Detecting if AOL is connected?

[whorl]

Hi,

I'm writing a VB internet-enabled app and no matter what I do I can't my app to correctly identify if the computer is logged onto the Internet if the dial-up being used is AOL. I've tried numerous different methods, using API calls, the winsock control, the inet control etc. etc. OK, I can call a web page using AOL (using wininet.dll for instance) but if it's not connected it can take ages for the app to come back and say it's not connected, e.g. about 2 mins. This just isn't good - I can't expect people to wait that long.

It works fine for all other dial-ups, lans, cable modems or adsl lines but not for AOL.

Anybody got anuy ideas? This is driving me round the twist.

Cheers

Gareth

To detect if AOL is open and online, search for the Welcome screen.

Private Function AOL() As Boolean
    Dim aolframe As Long, mdiclient As Long, aolchild As Long
    aolframe = FindWindow("aol frame25", vbNullString)
    mdiclient = FindWindowEx(aolframe, 0&, "mdiclient", vbNullString)
    aolchild = FindWindowEx(mdiclient, 0&, "aol child", vbNullString)
    aolchild = FindWindowEx(mdiclient, aolchild, "aol child", vbNullString)

    If aolchild <> 0 Then
        AOL = True
    Else
        AOL = False
    End If
End Function


Usage


Private Sub Command1_Click()

    If AOL() Then
        MsgBox "Connected",64,"AOL"
    Else
        MsgBox "Not Connected",16,"AOL"
    End If

End Sub

Oops...forgot to include the API functions that you need to be abled to run that code.

Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" _
Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal _
lpWindowName As String) As Long

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

[whorl]

Hi,

I found that on a previous post after I'd posted my message but I'm afraid to say that it doesn't appear to work with AOL 4 or 5. I will double-check the code but I'm sure it was done right and I obviously added the API declerations.

Any ideas?

Gareth

AOL 4.0 it should work.

I can't help you with 5+ versions because I cannot/will not download them.

I download/installed AOL 5.0 and my computer crashed.
I stopped at 4.0..I don't use AOL a whole lot.
And VB6, I'm not taking any chances.

Get a Windows/API Spy and find the AOL Welcome window and then you can tell whether AOL is signed on or not.

Here is the code I got from VB6. After I reformatted my computer, I decided to dump Netzero (piece of crap) and FreeLane Excite (piece of crap also) and just use AOL 6.0 . It's crap, but it's a whole lot better than the free crap that is starting to charge.

Dim aolframe As Long, mdiclient As Long, aolchild As Long
aolframe = FindWindow("aol frame25", vbNullString)
mdiclient = FindWindowEx(aolframe, 0&, "mdiclient", vbNullString)
aolchild = FindWindowEx(mdiclient, 0&, "aol child", vbNullString)