kiwix/kiwix-desktop

Application window disappears and reappears when opening a local ZIM file

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#1,454 opened on Jan 6, 2026

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 (4 comments) (1 reaction) (1 assignee)C++ (174 forks)auto 404
buggood first issue

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Description

Version 2.5.1 has a weird way of opening the first local ZIM file from the list "Local Files" after starting the application (tested on Windows 10 and Debian 12):

The application seems to restart itself; the window disappears and then reappears. When I open another local ZIM file after that, the window stays the same. Version 2.4.1 doesn't have this behavior, so it seems to be a regression.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate the window creation and visibility logic in the application startup, comparing the code between version 2.4.1 and 2.5.1 to identify the regression that causes the window to disappear and reappear when opening the first local ZIM file.
Tech stack
cpp
Domain
desktop
Issue type
Bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
C++
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
50