How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

[MJB]

In the main function of my form I check to see if the application is already
running. If it is, I throw up a message box telling the user. What I would
like to do is also maximize the application, but I am unable to do so. Does
anyone have any experience with this.

TIA,
Matt

[joe]

How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

This won't set the window to maximized, but it has
basically the same affect. I think there is


Dim ScrnRec As Rectangle
ScrnRec = Screen.PrimaryS creen.Bounds()

Me.Top = ScrnRec.Top
Me.Left = ScrnRec.Left
Me.Width = ScrnRec.Width
Me.Height = ScrnRec.Height


You could also try...

Me.WindowState= FormWindowState .Maximized
[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>In the main function of my form I check to see if the[/color]
application is already[color=blue]
>running. If it is, I throw up a message box telling the[/color]
user. What I would[color=blue]
>like to do is also maximize the application, but I am[/color]
unable to do so. Does[color=blue]
>anyone have any experience with this.
>
>TIA,
>Matt
>
>
>.
>[/color]

[gary hitch]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

try this:
this.WindowStat e = FormWindowState .Maximiz
but you cant do it from Main - use the constructor or or the OnLoad event or
whatever


"MJB" <mb2@email.co m> wrote in message
news:ORV7CH7eDH A.2184@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> In the main function of my form I check to see if the application is[/color]
already[color=blue]
> running. If it is, I throw up a message box telling the user. What I[/color]
would[color=blue]
> like to do is also maximize the application, but I am unable to do so.[/color]
Does[color=blue]
> anyone have any experience with this.
>
> TIA,
> Matt
>
>[/color]

[Ignacio Machin]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hi,

I assume that you will kill the second instance and activate the first one,
if so all you have to do is call SetActiveWindow API:

[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
IntPtr SetActiveWindow ( IntPtr hWnd);

This will do the trick.

You need the hWnd of the first app, if you need code to get it let me know.

Hope this help,

--
Ignacio Machin,
ignacio.machin AT dot.state.fl.us
Florida Department Of Transportation

"MJB" <mb2@email.co m> wrote in message
news:ORV7CH7eDH A.2184@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> In the main function of my form I check to see if the application is[/color]
already[color=blue]
> running. If it is, I throw up a message box telling the user. What I[/color]
would[color=blue]
> like to do is also maximize the application, but I am unable to do so.[/color]
Does[color=blue]
> anyone have any experience with this.
>
> TIA,
> Matt
>
>[/color]

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hello,

"Ignacio Machin" <ignacio.mach in AT dot.state.fl.us > schrieb:[color=blue]
> I assume that you will kill the second instance and activate the first[/color]
one,[color=blue]
> if so all you have to do is call SetActiveWindow API:[/color]

You will have to attach the window to the thread's message queue
('AttachThreadI nput'):

<msdn>
The window must be attached to the calling thread's message queue.
</msdn>

--
Herfried K. Wagner
MVP · VB Classic, VB.NET

http://www.mvps.org/dotnet

[Fergus Cooney]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hi Matt,

Have my application class. :-)

You can call it from Sub Main, Sub MainForm_Load or sometime later.

Regards,
Fergus

<code>
Imports System.Diagnost ics.Process

Public Class clsApp

'============== =============== =============== =============== ========
Public Shared Function tThereIsAnInsta nceOfThisProgra mAlreadyRunning _
(Optional tToActivateTheP revInstance As Boolean = False, _
Optional ProgramTitle As String = "?") As Boolean
Dim sProcessName As String
Dim aoProcList() As System.Diagnost ics.Process

sProcessName = GetCurrentProce ss.ProcessName
aoProcList = GetProcessesByN ame (sProcessName) 'At least 1.

If aoProcList.Leng th = 1 Then
'There's just me.
Return False
End If

If tToActivateTheP revInstance Then
ActivateMyBette rHalf (ProgramTitle)
End If

'Another me beat me to it.
Return True
End Function

'============== =============== =============== =============== ========
Public Shared Sub ActivateMyBette rHalf _
(Optional ProgramTitle As String = "?", _
Optional tToCallAppExit As Boolean = False)
Dim MainForm As Form = Nothing

If ProgramTitle = "?" Then
MainForm = Form.ActiveForm 'Assumes that it's the main Form.
If MainForm Is Nothing Then
Throw New Exception ("No ProgramTitle and no Main Form??")
End If
ProgramTitle = MainForm.Text
MainForm.Text = "About to die" 'So AppActivate avoids self.
End If

MsgBox ("This is " & ProgramTitle & "(2) saying ""Bye, bye"" :-(")
AppActivate (ProgramTitle)

If MainForm Is Nothing = False Then
MainForm.Close
End If

If tToCallAppExit Then
Application.Exi t
End If

'Or leave it to the caller to close down further as necessary.
End Sub

End Class

'============== =============== =============== =============== ========
Public Module MainMod
Public Sub Main
MsgBox ("Point 1")
If clsApp.tThereIs AnInstanceOfThi sProgramAlready Running (True,
"Form1") Then
Return
End If

MsgBox ("Point 2")
If clsApp.tThereIs AnInstanceOfThi sProgramAlready Running Then
clsApp.Activate MyBetterHalf ("Form1")
Return
End If

Dim F As New Form1
F.Show
Application.Run ()
End Sub
End Module

'============== =============== =============== =============== ========
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVa l sender As System.Object, _
ByVal e As System.EventArg s) Handles MyBase.Load

MsgBox ("Point 3")
If clsApp.tThereIs AnInstanceOfThi sProgramAlready Running Then
'Form.ActiveFor m is not yet valid. So give the name.
clsApp.Activate MyBetterHalf (Me.Text)
Me.Close
Return
End If
End Sub

'============== =============== =============== =============== ========
Private Sub btnTest_Click(B yVal sender As System.Object, _
ByVal e As System.EventArg s) Handles btnTest.Click
MsgBox ("Point 4")
If clsApp.tThereIs AnInstanceOfThi sProgramAlready Running Then
clsApp.Activate MyBetterHalf (,True)
End If
End Sub
</code>

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hello,

"Fergus Cooney" <filter-1@tesco.net> schrieb:[color=blue]
> aoProcList = GetProcessesByN ame (sProcessName) 'At least 1.[/color]

Notice that _different_ applications can have the same name. I would use a
'Mutex' for detecting other instances of the application:

http://groups.google.de/groups?selm=Oq6KjwMaDHA.2588%40TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl

--
Herfried K. Wagner
MVP · VB Classic, VB.NET

http://www.mvps.org/dotnet

[Fergus Cooney]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hi Herfried,

Mutex looks good. Simple too. :-)

Now, how do you activate the other instance? Is it possible to associate a
value with a mutex?

Regards,
Fergus

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hello,

"Fergus Cooney" <filter-1@tesco.net> schrieb:[color=blue]
> Mutex looks good. Simple too. :-)
>
> Now, how do you activate the other instance? Is it possible
> to associate a value with a mutex?[/color]

I think that's not easy. You can use 'AppActivate' with the other
instance's process ID (see documentation for 'AppActivate'). I recently
posted a 'PrevInstance' function which returned the 'Process' object for the
other instance by looping through the process list and comparing process
name and file name.

--
Herfried K. Wagner
MVP · VB Classic, VB.NET

http://www.mvps.org/dotnet

[Ignacio Machin]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hi,

A mutex is a good idea, now the tricky part is set the focus to that other
process , I proposed using SetActiveWindow API call but as you mentioned you
need to be attached to the calling thread's message queue.

I'm using SetForegroundWi ndow to do this in a pocketPC application and it
works great:
[DllImport("user 32dll",EntryPoi nt="SetForegrou ndWindow")]

public static extern bool SetForegroundWi ndow(IntPtr hWnd);


Hope this help,

--
Ignacio Machin,
ignacio.machin AT dot.state.fl.us
Florida Department Of Transportation


"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf.nosp@m.ac tivevb.de> wrote in message
news:ulbi06DfDH A.1736@TK2MSFTN GP12.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Hello,
>
> "Fergus Cooney" <filter-1@tesco.net> schrieb:[color=green]
> > aoProcList = GetProcessesByN ame (sProcessName) 'At least 1.[/color]
>
> Notice that _different_ applications can have the same name. I would use[/color]
a[color=blue]
> 'Mutex' for detecting other instances of the application:
>
>[/color]
http://groups.google.de/groups?selm=...TNGP09.phx.gbl[color=blue]
>
> --
> Herfried K. Wagner
> MVP · VB Classic, VB.NET
> http://www.mvps.org/dotnet
>
>[/color]

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: How to: Maximize window from the Main function?

Hello,

"Ignacio Machin" <ignacio.mach in AT dot.state.fl.us > schrieb:[color=blue]
> now the tricky part is set the focus to that other
> process , I proposed using SetActiveWindow API call
> but as you mentioned you need to be attached to the
> calling thread's message queue.[/color]

You'll find an implementation in VB6 written by Karl E. Peterson here:

http://www.mvps.org/vb/code/ForceFore.zip

--
Herfried K. Wagner
MVP · VB Classic, VB.NET

http://www.mvps.org/dotnet