the GUI and returns to the 'Fans and Power' tab.

System (please complete the following information):

• Model: Dell G15 5515 Ryzen Edition
• OS: Windows 11, freshly installed, all Windows Updates done.

Additional context

Before reinstalling Windows, the software worked normally. In the old Windows installation, I had the possibility at some part of the GUI to specify which device I was using. I don't remember the details, but I could choose "Dell G15 5515". The options in 'Lights' that actually made this keyboard's lights work were Lights 8 through 11, which seemed unusual, but it worked fully (including effects such as Haptics). Now, all functionality related to Lights is not working. I don't know if there is a relation, but, in the old Windows installation, I had Alienware Control Center installed in the past at some point (already uninstalled upon trying AlienFX-tools). In this new installation, not AWCC nor any of its components were ever installed so far.

Update: For the sake of having peace of mind, I just installed AWCC, and it pops the following dialogue box: "No supported AlienFX devices were detected. Alienware Command Center will enable the full FX experience once an AlienFX compatible device is connected. Please note that some features may be unavailable without a connected AlienFX device.". There has been no physical change (relocation, damage, etc) to the laptop's state, from the old Windows installation where everything worked, to now.

[T-Troll]

It's correct. This can happen in case no light devices detected. The issue, in fact, i need to add some message about it to clarify.

So make sure you have USB HID device with VID_187C&PID_0550 present into the system. Should be "Vendor-defined device" into the list. As a check, you can open CMD and run alienfx-cli probe command. It shows all detected (even if not defined) devices.

[echomokona]

I've reinstalled Windows 11 again, and now AWCC works normally and it's possible to control the keyboard lights through it - but AlienFX-Tools does not work yet. Before reinstalling Windows the first time, everything in AlienFX-Tools was working normally, including the Lights tab and the keyboard lights.

Now, the "Lights" tab can partially be accessed - but directly (and only) into the sub-tab "Devices and Grids", but is unable to perform more Lights-related functionality than this. Screenshot attached.

Here are the probe results:

D:\f\alienfx-tools>alienfx-cli probe
alienfx-cli v7.2.3
Dell API ready, Low-level device 0 ready.
===== Device VID_187c, PID_0550 =====
Version 4, block size 34
+++++ Detected as: Alienware, Desktop/Notebook, APIv4 +++++
Do you want to set devices and lights names?y

For each light please enter LightFX SDK light ID or light name if ID is not available
Tested light become green, and turned off after testing.
Just press Enter if no visible light at this ID to skip it.
Found 1 device(s)
Dell API version 5.2.0.0 detected
Device #0 - Dell G15 AMD Edition 5515 Standard KB (Keyboard), 4 lights
  Light #0 - KB Left, Position (0,0,0), Color (0,0,0,0)
  Light #1 - KB Center-Left, Position (0,0,0), Color (0,0,0,0)
  Light #2 - KB Center-Right, Position (0,0,0), Color (0,0,0,0)
  Light #3 - KB Right, Position (0,0,0), Color (0,0,0,0)
Probing device VID_187c, PID_0550...Old device name is Notebook/Tron, #1360, Enter device name or LightFX id: Dell G15 5515
Final device name is Dell G15 5515
Testing light #0(ENTER for skip): n
Final name is n, Testing light #1(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #2(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #3(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #4(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #5(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #6(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #7(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #8(ENTER for skip): left
Final name is left, Testing light #9(ENTER for skip): leftcenter
Final name is leftcenter, Testing light #10(ENTER for skip): rightcenter
Final name is rightcenter, Testing light #11(ENTER for skip): right
Final name is right, Testing light #12(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #13(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #14(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #15(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #16(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #17(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #18(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #19(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #20(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #21(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Testing light #22(ENTER for skip):
Skipped, Done.
D:\f\alienfx-tools>

[T-Troll]

Why don't you back up Alienfx-tools config? You lost all settings after OS re-install as a result! Now you also need to set lights on grid.

[echomokona]

Before OS reinstall, I didn't have many configs done in Alienfx-tools. After the reinstall, it feels more like the software isn't recognizing/interacting with the hardware, rather than a simple matter of configs - many parts of the UI (Sub-tabs from Lights tab) are still inaccessible.

[T-Troll]

It's because you lost grids. No light on grid - no light control, it's based on it. Anyway, i add config save/restore/remove script into today's release. Device is accessible (i see the log), so just configure it down according to beginner's guide.

[echomokona]

Thank you very, VERY much for the super quick replies, and even quicker fixing.

With the new release, everything appears to be functioning as expected. Even "tricks" with the light modes, such as mixing Breath and Morph to create a "realistic" breathing effect are possible. Again, thank you a lot, T-Troll, for the attention and for this wonderful piece of software!

[T-Troll]

You are welcome. As you see, i don't accept any donate, i just do it for people.