Can I wake up a computer from screen saver with a VB executable?

You have to find the screensaver window and post a wm_close message to it.

Check out this URL:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q140723

Or Try the API

PostMessage (GetForegroundWindow(), WM_CLOSE, 0, 0)

from VB if you are not running NT

Private Declare Function GetCursorPos Lib "user32" (lpPoint As POINTAPI) As Long
Private Declare Sub mouse_event Lib "user32" (ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dx As Long, ByVal dy As Long, ByVal cButtons As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)
Private Declare Function GetSystemMetrics Lib "user32" (ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Type POINTAPI
    X As Long
    Y As Long
End Type

Private Sub MousePos(ByRef X As Long, ByRef Y As Long)
Dim Mouse As POINTAPI
GetCursorPos Mouse
X = Mouse.X
Y = Mouse.Y
End Sub

Private Sub SetX(X As Long)
Dim Mouse As POINTAPI
GetCursorPos Mouse
Mouse.X = X
RealMousePos Mouse
mouse_event &H1 Or &H8000, Mouse.X, Mouse.Y, 0, 0
End Sub

Private Sub RealMousePos(ByRef Point As POINTAPI)
Point.X = Point.X * (65536 / GetSystemMetrics(0))
Point.Y = Point.Y * (65536 / GetSystemMetrics(1))
End Sub

I would use this, then when you get new mail do:

Dim X as long,Y as long
MousePos X,Y
SetX x+5

This will send mouse movement. The reason I
suggest this is, if the screensaver is not active,
it will not close a different program (the other
method will). Also, such little mouse movement
will not cause troubles if screensavers not active.
Otherwise you need to MAKE SURE that the
screensaver is active, so you are not closing
the wrong program.

How about simulating a keypress:

Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)
Private Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
Private Const KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = &H2
Private Const VK_S = &H53&

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    keybd_event VK_S, 0, 0, 0 ' Press S
    keybd_event VK_S, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0 ' Release it
End Sub

If you use Vinny's method, I would suggest taking out
the Sleep, seeing how it is unused.

I have increased the points to 500 from 250 because I need a little more help with implementing these solutions.  I am okay with either mouse movement or keypress so I will award points to whoever can add code to the already working VB code below and test it working to kill the screensaver.  I have very little experience with VB so I am unable to get either to work.  The code below is someones else's work and it works perfectly but I need to add the screen saver solution to it. Thanks.

VERSION 5.00
Begin VB.Form frmMain
   BorderStyle     =   3  'Fixed Dialog
   Caption         =   "Message Notification"
   ClientHeight    =   3120
   ClientLeft      =   45
   ClientTop       =   435
   ClientWidth     =   7065
   LinkTopic       =   "Form1"
   MaxButton       =   0   'False
   MinButton       =   0   'False
   ScaleHeight     =   208
   ScaleMode       =   3  'Pixel
   ScaleWidth      =   471
   ShowInTaskbar   =   0   'False
   StartUpPosition =   2  'CenterScreen
   Begin VB.Timer Timer1
      Enabled         =   0   'False
      Interval        =   1000
      Left            =   120
      Top             =   2520
   End
   Begin VB.CommandButton btnClose
      Appearance      =   0  'Flat
      Caption         =   "Close"
      Default         =   -1  'True
      Height          =   375
      Left            =   5760
      TabIndex        =   1
      Top             =   2640
      Width           =   1095
   End
   Begin VB.Label lblMessage
      Alignment       =   2  'Center
      Appearance      =   0  'Flat
      BackColor       =   &H80000005&
      Caption         =   "URGENT New message for Backup Guard"
      BeginProperty Font
         Name            =   "MS Sans Serif"
         Size            =   13.5
         Charset         =   0
         Weight          =   400
         Underline       =   0   'False
         Italic          =   0   'False
         Strikethrough   =   0   'False
      EndProperty
      ForeColor       =   &H80000008&
      Height          =   375
      Left            =   240
      TabIndex        =   0
      Top             =   1200
      Width           =   6495
   End
End
Attribute VB_Name = "frmMain"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False
Option Explicit
Dim arrParams As Variant, _
    lngRootColor As Long, _
    lngFlashColor As Long

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim strArguments As String, _
        intParamCount As Integer, _
        varTemp As Variant
    lngRootColor = frmMain.BackColor
    lngFlashColor = vbRed
    strArguments = Command()
    arrParams = Split(strArguments, "/", , vbTextCompare)
    For intParamCount = 0 To UBound(arrParams)
        varTemp = Trim(Mid(arrParams(intParamCount), 3))
        Select Case LCase(Left(arrParams(intParamCount), 1))
            Case "a"    'Account parameter
                lblMessage.Caption = lblMessage.Caption & " " & varTemp
            Case "c"    'Root color parameter
                lngFlashColor = Val(varTemp)
            Case "h"    'Height of the dialog-box parameter
                If IsNumeric(varTemp) Then
                    frmMain.Height = (Int(varTemp) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelX)
                End If
            Case "w"    'Width of the dialog-box parameter
                If IsNumeric(varTemp) Then
                    frmMain.Width = (Int(varTemp) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY)
                End If
            Case "s"    'Speed parameter
                If IsNumeric(varTemp) Then
                    Timer1.Interval = CLng(varTemp)
                End If
        End Select
    Next
    btnClose.Top = frmMain.ScaleHeight - (btnClose.Height + 25)
    btnClose.Left = frmMain.ScaleWidth - (btnClose.Width + 25)
    lblMessage.Top = (frmMain.ScaleHeight - lblMessage.Height) / 2
    lblMessage.Left = (frmMain.ScaleWidth - lblMessage.Width) / 2
    Timer1.Enabled = True
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Static bolRoot As Boolean
    frmMain.BackColor = IIf(bolRoot, lngRootColor, lngFlashColor)
    bolRoot = Not bolRoot
    DoEvents
End Sub

Are you using Visual Basic or Wordpad???
Is the vb EXE that tells you you have mail
something you have code for , or a seperate
program?

I am using Visual Basic to compile the code I provided.  I use another program to fire the exe that the visual basic creates.  All of the process is working okay, I just need to be able to see the flashing message when the screen saver is running.  I just paste the completed code into notepad and name *.frm then open in VB.

Okay for the code I provided:

Private Declare Function GetCursorPos Lib "user32" (lpPoint As POINTAPI) As Long
Private Declare Sub mouse_event Lib "user32" (ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dx As Long, ByVal dy As Long, ByVal cButtons As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)
Private Declare Function GetSystemMetrics Lib "user32" (ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Type POINTAPI
    X As Long
    Y As Long
End Type

Private Sub MousePos(ByRef X As Long, ByRef Y As Long)
Dim Mouse As POINTAPI
GetCursorPos Mouse
X = Mouse.X
Y = Mouse.Y
End Sub

Private Sub SetX(X As Long)
Dim Mouse As POINTAPI
GetCursorPos Mouse
Mouse.X = X
RealMousePos Mouse
mouse_event &H1 Or &H8000, Mouse.X, Mouse.Y, 0, 0
End Sub

Private Sub RealMousePos(ByRef Point As POINTAPI)
Point.X = Point.X * (65536 / GetSystemMetrics(0))
Point.Y = Point.Y * (65536 / GetSystemMetrics(1))
End Sub


Paste the above in the declarations under General.
Then paste the following code where you need the
screensaver disabled:

Dim X as long,Y as long
MousePos X,Y
SetX x+5

(In an exisiting sub of course)

please excuse my ignorance in Visual Basic.  I am unable to understand where to place your code.  I want to execute your mouse movement at the end of the process.  Can you please insert all of your code in the correct place within the code I have provided.  I will then create a frm file with that code and compile it.  Thank you again.

it works...I would also like to create a seperate exe with just your code that I can run by itself.  I thought I could do that simply and it works but it creates a small prompt that I have to close manually.  Can you assemble code for that too and include a way to make sure it closes any windows it opens.

Again, I just want seperate code of your solution that I can compile by itself without any of my stuff but I want it to move the mouse then exit completely.

Only need to use the below to move the mouse 10 "mickeys" to the right:

Call mouse_event(&H1, 10, 0, 0, 0)

:P

zzzzzzooc...

I have no experience with Visual Basic, can you make me a complete VB code that I can compile with VB into an exe that will move the mouse as you describe?  I create an FRM file in notepad with the source code then open with VB and create the exe.

Comment was directed towards List244. It was his suggestion so I'm not going to "muscle in" after his time spent helping. Just trying to make things simpler.

MurryC, I told you put the line wherever it should be disabling the screensaver.
From looking at the code, it appears to me there is no spot where it is to
disable the screensaver. On form load would make no sense, and your
timer.... Has no Ifs.. So, really I don't quite see what you are doing
here. I think you have a seperate program that tells you if you have
mail, and you are trying to write an add-on that makes it disable the
screensaver as well, and well... With your experience in VB... That
is going to be rough, even if one of us GAVE you a solution... Sorry.

However, maybe that program launches yours when you get new mail?
If so, put the mouse-move code on form load. Otherwise... Put it in
the timer, and watch your mouse go crazy as long as your program
is running. Sorry I couldn't help more.

Zzzzzooc If you happen to understand his problem
any better than I apparently do, go right ahead and
jump in, I've helped all I can.

List244.. the overall solution with my existing coding works great, inlcuding what you added for me.  It would be hard for me to explain what it all does for me and how I run it, but I do use a batch file that runs the executable with additional switch information.  All I want now is just to have a VB executable that does nothing but moves the mouse when executed.  I implemented your coding into my exiting code and placed the line where I wanted it and it wakes up the computer when the exe executes.  I would now like to just have your code by itself in an executable that if run does nothing but wakes the computer from the screen saver.  I tried creating the FRM file with just your code and it works but it also opens a small window prompt that has to be closed.  I am sure it can just run and close all on its own, I just do not know how to do it.

Is that a better explaination?

thanks to both list244 and zzzzzooc for the solutions..they both work great...majority of points to List244 for providing main solution...others to zzzzzooc for following up with additional request

list224 was supposed to get the accepted answer and zzzzzooc was supposed to get assisted but I reversed them by accident..points where split correctly though..thanks again