Activate Window

I have a form that isn't sizeable, as a background to my app. If the user alt-tabs to a different app, my program is no longer shown in the taskbar, and can only be continued by using the task manager to Switch To.

I am thinking that I should be able to have the user restart the app to continue, but am having trouble making it so. Right now, if the previous instance of the app is true, I end starting it up again.

What do I have to do to "switch to" the previous instance? I know it can't be too difficult, but have tried a few different ways, including my find window app to send the wm_activate message to it. That seems kind of overkill.

Can't I use ME when I restart it to start a previous instance?


Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dglienna

I have a form that isn't sizeable, as a background to my app. If the user alt-tabs to a different app, my program is no longer shown in the taskbar, and can only be continued by using the task manager to Switch To.

I am thinking that I should be able to have the user restart the app to continue, but am having trouble making it so. Right now, if the previous instance of the app is true, I end starting it up again.

What do I have to do to "switch to" the previous instance? I know it can't be too difficult, but have tried a few different ways, including my find window app to send the wm_activate message to it. That seems kind of overkill.

Can't I use ME when I restart it to start a previous instance?


Thanks.

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Whay about using FindWindow to get its handel and then using that as the parameter for the SetForegroundWindow to set focus to it?

Cheers,

RyanJ

Is this Form set as the StartUp object? Is it only used as a background, so you always have other forms loaded?

When I call frmBackgroun as the startup object from Sub Main, it will automatically show frmMain to start the app, so I want to get the previous instance of the program.

Right now, if i use frmBackground.show, by calling the app again, everything works, except that a new instance of the app starts and the form is shown.

There are many forms that could be activated when the app is hidden, and I want to always go back to frmBackground.

SetForeground Window might work, but I'm not sure

I might have misunderstood your question but I just don't understand why your Main form isn't available from the taskbar. Maybe you don't want it to be but if you from the background form would call it up like this it would.

VB Code:

Private Sub Form_Load()
    'frmBackground
    frmMain.Show vbModeless, Me
End Sub

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dglienna

When I call frmBackgroun as the startup object from Sub Main, it will automatically show frmMain to start the app, so I want to get the previous instance of the program.

Right now, if i use frmBackground.show, by calling the app again, everything works, except that a new instance of the app starts and the form is shown.

There are many forms that could be activated when the app is hidden, and I want to always go back to frmBackground.

SetForeground Window might work, but I'm not sure

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But by using FindWindow you could use the unique title of that form and set focus to it that way it should always set focus on the one you need :)

Cheers,

RyanJ

Thanks Joacim. I looked at it again, and I had ShowinTaskbar set to False :blush:

I thought that I had checked that. I think this is resolved.

It almost sounds like your trying to create your own MDI type app. Maybe, depending on what your actually doing,
you would be better off using an MDI form. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RobDog888

It almost sounds like your trying to create your own MDI type app. Maybe, depending on what your actually doing,
you would be better off using an MDI form. ;)

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I was thinking that it might be more like the old style installers that often had a gradient background. Anyway, thanks for the unexpected reps dg :)

Just a full screen app to mimick the old DOS program. Now, they can do other things without losing their work, and I don't have to worry about multiple instances running. This is a point of sale app with 23 forms, and wouldn't work as an MDI app. I thought of it, though. It's menu driven.