sdi user interface

[vbDarryl]

I am working on a new app where I would like to maintain a form containing menu options and buttons at the top of the user's screen similar to the look of VB if you enable the SDI setting. The problem I am running into is that if the user clicks the maximize button, the form takes over the entire screen. I don't want the form to take over the screen, but I also don't want to disable the maximize button. Any advice on how to get around this would be greatly appreciated.

[gdebacker]

You can subclass the form and trap the WM_GETMINMAXINFO message. You can also use the activex control posted at the link below.

http://freevbcode.com/ShowCode.Asp?ID=997

'Declarations
Declare Sub CopyMemory Lib "kernel32" Alias "RtlMoveMemory" (pDest As Any, pSource As Any, ByVal ByteLen As Long)
 
Public Const WM_GETMINMAXINFO = &H24
 
Type POINTAPI
     x As Long
     Y As Long
End Type
 
Type MINMAXINFO
        ptReserved As POINTAPI
        ptMaxSize As POINTAPI
        ptMaxPosition As POINTAPI
        ptMinTrackSize As POINTAPI
        ptMaxTrackSize As POINTAPI
End Type
 
    'Subclassing code. Change the ptMinTrackSize values to what you want
Public Function SubClass1_WndMessage(ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal msg As Long, ByVal wp As Long, ByVal lp As Long) As Long
    
    If msg = WM_GETMINMAXINFO Then
 
        Dim MinMax As MINMAXINFO
        
        CopyMemory MinMax, ByVal lp, Len(MinMax)
        
        ' This is where you set the values of the MinX,MinY,MaxX, and MaxY
        ' The values placed in the structure must be in pixels. The values
        ' normally used in Visual Basic are in twips. The conversion is as follows:
        ' pixels = twips\twipsperpixel
        MinMax.ptMinTrackSize.x = 5535 \ Screen.TwipsPerPixelX
        MinMax.ptMinTrackSize.Y = 3000 \ Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
        MinMax.ptMaxTrackSize.x = Screen.Width \ Screen.TwipsPerPixelX '\ 2
        MinMax.ptMaxTrackSize.Y = Screen.Height \ Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
        
        CopyMemory ByVal lp, MinMax, Len(MinMax)
        
        SubClass1_WndMessage = 1
        Exit Function
                
    End If
        
    SubClass1_WndMessage = CallWindowProc(OldWindowProc, hWnd, msg, wp, lp)
        
End Function

If you're not sure about how to subclass a form I'll be happy to help.

Greg