how to prevent program from getting minimised

Check a solution here:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Programming_Languages/Delphi/Q_20340906.html

This will work for you to hide the taks bar of the window. Not sure this will fulfill your application requirments

ShowWindow(FindWindow('Shell_TrayWnd',nil), SW_HIDE) ; //hide task bar
ShowWindow(FindWindow ('Shell_TrayWnd',nil), SW_SHOWNA) ; //show task bar


sun4sunday

 Thanks for the solution guys but there is a small problem. It works fine for the windows+M key but
 does not for the windows+D key and also if user presses  the 'SHOW DESKTOP' icon that lies in the task bar.

 Is there any solution for that ?

one solution (but i don't like it) is this...

Stick a timer on the form, and then go...

(every couple of seconds or once when you first run it) //timer.interval
 If (IsIconic(Form1.Handle)=True) Or (IsWindowVisible(Form1.Handle)=False) Then
  Begin
   ShowWindow(Form1.Handle,SW_SHOW);
   SetForegroundWindow(Form1.Handle);
  End;

just a normal timer from the menu and stick the code in and run.

procedure TForm1.Timer1Timer(Sender: TObject);
begin
 If (IsIconic(Form1.Handle)=True) Or (IsWindowVisible(Form1.Handle)=False) Then
  Begin
   ShowWindow(Form1.Handle,SW_SHOW);
   SetForegroundWindow(Form1.Handle);
  End;
end;

Although a hook would be a good idea, capture the even that gets posted as it minizes then pull the code up to bring it back... but a word of warning i just noticed a strange side effect here of windowx XP once it get's brought up again, you can't minimize it again! lol

public
  procedure WMSysCommand(var Msg: TWMSysCommand); message WM_SYSCOMMAND;

...

implementation

...

procedure TForm1.WMSysCommand;
begin
  if Msg.CmdType <> SC_MINIMIZE then DefaultHandler(Msg);
end;

Problem with

procedure TForm1.WMSysCommand;
begin
  if Msg.CmdType <> SC_MINIMIZE then
     DefaultHandler(Msg);
end;

is that SC_minimize never happens when you view the desktop, windows key + D or press the Show Desktop button. which is why i did that method...

Capturing the WM_SYSCOMMAND does not prevent Win+D from working on a window.

What you have to do is capture the WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGING messge because that
is what is sent when "Show Desktop" is done.

Seems that these flags are being set when it is done:
SWP_NOSIZE, SWP_NOMOVE, SWP_NOZORDER, SWP_NOACTIVATE, SWP_SHOWWINDOW

Not sure how to do to prevent it, though, I'm testing some code now.

i think you are confusing 2 things

do you want you application to always stay on top,
or should it be always maximized or should it do both things?

 it should always stay on top.even if user clicks windows + D button it should stay on top
 sorry if I gave a confusing version of my problem.
 

the code i wrote will do that, just it's not the best way of doing it.

if you search after the stay on top questions you should get more answers than you ever wanted to get  ;-)