API to WindowStyle

i could never get myself to change the window style... i am just seeing what i can do, its obviosly no this. i tried.

call sendmessage( awindow&, WS_MINIMIZE, ?, ?)

what do i put in those ? marks

was i even close to getting it right?

SendMessage should send a WM_.... message, a Windows Message. I suppose the WS_MINIMIZE could be used with the SetWindowLong API, combined with a GWL_STYLE. But I think the easiest way to minimize a window outside your application is to use the CloseWindow API. For an example look at the message I posted a few minutes ago.

.. or you could try:

Private Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nCmdShow As Long) As Long
Private Const SW_HIDE = 0
Private Const SW_MINIMIZE = 6
Private Const SW_NORMAL = 1
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

h=findwindow(vbnullstring,"API to windowstyle - vb q and a - microsoft internet explorer")
showwindow h, SW_MINIMIZE

Frans C is on the right track. Here is an example:

Code:

---

Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "SetWindowLongA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long, ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long
Private Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)
Private Const WS_MINIMIZEBOX = &H20000

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Static b As Boolean
   
    HideShowMinimize Me.hWnd, b
    b = Not b
End Sub

Public Sub HideShowMinimize(hWnd, pShow As Boolean)
    Dim lStyle As Long
   
    lStyle = GetWindowLong(Me.hWnd, GWL_STYLE)
    If pShow Then
        lStyle = lStyle Or WS_MINIMIZEBOX
    Else
        lStyle = lStyle Xor WS_MINIMIZEBOX
    End If
    SetWindowLong Me.hWnd, GWL_STYLE, lStyle
End Sub

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Every time you click the button it will either remove or add a Minimize Button.

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Serge

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