[RESOLVED] Attaching to a Program

[RayLNelson]

I don't know if I am asking the question correctly, but I want to keep a program I use all the time in memory (running).

So instead of closing the program (main form), I would like to simply set it's visible =false. This is easily done and works.

Then on restart (I already know how to check to see if it is running) I would like to attach to it and make that running version's main form be visible again.

Since this happens on many programs it's probably easy, and I am using the wrong wording when I search for "How to attach..."

Thanks for your help.

[Nightwalker83]

Why do you need to keep the program in memory? That would clog up the bloat-ware of an operating system we call Windows even more.

[si_the_geek]

Thread moved from the 'CodeBank VB.Net' forum (which is for you to post working code examples, not questions) to the 'VB.Net' forum

[Grimfort]

Look up on how to create a system tray notification icon, that is, you essentially minimize the app down to an icon in the taskbar, and you can click it again to bring it back.

[RayLNelson]

Responding to Nightwalker: I have plenty of memory. I want this program available instantaneously. I use it for so many of the things I do all the time that It is like a desktop for me, yet I like to have my desktop with nothing but the pictures I have chosen which creates windows to the world for me.

I have no problem with the complaint of Windows bloatware which you referenced. I remove everything I don't want.

Note to si_the_geek: Sorry, it still is not apparent to me where to do what. I will work on that.

Responding to GrimFort, Thank you, system Tray notification makes sense. Don't know why I did not think of it.

For Everyone else, my workaround was to e.cancel in the formclosing event. While not as elegant as the system tray icon, it did the job. I put in a separate path to Quit the Program entirely. It just checked for the condition and skipped the e.cancel if executed.

[RayLNelson]

One final thing. I also set my program to be a "Single Instance Application" in the Application tab of "My Project". I also set it up so it will terminate if I right click on tool bar icon and "Close window" it.

Now it functions like my personal "Metro" desktop with everything I want organized the way I want, available immediately when I want. And to top it off, I like it.

Thank you for the clue GrimSoft, while I am not going to use the system tray notification icon, it led me to the single instance concept and ability to control what happens when you hit the X that normally would terminate the program.