Multiple instances of "Microsoft Edge WebView2" constantly running while MailWasher is in the background

[gingbat]

Done!

[atiamplan]

Just to confirm that I have updated to v7.12.119 and this issue is sadly still present. Although I expected as much, as it wasn't mentioned as fixed in the changelog

I have to say, I am delighted with the fixes made in v7.12.119, especially the copy link bug.

[TrustFire]

Although I expected as much, as it wasn't mentioned as fixed in the changelog

If you were expecting the multiple processes to be terminated, when MailWasher receded to the background . . . well, that is not going to happen — technically, that is not a bug. On initial MailWasher releases, those processes were not being terminated even after MailWasher was completely closed — now, THAT was a bug . . . and, it has been fixed long ago.

Apart from MailWasher, there are other programs which have embraced this concept of hooking into the WebView2 Runtime — there exist none, though (rightfully so) . . . which terminate those multiple instances, when relegated to the background.

[atiamplan]

Although I expected as much, as it wasn't mentioned as fixed in the changelog

If you were expecting the multiple processes to be terminated, when MailWasher receded to the background . . . well, that is not going to happen — technically, that is not a bug. On initial MailWasher releases, those processes were not being terminated even after MailWasher was completely closed — now, THAT was a bug . . . and, it has been fixed long ago.

Apart from MailWasher, there are other programs which have embraced this concept of hooking into the WebView2 Runtime — there exist none, though (rightfully so) . . . which terminate those multiple instances, when relegated to the background.

Would you explain why I need the WebView2 processes running while Mailwasher is minimised to the system tray? It seems a needless waste of resources and that's not something that sits well with me.

I'm not a minimalist person, but I'm not wasteful either. I spend time with MSMG ToolKit to reasonably reduce the apps and bloat that is installed with Windows 10 and along comes Mailwasher with some needless resources running in the background.

I'm not the person who accepts "that's how it's supposed to be and that's how it's going to stay" as an answer. If we all said that, we'd have systems bogged down with bloat. I at least expect people to try and remedy the problem.

I suspect what you post next will determine your attitude towards system resources and whether you care enough to bother fixing the issue. But know that there are people who care and will be watching this thread.

[Digerati]

If you were expecting the multiple processes to be terminated, when MailWasher receded to the background . . . well, that is not going to happen — technically, that is not a bug.

I disagree. It definitely IS a bug when those processes were initiated by MailWasher.

I currently have Edge open with a single tab (this page). All other apps are closed - just as if I just booted, except for MW, which is minimized to my system tray. Yet there are 21 instances of WebView2 running. Why? Because MW failed to release them. And that's either a bug, or a design flaw. Take your pick. Neither is right.

Webview2.JPG (107.39 KiB) Viewed 10071 times

[TrustFire]

I'm not a minimalist person, but I'm not wasteful either.

Well, I am a hardcore Minimalist.

Would you explain why I need the WebView2 processes running while Mailwasher is minimised to the system tray?

The all-new HTML viewer has an essential dependency on WebView2 Runtime — this applies . . . regardless of the state of MailWasher (background or even foreground.)

I currently have Edge open with a single tab (this page). All other apps are closed - just as if I just booted, except for MW, which is minimized to my system tray. Yet there are 21 instances of WebView2 running. Why? Because MW failed to release them. And that's either a bug, or a design flaw. Take your pick. Neither is right.

There's a relatively easy method to ascertain whether this behavior is . . . by design or, a bug — just cite an example of any other program which, like MailWasher . . . has adopted this concept of hooking into the WebView2 Runtime. Demonstrate to Firetrust that this other program (in your example) is able to purge all multiple process of WebView2 Runtime when the said program is relegated to the background . . . I'm afraid, you can't.

[Digerati]

demonstrate to them see that when this other program in your example purges all multiple process of WebView2

There is no other program in my example - except Edge. And I can boot my computer, never call up Edge, start MWP and soon see multiple WebView2 instances that don't go away after minimizing MW.

The problem started right after a recent MW upgrade.

Also, I can exit MW completely, sit back and watch every instance of WebView2 terminate within the next few seconds. Then fire up Edge, Word, Excel, Foxit, and every other program I can think of and not one WebView2 starts.

And I can taskkill WebView2 and every other program continues to run fine without starting any new instances of WebView2.

[TrustFire]

Demonstrate to Firetrust that this other program (in your example) is able to purge all multiple process of WebView2

There is no other program in my example - except Edge.

If you can disregard Edge for a moment, there is . . . do try to hunt it down.

If you're unable to find that program, I wouldn't mind disclosing it, here.


Clarification:—
Make no mistake — I WANT MailWasher to be able to purge all multiple instances of WebView2 Runtime . . . when MailWasher is in the background (I'm running a 11-year old outdated rig . . . every drop of the juice matters to me.)

[Digerati]

If you can disregard Edge for a moment, there is . . . do try to hunt it down.

If you're unable to find that program, I wouldn't mind disclosing it, here.

Huh? I am sorry but I have no clue what you are on about.

I have already eliminated Edge. And if I was unable to find the program, how could I disclose it?

Regardless, as far as I am concerned, I have already hunted the culprit down - it is MWP. As I have already reported, if I reboot and do NOT start MWP, I can use my computer for hours (including Edge) and not have one instance of WebView2 start. But as soon as I start MWP, immediately anywhere from 3 to 7 instances of WebView2 start - and that number grows from there - until I exit MWP.

It is not my job, beyond that, nor is it in my interest to debug code or troubleshoot a programming issue. I'm an electronics technician, a hardware guy, and a MWP "user". I taught and maintained electronics, not programming. I prefer a meter probe in one hand and a soldering iron in the other.

I am not a developer and frankly, made a career out of avoiding doing code work - though not always successfully. Being 1 of 10 HW techs in a major software development company supporting the hardware used by 400 programmers, I wore a second hat as an alpha and beta tester. I was not always able to avoid code work. I despised it - until payday came around.

But now, with the salary Firetrust pays me for beta testing, I can, and do avoid it. My job now is to try the new betas and report my findings. I've done that.

If gingbat asks me to try another beta release, I will gladly do that too. But debugging code? Nope.

Have a good day.

[TrustFire]

If gingbat asks me to try another beta release, I will gladly do that too. But debugging code? Nope.

That's not gonna happen — I'm confident since I had already debugged the program before stating what I did.

If you can disregard Edge for a moment, there is . . . do try to hunt it down.

If you're unable to find that program, I wouldn't mind disclosing it, here.

Huh? I am sorry but I have no clue what you are on about.

All right, then . . . here is a demonstration by example of another program which hooks itself into the WebView2 Runtime — Adobe Photoshop 2023 (the version illustrated below is the latest 24.1.1 as of typing this post.)

As you may see . . . Photoshop is not only in the background but also in a minimized state — by your logic the multiple WebView2 Runtime processes should have been purged . . . once Photoshop was relegated to the background (but that is not so — as evident on the Task Manager):—

Photoshop__(Minimized_To_Background).jpg (872.01 KiB) Viewed 10035 times

[gingbat]

Yes, it may well just be the way webviewer operates regardless of what program is using it, however I have asked the developer to take a look, will post back what he finds....

[atiamplan]

Well, I am a hardcore Minimalist.

I remain sceptical having seen the amount of processes MWP leaves running, despite being minimised to the system tray. As a minimalist, I would expect these processes to be terminated when not needed and/or in us - otherwise they are wasting precious resource, as little as it may seem.

The all-new HTML viewer has an essential dependency on WebView2 Runtime — this applies . . . regardless of the state of MailWasher (background or even foreground.)

Is the Edge viewer the only HTML viewer out there? I feel sure that there must be others which aren't as lazy as Edge. But even by choosing to use Edge, are you telling me that you have not control over it whatsoever? If so, than perhaps Edge wasn't the best choice.

[TrustFire]

Yes, it may well just be the way webviewer operates regardless of what program is using it, however I have asked the developer to take a look, will post back what he finds....

It's time to take this topic to the hidden βeta forums — we won't need to "feed" Skeptics.

Having debugged this program, I might have an idea of how to achieve purging of WebView2 Runtime as soon as MailWasher is sent to the background.

[atiamplan]

It's time to take this topic to the hidden βeta forums — we won't need to "feed" Skeptics.

I am glad that you are making it publicly known how you feel and treat your end users. Seeing how the developers treat users and their support issues could well be a deciding factor for future users considering use of your software.

You should consider your responses as feeding the public opinion, rather than just my own. That's why you should be more tactful when replying to your users on a public forum.

Having debugged this program, I might have an idea of how to achieve purging of WebView2 Runtime as soon as MailWasher is sent to the background.

I hope that there is a solution at the end of this. That would then make my persistence worthwhile.

Understand this. People are installing your software in good faith, hoping it will do it's job reliably and efficiently. If your software can't be reliable or efficient, then why should people install it, other than to burden their systems with lazy bloat?

I look forward to seeing this issue resolved so I can continue using your software.

[TrustFire]

I am glad that you are making it publicly known how you feel and treat your end users. Seeing how the developers treat users and their support issues could well be a deciding factor for future users considering use of your software.

You should consider your responses as feeding the public opinion, rather than just my own. That's why you should be more tactful when replying to your users on a public forum.

Understand this. People are installing your software in good faith, hoping it will do it's job reliably and efficiently. If your software can't be reliable or efficient, then why should people install it, other than to burden their systems with lazy bloat?

I look forward to seeing this issue resolved so I can continue using your software.

Understand this — I am neither the Developer of any Firetrust product nor is MailWasher my software.

Understand this — in my part of the world, MailWasher has lost its relevance ever since we transitioned our messaging over to WhatsApp. The e-mail system exists for us only in the Enterprise environment (mostly intranet without the privilege to use third-party programs like MailWasher.) In short, I should be having no motivation to be a part of this forum.

Understand this — despite my circumstances here I am, using MailWasher towards a larger cause . . . just to contribute in whatever way I can in the losing war against spam. We βeta-testers try to help other Users overcome their grief with spam (in our spare time) just because Firetrust is a minnow which is grossly understaffed.

Understand this — I am just another User . . . exactly like you & whatever I post is my own personal view, not to be misconstrued as Gospel from Firetrust. So, you see . . . I don't need to accept BS from ANYone.

I hope that there is a solution at the end of this. That would then make my persistence worthwhile.

There "might" be a solution at the end of this — but, due to MY persistence . . . not yours.

Kindly take a step backwards — I have initiated a campaign for this issue in the hidden βeta forums and would hate to sabotage this particular initiative . . . apart from Photoshop, MailWasher & Edge, there are a number of other programs all which exhibit the exact same behavior by design, when relegated to the background. Every further demonstration I showcase here will result in driving a nail in the coffin.

Whether you like it or not — this is not a bug . . . take it or leave it!