A tough one .... at least for me

Hi.

How can I check to see if a Message Box is currently displayed in Windows from VB? For example, a Message Box that's displayed when you try to go to a non-existent website?

Thanks in advance.

Chris

You can use the FindWindow API to check for the Dialog Class of #32770
Some programs also use this class for the main form, such as the Connect Dialog, so to make sure it's a Messagebox you can check it's Style Flags for WS_POPUPWINDOW, eg.

Code:

---

Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long

Private Const WS_POPUP = &H80000000
Private Const WS_SYSMENU = &H80000
Private Const WS_BORDER = &H800000
Private Const WS_POPUPWINDOW = (WS_POPUP Or WS_BORDER Or WS_SYSMENU)
Private Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Timer1.Interval = 100
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Dim lHwnd As Long
    Dim bDialog As Boolean
    'Check For the Dialog Class
    lHwnd = FindWindow("#32770", vbNullString)
    If lHwnd Then
        'Check to see if it's a Messagebox, (Includes the POPUPWINDOW Style)..
        If (GetWindowLong(lHwnd, GWL_STYLE) And WS_POPUPWINDOW) = WS_POPUPWINDOW Then
            bDialog = True
        End If
    End If
    If bDialog Then
        Caption = "Messagebox Displayed."
    ElseIf Caption <> "Form1" Then
        Caption = "Form1"
    End If
End Sub

---

------------------
Aaron Young
Analyst Programmer
[email protected]
[email protected]

Aaron, I used the code you provided above and my form displayed "Messagebox Displayed." although there was no Message Box actually displayed.

I guess that the code is recognizing my Form as a Message Box, which is not going to help me. I need to be able to detect a Message Box such as:


Microsoft Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site: http://www.jhsdlafjkasjofiowe.com

A connection with the server could not be established.

This is the kind of Message Box that I need my VB program to work around and it seems that it would not fall into the same Window class as a VB Form or a running application.

Any ideas or clarifications Aaron, or anyone else?

TIA.

Chris

[This message has been edited by ChrisJackson (edited 12-10-1999).]

[This message has been edited by ChrisJackson (edited 12-10-1999).]

Not a problem. You can add a couple other APIs and modify the code a little that Aaron provided to get to know if the MessageBox is displayed:

Code:

---

Private Declare Function FindWindowEx Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowExA" (ByVal hWnd1 As Long, ByVal hWnd2 As Long, ByVal lpsz1 As String, ByVal lpsz2 As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowTextLength Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextLengthA" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Private Const WS_POPUP = &H80000000
Private Const WS_SYSMENU = &H80000
Private Const WS_BORDER = &H800000
Private Const WS_POPUPWINDOW = (WS_POPUP Or WS_BORDER Or WS_SYSMENU)
Private Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)
Private Sub Form_Load()
    Timer1.Interval = 100
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Dim lHwnd As Long
    Dim lHwndStatic As Long
    Dim strBuffer As String
    Dim lngLen As Long
   
    'Check For the Dialog Class
    Do
        lHwnd = FindWindowEx(0, lHwnd, "#32770", vbNullString)
        If lHwnd Then
            'Check to see if it's a Messagebox
            If (GetWindowLong(lHwnd, GWL_STYLE) And WS_POPUPWINDOW) = WS_POPUPWINDOW Then
                'Get the static class (a label) hWnd
                Do
                    lHwndStatic = FindWindowEx(lHwnd, lHwndStatic, "Static", vbNullString)
                    If lHwndStatic Then
                        lngLen = GetWindowTextLength(lHwndStatic)
                        strBuffer = Space(lngLen)
                        If GetWindowText(lHwndStatic, strBuffer, Len(strBuffer)) Then
                            If InStr(strBuffer, "Internet Explorer cannot open") > 0 Then
                                MsgBox "You found the Message Box in Explorer", vbInformation, "Found IE"
                            End If
                        End If
                    End If
                Loop Until lHwndStatic = 0
            End If
        End If
    Loop Until lHwnd = 0
End Sub

---

Regards,

------------------

Serge

Software Developer
[email protected]
[email protected]
ICQ#: 51055819

Serge and Aaron,

Thanks for your replies, my problem is still not solved. Here's why.

You'll notice that in the code, the Timer event code checks for the "Internet Explorer" window. But when a Message Box appears on the Screen, the Timer event won't fire until OK is clicked on the Message Box.. I am trying to get my program to detect if this message box appears while it is running, send "Enter" or "Escape" to get rid of it, and then continue with execution.

In simpler terms, I want it to be able to detect the Message Box popping up, get rid of it, and continue to run.

Is this possible?

TIA.

Chris

------------------
CJ

It is possible.

Code:

---

Private Declare Function FindWindowEx Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowExA" (ByVal hWnd1 As Long, ByVal hWnd2 As Long, ByVal lpsz1 As String, ByVal lpsz2 As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowTextLength Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextLengthA" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long
Private Const WS_POPUP = &H80000000
Private Const WS_SYSMENU = &H80000
Private Const WS_BORDER = &H800000
Private Const WS_POPUPWINDOW = (WS_POPUP Or WS_BORDER Or WS_SYSMENU)
Private Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)
Private Const WM_KEYDOWN = &H100
Private Const WM_KEYUP = &H101
Private Const VK_SPACE = &H20

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Timer1.Interval = 100
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Dim lHwnd As Long
    Dim lHwndStatic As Long
    Dim strBuffer As String
    Dim lngLen As Long
    Dim lngOK As Long
   
    'Check For the Dialog Class
    Do
        lHwnd = FindWindowEx(0, lHwnd, "#32770", vbNullString)
        If lHwnd Then
            'Check to see if it's a Messagebox
            If (GetWindowLong(lHwnd, GWL_STYLE) And WS_POPUPWINDOW) = WS_POPUPWINDOW Then
                'Get the static class (a label) hWnd
                Do
                    lHwndStatic = FindWindowEx(lHwnd, lHwndStatic, "Static", vbNullString)
                    If lHwndStatic Then
                        lngLen = GetWindowTextLength(lHwndStatic)
                        strBuffer = Space(lngLen)
                        If GetWindowText(lHwndStatic, strBuffer, Len(strBuffer)) Then
                            If InStr(strBuffer, "Internet Explorer cannot open") > 0 Then
                                lngOK = FindWindowEx(lHwnd, 0, "Button", vbNullString)
                                Call SendMessage(lngOK, WM_KEYDOWN, VK_SPACE, 0)
                                Call SendMessage(lngOK, WM_KEYUP, VK_SPACE, 0)
                            End If
                        End If
                    End If
                Loop Until lHwndStatic = 0
            End If
        End If
    Loop Until lHwnd = 0
End Sub

---

I tested this and it works just fine.

------------------

Serge

Software Developer
[email protected]
[email protected]
ICQ#: 51055819

Serge, I used the code you provided, but it still didn't work. Please let me know how you tested the code so that I can make sure that I am doing the same thing. In case I'm doing something wrong, my code is listed below so that you can test it.

I'm not doubting whether the code can find the Message Box, but, based on my testing the code, the Timer Event doesn't occur when a Message Box is displayed.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.....I hope I am because I need to be able to work around the Message Box.

Thanks.

Chris

Code:

---

Private Declare Function FindWindowEx Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowExA" (ByVal hWnd1 As Long, ByVal hWnd2 As Long, ByVal lpsz1 As String, ByVal lpsz2 As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowTextLength Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextLengthA" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long
Private Const WS_POPUP = &H80000000
Private Const WS_SYSMENU = &H80000
Private Const WS_BORDER = &H800000
Private Const WS_POPUPWINDOW = (WS_POPUP Or WS_BORDER Or WS_SYSMENU)
Private Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)
Private Const WM_KEYDOWN = &H100
Private Const WM_KEYUP = &H101
Private Const VK_SPACE = &H20

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    WebBrowser1.Navigate2 "www.kejrdkajsfkle.com"
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Timer1.Interval = 1000
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Dim lHwnd As Long
    Dim lHwndStatic As Long
    Dim strBuffer As String
    Dim lngLen As Long
    Dim lngOK As Long
   
    'Check For the Dialog Class
    Do
        lHwnd = FindWindowEx(0, lHwnd, "#32770", vbNullString)
        If lHwnd Then
            'Check to see if it's a Messagebox
            If (GetWindowLong(lHwnd, GWL_STYLE) And WS_POPUPWINDOW) = WS_POPUPWINDOW Then
                'Get the static class (a label) hWnd
                Do
                    lHwndStatic = FindWindowEx(lHwnd, lHwndStatic, "Static", vbNullString)
                    If lHwndStatic Then
                        lngLen = GetWindowTextLength(lHwndStatic)
                        strBuffer = Space(lngLen)
                        If GetWindowText(lHwndStatic, strBuffer, Len(strBuffer)) Then
                            If InStr(strBuffer, "Internet Explorer cannot open") > 0 Then
                                lngOK = FindWindowEx(lHwnd, 0, "Button", vbNullString)
                                Call SendMessage(lngOK, WM_KEYDOWN, VK_SPACE, 0)
                                Call SendMessage(lngOK, WM_KEYUP, VK_SPACE, 0)
                            End If
                        End If
                    End If
                Loop Until lHwndStatic = 0
            End If
        End If
    Loop Until lHwnd = 0
End Sub

---

[Edited by ChrisJackson on 09-22-2000 at 09:51 PM]

Serge, you were right, THE CODE DOES WORK! It didn't work when I ran it yesterday as a VB project, but it worked like a charm when I made it into an executable (EXE) program this morning. I guess this was the step that you were doing that I wasn't.

Thanks for all of your help and your patience. I really appreciate it.

Chris Jackson

------------------
CJ