another Windows Firewall Control?

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by puff-m-d

Hello,

I may have found a bug... First, I am using Win Vista HP x64 with all service packs and hot-fixes to date. From WFC Interface>Shortcuts>Resource Monitor, that link does not work. Clicking it does nothing. I can get Resource Monitor to run from Start>Run>"Perfmon.exe /res" however.

I will check this and I will include this fix in the next version which will be out the following days. The GUI of the new version was reworked a little. Now the main window can be moved across the screen. Also, I have added support for sticky windows. The main window and notification windows can be snapped to the screen edges and other WFC windows. Like Winamp.

[focus]

if you are working on the GUI I have a couple of requests. First is the ability to right click on a rule and perform the actions such as disable, delete, etc, the action items on the right hand panel essentially. Second, is the ability to move a rule up or down on the list so as to be able to group similar rules together.

The latest version seems to be very stable now on my W7x64 system, I appreciate your efforts to continually work on the program to bring it to perfection. What I have requested above are not about functionality at all, just ease of use.

Regards,

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by focus

if you are working on the GUI I have a couple of requests. First is the ability to right click on a rule and perform the actions such as disable, delete, etc, the action items on the right hand panel essentially. Second, is the ability to move a rule up or down on the list so as to be able to group similar rules together.

The latest version seems to be very stable now on my W7x64 system, I appreciate your efforts to continually work on the program to bring it to perfection. What I have requested above are not about functionality at all, just ease of use.

Regards,

I have implemented the context menu with the same menu items from the right panel. About the grouping, the rules can't be moved. To group similar items, you can set their group name the same. For example, edit the group name for the rules you want to be grouped and say, for example "MyGroup1" instead of "Windows Firewall Control". If you click on the column header named Group, your rules will be grouped by group name.

[alexandrud]

Version 3.4.0.0 available

What's new:
- New: Context menu was added in Manage Rules window. It contains items from the right panel. (focus)
- New: Main window of the program can be moved across the screen. It sticks to the desktop edges and the taskbar, like Winamp does. Also, it won't close itself anymore when the user clicks outside of it.
- New: Main window contains a new button which minimizes the program to system tray. The same result can be achieved if the user double clicks on the main window.
- Updated: The notification window was reworked. (see the screenshot).
- Fixed: Shortcut to Resource Monitor does not work in Windows Vista. (puff-m-d)
- Fixed: Notifications sometimes appear even if the profile is set to High Filtering, where all notifications should be disabled.
- Fixed: Some windows can be maximized, when they shouldn't.

Download link: http://binisoft.org/download/wfc.exe

Just check for updates and install the new version.
Any feedback is welcome.

Thank you for your support,
Alexandru

[ellison64]

Excellent work
This thing just gets better and better

[focus]

Originally Posted by alexandrud

I have implemented the context menu with the same menu items from the right panel. About the grouping, the rules can't be moved. To group similar items, you can set their group name the same. For example, edit the group name for the rules you want to be grouped and say, for example "MyGroup1" instead of "Windows Firewall Control". If you click on the column header named Group, your rules will be grouped by group name.

Thanks for adding this feature, much appreciated. I will work on using the group name to do sorts although I do like the default that shows all of the rules I have created at the top. Have to play with this a bit.

[Broadway]

When shutting down the system I get an "unknown software error " of wfc.exe.
I cannot post a screenshot because the system terminates then.

[Broadway]

I got this from the event log:

Application: wfc.exe Framework Version: v4.0.30319 Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception. Exception Info: System.InvalidOperationException Stack: at System.Windows.Window.InternalClose(Boolean, Boolean) at System.Windows.Application.DoShutdown() at System.Windows.Application.ShutdownImpl() at System.Windows.Application.ShutdownCallback(System.Object) at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32) at MS.Internal.Threading.ExceptionFilterHelper.TryCatchWhen(System.Object, System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32, System.Delegate) at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.InvokeImpl() at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.runTryCode(System.Object) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode, CleanupCode, System.Object) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object) at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.Invoke() at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.ProcessQueue() at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.WndProcHook(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr, Boolean ByRef) at MS.Win32.HwndWrapper.WndProc(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr, Boolean ByRef) at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.DispatcherCallbackOperation(System.Object) at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32) at MS.Internal.Threading.ExceptionFilterHelper.TryCatchWhen(System.Object, System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32, System.Delegate) at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.InvokeImpl(System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority, System.TimeSpan, System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32) at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.SubclassWndProc(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr) at MS.Win32.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessage(System.Windows.Interop.MSG ByRef) at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrameImpl(System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherFrame) at System.Windows.Application.RunDispatcher(System.Object) at System.Windows.Application.RunInternal(System.Windows.Window) at WindowsFirewallControl.App.Main()

[Cazandros]

I get the same error on my Win7 32 & 64 bit systems.

[focus]

I am also seeing this error on W7 x64, however it seems that if I have opened the rules windows at some point during the session I do not get the error.

[alexandrud]

This error occurred on last night once on our system too. But it was totally random. We are investigating this and we will fix this soon.

Thank you for your support and your patience.
Alexandru

[Broadway]

Originally Posted by focus

I am also seeing this error on W7 x64, however it seems that if I have opened the rules windows at some point during the session I do not get the error.

Yes, I notice that, too.

[Eru]

2 error's that I have had:

The wfc.exe had occurred when I was logging out the system/shutting down the system.

[alexandrud]

Version 3.5.0.0 available

What's new:
- New: Lock feature is now available for all users.
- Fixed: Random errors in wfc.exe at system reboot appeared in the last version because of calls to user32.dll. The usage of user32.dll to handle windows appearance was removed.
- Removed: Sticky windows feature introduced in the last version was removed due to generation of crashes on some computers.
- New: FadeIn and FadeOut effects on the windows are now possible and are active.
- Updated: The control box of the main window (lock, minimize, close) was rewritten. Now the title bar will be the same on Windows 7 and Windows 8, because is custom made. The title bar from Windows 8 is pretty ugly.

Download link: http://binisoft.org/download/wfc.exe

Just check for updates and install the new version.

It seems that the last feature of sticky windows generated some problems for some of you. Please accept my apologies for this trouble. I have finally removed any call to user32.dll to hide the default control box and remove the resize borders. Instead of this, I have build a borderless window skeleton from scratch. The main challenge was to make it to look and feel like the normal windows.

Please let me know if this version runs smooth and if your problem at shutdown is fixed.

New features that will come in the future:
1. Log view in which the user can see the last blocked connections. I hope this time I will make it. My last attempt did not gave a good solution.
2. Possibility to scan a folder, for example "Program Files" for exe files and then showing a list with them with the possibility to create new rules for the selected ones.
3. Please suggest more useful features that you would like to see in this program.

Thank you for your support and your patience,
Alexandru

P.S.: This is the new look which will remain.

[MrElectrifyer]

Awesome UI update!! While you're at it, mind integrating a "Zone" feature on the main window? It detects the network one is connected to (via the network Mac Address and the network SSID) and alters the "Level of Filtering", the "Type of Rules to be Crated (Inbound, Outbound or both)" and the "Rules list".

This can be done using random read/write text files that are saved in the program's directory for each network (can be named after the network's SSID and verified via the MAC address). The file can contain the rules one has created for that network and the program just switches rules and shows a network change notification to the user.

[roark37]

Hi, I am looking into the various options for using firewalls that use the built in Windows 7 firewall and had some questions:

I am not clear on the differences between the free and paid versions. Are there many differences?

Does the free version require registration of any sort or personal information required to be used? Does the program pull any data at all from the user? And are there ads in the free version or ads to upgrade to paid?

In using Windows Firewall Control can programs be set to get prompts when they attempt access or is it only allow or deny silently?

Lastly is it a complete and clean uninstall just using add/remove programs if you try it and wish to remove it?

Thanks.

roark

[Broadway]

Originally Posted by alexandrud

Version 3.5.0.0 available
...

Runs fine, no problems so far.
Thank you :-)

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by roark37

I am not clear on the differences between the free and paid versions. Are there many differences?

With latest version 3.5.0.0 the registered version allows the user to enable Learning Mode which is capable of displaying instantly notifications of outgoing connections that were blocked (the most wanted feature after all). In the free version Learning Mode is not available.

Originally Posted by roark37

Does the free version require registration of any sort or personal information required to be used??

No, it does not. You just download the executable file, you install it and use it.

Originally Posted by roark37

Does the program pull any data at all from the user?

No, it does not. What would be the benefit for me ? I have much better things to do in my life than reading logs from thousands of users.

Originally Posted by roark37

And are there ads in the free version or ads to upgrade to paid?

No. This kind of messages are crap. Commercial firewalls are full of them.

Originally Posted by roark37

In using Windows Firewall Control can programs be set to get prompts when they attempt access or is it only allow or deny silently?

On Low Filtering profile they are all allowed silently. In Medium Filtering they are all blocked by default. The notifications (prompts) are available for registered users.

Originally Posted by roark37

Lastly is it a complete and clean uninstall just using add/remove programs if you try it and wish to remove it?

The program can be uninstalled from Control Panel, Programs and Features or by launching it with "-uninstall" parameter. At uninstallation it erases all registry entries that it created and erases itself from the disk. There may be some situations where wfc.exe can't erase itself. It can be deleted manually if it is not deleted automatically. The registry is properly cleaned.

[majoMo]

Version 3.5.0.0 working well here also.

[focus]

Latest version is very stable here on W7x64. Looking forward to the log view, that would be an excellent feature.

[Eru]

No problems with the newest version

[7alvoo]

If plan sound feature option for notification?

[Eru]

Originally Posted by 7alvoo

If plan sound feature option for notification?

Better no

[CSKfan]

Does WFC work well in Standard User Account in Windows 7?

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by 7alvoo

If plan sound feature option for notification?

I don't understand. Notifications are already available for registered users.

Originally Posted by CSKfan

Does WFC work well in Standard User Account in Windows 7?

Yes. Since version 3.2.0.0, WFC was designed to work fine for standard users accounts, by implementing a Windows service which runs always with required privileges, and WFC connects through it's GUI to this service.