[RESOLVED] Detecting the height of the start bar?

[feneck]

I have a program that displays an alert (toast) just above the start bar, (like MSN does). However at the moment, its programmed to go just above the start bar, if it was only small and on the bottom.

My question is, that if I drag my Start bar up one or two clicks, (or put it up top) how can I detect that?

So that my alert is just above the start bar?

Thanks guys (and girls )

[iPrank]

I guess you mean 'Task Bar'.
You'll need to determine the desktop area:
http://www.vb-helper.com/howto_center_form.html
http://www.vb-helper.com/howto_net_p...wer_right.html

If you need to check AutoHide:
http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=471594

[Merri]

Here is a bit on how to locate the actual taskbar:

Option Explicit

Private Type RECT
    Left As Long
    Top As Long
    Right As Long
    Bottom As Long
End Type

Private Declare Function FindWindowW Lib "user32" (ByVal lpClassName As Long, ByVal lpWindowName As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowRect Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, lpRect As RECT) As Long

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim lngWnd As Long, udtRC As RECT
    lngWnd = FindWindowW(StrPtr("Shell_TrayWnd"), 0&)
    If lngWnd Then
        GetWindowRect lngWnd, udtRC
        MsgBox "Height: " & udtRC.Bottom - udtRC.Top & " pixels"
    End If
End Sub

udtRC constains the information about the location, you get the exact location. Note that there can be another window using the exact same classname (although unlikely, but possible). Use Spy++ or Winspector to further investigate window information to be sure.

[iPrank]

(reading your post again)
Merri's code will work best it this case.

[Ellis Dee]

Note that there can be another window using the exact same classname (although unlikely, but possible). Use Spy++ or Winspector to further investigate window information to be sure.

There is API to get the taskbar coordinates directly, instead of indirectly using the class name:

Private Const ABM_GETSTATE = &H4
Private Const ABM_GETTASKBARPOS = &H5
Private Const ABS_ALWAYSONTOP = &H2

Private Type RECT
    Left As Long
    Top As Long
    Right As Long
    Bottom As Long
End Type

Private Type APPBARDATA
    cbSize As Long
    hwnd As Long
    uCallbackMessage As Long
    uEdge As Long
    rc As RECT
    lParam As Long '  message specific
End Type

Private Declare Function SHAppBarMessage Lib "shell32.dll" (ByVal dwMessage As Long, pData As APPBARDATA) As Long

Sample usage:

Public Sub Sample()
    Dim typBar As APPBARDATA
    Dim lngState As Long
    
    ' Query the taskbar state
    lngState = SHAppBarMessage(ABM_GETSTATE, typBar)
    If lngState = ABS_ALWAYSONTOP Then ' AlwaysOnTop and doesn't AutoHide
        lngState = SHAppBarMessage(ABM_GETTASKBARPOS, typBar)
        Debug.Print "Taskbar Left: " & typBar.rc.Left
        Debug.Print "Taskbar Top: " & typBar.rc.Top
        Debug.Print "Taskbar Width: " & typBar.rc.Width
        Debug.Print "Taskbar Height: " & typBar.rc.Height
    Else
        Debug.Print "Taskbar AutoHides or is not AlwaysOnTop"
    End If
End Sub

This code is untested. It's taken from this post, which is fully tested code, so you may want to work from that if you run into problems.

Note that the linked code also shows you how to identify which edge of the screen the taskbar is docked to using typBar.uEdge.

[feneck]

Yes, I did mean task bar thank you all...

I've decided to run with Merri's code as its pretty simple and I don't need any more big lumps of code just to do something small

Thanks eveyone

[feneck]

Hey guys, I have another problem. With Merri's code, how do I get the task bar in Twips?

[Ellis Dee]

MsgBox "Height: " & (udtRC.Bottom - udtRC.Top) * Screen.TwipsPerPixelY & " twips"

[feneck]

Ellis Dee, you are awesome! Thank you so much! Works beautifully