xfce4 problems with Launcher command

[Brett I. Holcomb]

I have been using xfce 3.8.18 for quite a while now and finally decided to 
install xfce4.   Many improvements!  However, I have problem with the 
launcher.

I have both xfce 3 and 4 (v3.91) installed.

Under xfce 3 I have the program Half-Life installed and it works well.  I 
added an icon to the panel which launces it with winex.  The program starts, 
runs very well.

However, under xfce 4 I've noticed two problems.

1.  With xfce 3 I use the command line 

winex -- ~/pathtoprogram/program.exe -- commandstoprogram

to start it.  Works without a problem.  Under xfce 4 I have to substitute 
/home/myhomedir for the ~ symbol.  It looks like xfce 4 doesn't understand 
the ~ in the command line.

2.  Once I got the program started under xfce 4 the keyboard doesn't work.  
With xfce 3 the game starts in console mode.  I hit the ~ key to get rid of 
the console and expose the menus.  In xfce 4 this does not work.  I have to 
kill the program.

Am I missing something or is this broken?

Thanks.
-- 

Brett I. Holcomb
AKA Grunt <><