asked on

Minimize another application properly

I am using the following code:

procedure TfMain.MinimizeActiveWindow;
var
wnd: HWND;
begin
wnd := GetForegroundWindow;
ShowWindow(wnd, SW_MINIMIZE);
end;

The code works with any active window but it doesn't minimize some windows to the taskbar but only to the desktop just above the windows start button. Does someone knows how to correctly minimize the active window?

Thanx
Magnus

rondi

try something like

//-------------BOF code snippet---------------------

procedure TfMain.MinimizeActiveWindow;
var
wnd,pwnd: HWND;
begin
wnd := GetForegroundWindow;
pwnd := -1;
while true do
begin
pwnd := GetParent(wnd);
if (pwnd = wnd) or (pwnd <= 0) then
begin
pwnd := wnd;
break;
end;
end;
if pwnd > 0 then
SendMessage(pwnd,WM_SYSCOMMAND,SC_MINIMIZE,0); //or use ShowWindow(pwnd, SW_MINIMIZE);
end;

//-------------EOF code snippet---------------------

I'm hoping GetParent will stop at the application's handle or main window handle. If you find that GetParent is also getting the Desktop window, then you'll need to:

procedure TfMain.MinimizeActiveWindow;
var
wnd,pwnd,dwnd: HWND;
begin
wnd := GetForegroundWindow;
dwnd := GetDesktopWindow;
pwnd := -1;
while true do
begin
pwnd := GetParent(wnd);
if (pwnd = wnd) or (pwnd <= 0) or (pwnd = dwnd) then
begin
pwnd := wnd;
break;
end;
end;
if pwnd > 0 then
SendMessage(pwnd,WM_SYSCOMMAND,SC_MINIMIZE,0); //or use ShowWindow(pwnd, SW_MINIMIZE);
end;

skynergy

ASKER

When trying to compile your first set of code I get the following error:
"[Error] Main.pas(872): Constant expression violates subrange bounds".
Line 872 is " pwnd := -1;"

I am using Delphi 5.

rondi

replace with pwnd := 0;

skynergy

ASKER

I changed my code using the line "SendMessage(wnd,WM_SYSCOMMAND,SC_MINIMIZE,0);" instead of "ShowWindow(wnd, SW_MINIMIZE);" and it's working ok now on windows that didn't work ok.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

rondi

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skynergy

ASKER

Thanx for your advice and help!