Solved

Programmatically click the minimize button in VB.NET

Posted on 2009-07-16

2 solutions

980 Views

Last Modified: 2012-05-07

I wrote a .NET app that I would like to minimize programmatically without using me.windowstate.

Here's the issue -- when I click on a regular button that I made with the code Me.WindowState = Windows.Forms.FormWindowState.Minimized, the form does minimize, but the memory usage does not go down.

However, if I click the standard minimize button in the upper right hand corner of the form, the form minimizes and the memory usage plummets, which is what I'm looking for. (Even though the memory usage figure might only be cosmetic).

My question -- does anyone know how to programmatically simulate clicking the little minimize button at the top right of the form?

Comment

Question by:jacksonm1234

[X]

Welcome to Experts Exchange

Add your voice to the tech community where 5M+ people just like you are talking about what matters.

Help others & share knowledge
Earn cash & points
Learn & ask questions

Join The Community

3 Comments

LVL 12

Expert Comment

by:GuitarRich

ID: 248699652009-07-16

I would imagine that the memory goes down when you click the minimize button as the program then looses focus and is minimized. But when you set your form windowstate the program still has the focus.
After you've clicked on your button to minimize the form, try selecting a different program that is already open and see if the memory usage changes.

LVL 83

Accepted Solution

by:CodeCruiser

CodeCruiser earned 250 total points

ID: 248704612009-07-16

You can using the windows message loop to send a minimize message to the window.
This link might be helpful.
http://www.thescarms.com/vbasic/ShowWindow.aspx

Also
http://ryanfarley.com/blog/archive/2004/05/10/605.aspx

LVL 86

Assisted Solution

by:Mike Tomlinson

Mike Tomlinson earned 250 total points

ID: 249482702009-07-26

Haven't looked at the code in the project linked by CodeCruiser but I suspect it's using this method?

Public Class Form1
 
    Private Const SW_MINIMIZE As Integer = 6
    Private Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "user32" Alias "ShowWindow" (ByVal handle As IntPtr, ByVal nCmdShow As Integer) As Integer
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        ShowWindow(Me.Handle, SW_MINIMIZE)
    End Sub
 
End Class

Open in new window

Featured Post

Question has a verified solution.

If you are experiencing a similar issue, please ask a related question

5 Common Exceptions in .NET (and How to Resolve Them)

Article by: käµfm³d 👽

Many of us here at EE write code. Many of us write exceptional code; just as many of us write exception-prone code. As we all should know, exceptions are a mechanism for handling errors which are typically out of our control. From database errors, t…

.NET Programming

Trick when using Array.Contains() C# 2.0

Article by: sonawanekiran

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could test whether an element is contained in an array by using a Contains method just like the one available on List objects? Wouldn’t it be good if you could write code like this? (CODE) In .NET 3.5, this is possible…

.NET Programming

Introduction to using the Windows 10 Snipping Tool

Video by: Andrew

In this video, viewers are given an introduction to using the Windows 10 Snipping Tool, how to quickly locate it when it's needed and also how make it always available with a single click of a mouse button, by pinning it to the Desktop Task Bar. Int…

How to run like The Flash in Adobe After Effects

Video by: John

This tutorial will teach you the special effect of super speed similar to the fictional character Wally West aka "The Flash" After Shake : http://www.videocopilot.net/presets/after_shake/ All lightning effects with instructions : http://www.mediaf…