running in background

[Apt_Pupil]

is there a way to make ur program run on background like systray, or icq, for example ?confused:

thx:

[gwdash]

don't display a form, and set ShowInTakbar Property to False, then if you want an icon in the TaskTray (by the clock) use the ShellNotifyIcon API call.

[Vlatko]

Here is how to put the app in the tray

'Download the full source+pictures+... at http://kpdteam.hypermart.net/download/tray.zip
Private Type NOTIFYICONDATA
    cbSize As Long
    hWnd As Long
    uId As Long
    uFlags As Long
    ucallbackMessage As Long
    hIcon As Long
    szTip As String * 64
End Type

Private Const NIM_ADD = &H0
Private Const NIM_MODIFY = &H1
Private Const NIM_DELETE = &H2
Private Const NIF_MESSAGE = &H1
Private Const NIF_ICON = &H2
Private Const NIF_TIP = &H4

Private Const WM_LBUTTONDBLCLK = &H203
Private Const WM_LBUTTONDOWN = &H201
Private Const WM_RBUTTONUP = &H205

Private Declare Function Shell_NotifyIcon Lib "shell32" Alias "Shell_NotifyIconA" (ByVal dwMessage As Long, pnid As NOTIFYICONDATA) As Boolean
Dim TrayI As NOTIFYICONDATA
Private Sub Form_Load()
    TrayI.cbSize = Len(TrayI)
    'Set the window's handle (this will be used to hook the specified window)
    TrayI.hWnd = pichook.hWnd
    'Application-defined identifier of the taskbar icon
    TrayI.uId = 1&
    'Set the flags
    TrayI.uFlags = NIF_ICON Or NIF_TIP Or NIF_MESSAGE
    'Set the callback message
    TrayI.ucallbackMessage = WM_LBUTTONDOWN
    'Set the picture (must be an icon!)
    TrayI.hIcon = imgIcon(2).Picture
    'Set the tooltiptext
    TrayI.szTip = "Recent" & Chr$(0)
    'Create the icon
    Shell_NotifyIcon NIM_ADD, TrayI

    Me.Hide
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
    'remove the icon
    TrayI.cbSize = Len(TrayI)
    TrayI.hWnd = pichook.hWnd
    TrayI.uId = 1&
    Shell_NotifyIcon NIM_DELETE, TrayI
    End
End Sub
Private Sub mnuPop_Click(Index As Integer)
    Select Case Index
        Case 0
            MsgBox "KPD-Team 1998" + Chr$(13) + "URL: http://www.allapi.net/" + Chr$(13) + "E-Mail: [email protected]", vbInformation + vbOKOnly
        Case 2
            Unload Me
    End Select
End Sub
Private Sub pichook_MouseDown(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
    Msg = X / Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
    If Msg = WM_LBUTTONDBLCLK Then
        'Left button double click
        mnuPop_Click 0
    ElseIf Msg = WM_RBUTTONUP Then
        'Right button click
        Me.PopupMenu mnuPopUp
    End If
End Sub
Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
    Static Tek As Integer
    'Animate the icon
    Me.Icon = imgIcon(Tek).Picture
    TrayI.hIcon = imgIcon(Tek).Picture
    Tek = Tek + 1
    If Tek = 3 Then Tek = 0
    Shell_NotifyIcon NIM_MODIFY, TrayI
End Sub

[Vlatko]

You can also make your app invisible to the ctrl-alt-del menu

Const RSP_SIMPLE_SERVICE = 1
Const RSP_UNREGISTER_SERVICE = 0
Private Declare Function GetCurrentProcessId Lib "kernel32" () As Long
Private Declare Function RegisterServiceProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwProcessID As Long, ByVal dwType As Long) As Long
Public Sub MakeMeService()
    Dim pid As Long, reserv As Long
    'Get the current process ID
    pid = GetCurrentProcessId()
    'Register as service
    regserv = RegisterServiceProcess(pid, RSP_SIMPLE_SERVICE)
End Sub
Public Sub UnMakeMeService()
    Dim pid As Long, reserv As Long
    'Get the current process ID
    pid = GetCurrentProcessId()
    'Unregister as service
    regserv = RegisterServiceProcess(pid, RSP_UNREGISTER_SERVICE)
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Load()
    MakeMeService
    'Right now, you're program is hidden from the CTRL-ALT-DEL-list
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
    UnMakeMeService
End Sub