Manipulate form properties through API?

[softwareguy74]

How would I manipulate a Form's properties, such as .Left, .Height, etc.. through the API using the hWnd of that form?

[jim mcnamara]

You can only change the properties of a form (window) from within the app that owns the window. No api's do it, it's done only thru the COM interface the object exposes - ie., .Left, etc. - in the app.

You can get any window to respond as if it were clicked or had keypresses using the SendMessage api. SendMessage doesn't change form properties. You can do a resize, move, etc. which will give you something of what you want. This is DIFFERENT from accessing properties in the COM interface.

goto www.msdn.microsoft.com and look up 'windows messages'
it's a vast subject.

You can use SetWindowLong from a C++ dll to change things in an external window like border style, and a lot of related items.
But not internal VB properties.

[Megatron]

You can change properties via SendMessage (as Jim mentioned) or by SendWindowLong. If it's an external window, then using SendMessage would be a better approach. If you're dealing with internal windows, then use SetWindowLong.

Of course, there are some things that you can do with one, but you can't do with the other.