RESOLVED Get menu disabled status

[TTn]

I'm trying to verify that a program is still running, by getting the enabled status of a menu item. If it's disabled, the app is running, if it's enabled, then the app has stopped. Simple enough right?

Please help! This is what I have tried:

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

Private Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Integer) As Integer

Private Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal nPos As Integer) As Integer

Private Declare Function IsWindowEnabled Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Integer) As Integer

If FindWindow(vbNullString, "AppTitle") <> 0 Then
   Dim hMenu, hSubMenu As Integer

   hMenu = GetMenu(FindWindow(vbNullString, "AppTitle"))
   hSubMenu = GetSubMenu(hMenu, 0)

   If IsWindowEnabled(hSubMenu) Then
      MessageBox.Show("App not running")
   Else
      MessageBox.Show("App running")
   End If
Else
   MessageBox.Show("App, is closed")
End If

Or should I try to use the MF_DISABLED constant with something?

[benmartin101]

Try this...its in c++. I'm sure you could just translate it to vb.

	HWND hwnd = FindWindow("Notepad", NULL);
	HMENU hmenu = GetMenu(hwnd);

	MENUITEMINFO * mInfo;
	mInfo = new MENUITEMINFO();
	mInfo->cbSize = sizeof(MENUITEMINFO);
	mInfo->fMask = MIIM_STATE;

	GetMenuItemInfo(hmenu, 0, true, mInfo); //the 2nd parameter is the index of the menu; 0-based.

	if(mInfo->fState == MFS_DISABLED || mInfo->fState == MFS_GRAYED)
	{
		MessageBox(NULL, "Menu item is disabled", "", MB_OK);
	}

	return 0;

The code above is if you want to know the enabled/disabled status of the "main" menu item(such as File, Edit, View, Help, etc).

If you want to know the status of the submenu items(such as File->New, File->Open, etc.), then use the code below.

	HWND hwnd = FindWindow("Notepad", NULL);
	HMENU hmenu = GetMenu(hwnd);

	HMENU hSubMenu = GetSubMenu(hmenu, 0);
	MENUITEMINFO * mInfo;
	mInfo = new MENUITEMINFO();
	mInfo->cbSize = sizeof(MENUITEMINFO);
	mInfo->fMask = MIIM_STATE;

	GetMenuItemInfo(hSubMenu, 0, true, mInfo);

	if(mInfo->fState == MFS_DISABLED || mInfo->fState == MFS_GRAYED)
	{
		MessageBox(NULL, "Menu item is disabled", "", MB_OK);
	}

	return 0;

[TTn]

Ah thanks, I tried something similar to this with MF_DISABLED.
I should be able to get that to work with the type intialized, and rigged as a structure in VB.NET2003 like you've shown.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[TTn]

No luck yet.

I've tried several variations, trying to convert the type declarations you've given, into structure declarations, for use in .NET.
It looks like it should work, but it's very frustrating thus far.
I also got detracted with someone elses samples, that lead nowhere.

Could you give a more detailed explaination of your sample.
Namely, the mInfo declaration and useage.
Also, what does == , and ->, and *, and || stand for?

I'm not finding a MIIM_STATE, what's the H& equal to?

Thanks

[benmartin101]

Here is the vb.net equivalent of the codes mentioned above:

' make sure to import "Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices"
 
 Public Structure MENUITEMINFO
        Public cbSize As Integer
        Public fMask As Integer
        Public fType As Integer
        Public fState As Integer
        Public wID As Integer
        Public hSubMenu As Integer
        Public hbmpChecked As Integer
        Public hbmpUnchecked As Integer
        Public dwItemData As Integer
        Public dwTypeData As String
        Public cch As Integer
    End Structure
 
 
    Public Const MFS_ENABLED = &H0
    Public Const MFS_GRAYED = &H3
    Public Const MIIM_STATE = &H1
 
    Public Declare Function GetMenuItemInfo Lib "user32" Alias "GetMenuItemInfoA" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal un As Integer, ByVal b As Boolean, ByRef lpMenuItemInfo As MENUITEMINFO) As Integer
    Public Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Integer
    Public Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" Alias "GetMenu" (ByVal hwnd As Integer) As Integer
    Public Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" Alias "GetSubMenu" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal nPos As Integer) As Integer
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim hWnd As Integer = FindWindow(Nothing, "Form1")
        Dim hMenu As Integer = GetMenu(hWnd)
        Dim menuItem As MENUITEMINFO
 
        menuItem.cbSize = Marshal.SizeOf(menuItem)
        menuItem.fMask = MIIM_STATE
 
        Dim ret As Integer
        ret = GetMenuItemInfo(hMenu, 0, True, menuItem)
 
        If ret <> 0 Then 'if ret is non-zero, then function succeeded
            If menuItem.fState = MFS_GRAYED Then
                MsgBox("Menu item is disabled")
            ElseIf menuItem.fState = MFS_ENABLED Then
                MsgBox("Menu item is enabled")
            End If
        End If
 
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim hWnd As Integer = FindWindow(Nothing, "Form1")
        Dim hMenu As Integer = GetMenu(hWnd)
        Dim hSubMenu As Integer = GetSubMenu(hMenu, 0)
 
        Dim menuItem As MENUITEMINFO
 
        menuItem.cbSize = Marshal.SizeOf(menuItem)
        menuItem.fMask = MIIM_STATE
 
        Dim ret As Integer
        ret = GetMenuItemInfo(hSubMenu, 0, True, menuItem)
 
        If ret <> 0 Then 'if ret is non-zero, then function succeeded
            If menuItem.fState = MFS_GRAYED Then
                MsgBox("Menu item is disabled")
            ElseIf menuItem.fState = MFS_ENABLED Then
                MsgBox("Menu item is enabled")
            End If
        End If
    End Sub

[TTn]

I have the same exact sample that I worked on afterwards, which is almost identical to yours.
Hmmm ...it's still not working on this app. Oh wait..... HA AHHH!!!

MIIM_STATE = &H1 is the only difference.
I was using MIIM_SUBMENU as in the API GUIDE example.
I also tried Marshal.SizeOf(), and Microsoft.VisualBasic.Len().
This should definately work now, I'll repost with the results.

Thank you very much sir.

[TTn]

Okay, I did get this to work, however the menu must be clicked/opened in order for the status to update. This is a specific problem of the external app, so most people will be able to use this code just fine.

Ironically, I found a work around, that is specific to the app.
I simply click that menu item, and a particular window comes up only when inactive. Detect it, close it, and signal not active.

Const WM_COMMAND = &H111
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Integer, ByVal wMsg As Integer, ByVal wParam As Integer, ByVal lParam As Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Integer
Public Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" Alias "GetMenu" (ByVal hwnd As Integer) As Integer
Public Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" Alias "GetSubMenu" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal nPos As Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetMenuItemID Lib "user32" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal nPos As Integer) As Integer
            Dim hWnd As Integer = FindWindow(vbNullString, "[COLOR=Lime]AppTitle[/COLOR]")
            Dim hMenu As Integer = GetMenu(hWnd)
            Dim hSubMenu As Integer = GetSubMenu(hMenu, 0)
            Dim hId As Integer = GetMenuItemID(hSubMenu, 0)
 
            SendMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, hId, 0)

Thank you for clearing this up Ben!
BTW, Always use MessageBox.Show, instead of MsgBox(), because it can mess up some execution tests.
If the point is to see if the flow got there, we don't want to actually mess up the flow from getting there.
Good habit, and example to others.

[TTn]

If anyone needs a workaround for the menu update problem, that some apps may have, try this basic idea:
Insert a process component named exeAppTitle.
Use the API GetForegroundWindow, BlockInput, and SetForegroundWindow.
Declare an integer data type for the current ForeGroundWindow.

Const MF_GRAYED = &H1
Private Declare Function BlockInput Lib "user32" (ByVal fBlock As Integer) As Integer    
Private Declare Function GetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" () As Integer   
Private Declare Function SetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Integer  
Public Declare Function GetMenu Lib "user32" Alias "GetMenu" (ByVal hwnd As Integer) As Integer
Public Declare Function GetSubMenu Lib "user32" Alias "GetSubMenu" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal nPos As Integer) As Integer
Private Declare Function GetMenuItemID Lib "user32" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal nPos As Integer) As Integer
Public Declare Function GetMenuState Lib "user32" Alias "GetMenuState" (ByVal hMenu As Integer, ByVal wID As Integer, ByVal wFlags As Integer) As Integer

On Error Resume Next
        Dim count as integer = 0
        Dim SomeLimit as integer = [COLOR=Lime]YourLimit[/COLOR]
        exeAppTitle.PriorityClass = ProcessPriorityClass.Normal
        ForeGroundWindow = GetForegroundWindow
        BlockInput(True)
        Do
            SetForegroundWindow(FindWindow(Nothing, "[COLOR=Lime]AppTitle[/COLOR]"))
            If GetForegroundWindow = FindWindow(Nothing, "[COLOR=Lime]AppTitle[/COLOR]") Then
                SendKeys.Send("{F10}f")
                Exit Do
            End If
            count += 1
            If count > [COLOR=Orange]Some Limit[/COLOR] then
               Exit Do
            End if 
        Loop
        BlockInput(False)
        SetForegroundWindow(ForeGroundWindow)
 
 
        Dim hWnd As Integer = FindWindow(Nothing, "[COLOR=Lime]AppTitle[/COLOR]")
        Dim hMenu As Integer = GetMenu(hWnd)
        Dim hSubMenu As Integer = GetSubMenu(hMenu, [COLOR=Lime]0[/COLOR])
        Dim hId As Integer = GetMenuItemID(hSubMenu, [COLOR=Lime]2[/COLOR])
        exeAppTitle.PriorityClass = ProcessPriorityClass.Idle
 
 
        If GetMenuState(hMenu, hId, MF_GRAYED Then
            MessageBox.Show("menu disabled")
        Else
            MessageBox.Show("menu enabled")
        End If