Problem with setwindowPOS and returning from topmost to standard window position?

turbosupramk3

I'm using the code below to temporarily set a window to top most foreground. How can I return it to the standard function of being in the foreground depending on the last time it was touched by the mouse? I can't seem to figure out which uint32 to use to achieve what I'd like?

private static readonly IntPtr HWND_TOPMOST = new IntPtr(-1);
private static readonly IntPtr HWND_NOTOPMOST = new IntPtr(-2);

    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOSIZE = 0x0001;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOMOVE = 0x0002;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOZORDER = 0x0004;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOREDRAW = 0x0008;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOACTIVATE = 0x0010;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_DRAWFRAME = 0x0020;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_FRAMECHANGED = 0x0020;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_SHOWWINDOW = 0x0040;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_HIDEWINDOW = 0x0080;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOCOPYBITS = 0x0100;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOOWNERZORDER = 0x0200;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOREPOSITION = 0x0200;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOSENDCHANGING = 0x0400;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_DEFERERASE = 0x2000;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_ASYNCWINDOWPOS = 0x4000;

    private const UInt32 TOPMOST\_FLAGS = SWP\_NOMOVE | SWP\_NOSIZE;
    private const UInt32 NOTOPMOST\_FLAGS = SWP\_SHOWWINDOW;

    \[DllImport("user32.dll")\]
    \[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)\]
    public static extern bool SetWindowPos(IntPtr hWnd, IntPtr hWndInsertAfter, int X, int Y, int cx, int cy, uint uFlags);

SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, TOPMOST_FLAGS);

Thanks!

Lost User

Us one of the other flags as described in the documentation: SetWindowPos function (Windows)[^].

turbosupramk3

Hi, I've tried multiple variations of what I think is correct and it is not working. Here is an example of what I thought was correct

SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND_TOP, 120, 240, 200, 400, 0);

Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? When using the above code, the window is still at the top most, even when I click on another window to bring it to the foreground.

Lost User

It all seems to work for me. Can you provide some more details of exactly what you are doing, and exactly what results you get?

turbosupramk3

Sure, I am having the program go to top most after a button click and then selecting coordinates on the screen with the mouse and clicking another button to send keys to those coordinates and then after it is done I'd like for it to go back to standard Z order, but it is staying at top most.

Lost User

Fine, but we cannot guess what your code is actually doing.

turbosupramk3

Here is the button click function, would you like me to copy/paste the entire code?

private void btnSelectTypingBox_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
try
{
if (tempBlocker == false)
{
////MessageBox.Show("1");
if (btnSelectTypingBox.Text == "Select Box")
{
btnSelectTypingBox.Text = "Waiting";
tempBlocker = false;
SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, TOPMOST_FLAGS); // set window foreground to top most window
}
else if (btnSelectTypingBox.Text == "Waiting")
{
btnSelectTypingBox.Text = "Select Box";

                }
            }         
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(ex.Message + " | " + ex.Source + " | " + ex.InnerException + " | " + ex.StackTrace);
        }
    }

Luc Pattyn

How about

SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOMOVE| SWP_NOZORDER);

? some extra SWP values might be required... :)

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

turbosupramk3

Hi Luc, Here is what I tried, but it did not work for me

private void btnTest_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOZORDER);
}

And here is my pininvoke code

private static readonly IntPtr HWND_TOPMOST = new IntPtr(-1);
private static readonly IntPtr HWND_NOTOPMOST = new IntPtr(-2);
private static readonly IntPtr HWND_TOP = new IntPtr(0);

    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOSIZE = 0x0001;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOMOVE = 0x0002;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOZORDER = 0x0004;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOREDRAW = 0x0008;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOACTIVATE = 0x0010;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_DRAWFRAME = 0x0020;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_FRAMECHANGED = 0x0020;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_SHOWWINDOW = 0x0040;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_HIDEWINDOW = 0x0080;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOCOPYBITS = 0x0100;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOOWNERZORDER = 0x0200;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOREPOSITION = 0x0200;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOSENDCHANGING = 0x0400;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_DEFERERASE = 0x2000;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_ASYNCWINDOWPOS = 0x4000;

    private const UInt32 TOPMOST\_FLAGS = SWP\_NOMOVE | SWP\_NOSIZE;
    private const UInt32 NOTOPMOST\_FLAGS = SWP\_SHOWWINDOW;

    \[DllImport("user32.dll")\]
    \[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)\]
    public static extern bool SetWindowPos(IntPtr hWnd, IntPtr hWndInsertAfter, int X, int Y, int cx, int cy, uint uFlags);

Luc Pattyn

Hi, two things: 1. "did not work for me" isn't helpful; what did it do? and what did it not do that you were hoping to get? please be precise. 2. why is this in a new Click handler, I was expecting this to go in the else block, as counterpart to your SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND_TOPMOST...). :)

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

turbosupramk3

It did not remove the topmost flag as the application is still set to topmost. I would like it to go from a topmost application back to a standard z ordered application as it is before the topmost flag is set. I was testing it with a test button for simplification is all, as soon as I get a working example I will then incorporate it into an else block

Lost User

The problem is that your X, Y, cx and cy values are all zero, and when you switch to NoTopMost, you have omitted the flags to keep the size and position. Edit your code and replace the definition of NOTOPMOST_FLAGS with the following.

    private const UInt32 NOTOPMOST\_FLAGS = TOPMOST\_FLAGS | SWP\_SHOWWINDOW;

Had you explained exactly what happened when you ran your code we could have helped earlier.

turbosupramk3

Thank you. Strangely enough when I have the above code in a separate button it removes the topmost flag correctly, but when I have it at the end of the send.keys function it does not remove the topmost flag? Any ideas on what could be causing that?

Lost User

turbosupramk3 wrote:

what could be causing that?

Not without seeing the actual code.

turbosupramk3

Sure thing, the first block is my Pininvoke code, then the standard function and then the test button. The standard function code will put the form to topmost, but will not remove the topmost flag. The test button will remove the topmost flag after the standard function places the topmost flag.

private static readonly IntPtr HWND_TOPMOST = new IntPtr(-1);
private static readonly IntPtr HWND_NOTOPMOST = new IntPtr(-2);
private static readonly IntPtr HWND_TOP = new IntPtr(0);

    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOSIZE = 0x0001;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOMOVE = 0x0002;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOZORDER = 0x0004;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOREDRAW = 0x0008;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOACTIVATE = 0x0010;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_DRAWFRAME = 0x0020;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_FRAMECHANGED = 0x0020;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_SHOWWINDOW = 0x0040;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_HIDEWINDOW = 0x0080;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOCOPYBITS = 0x0100;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOOWNERZORDER = 0x0200;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOREPOSITION = 0x0200;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_NOSENDCHANGING = 0x0400;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_DEFERERASE = 0x2000;
    private const UInt32 SWP\_ASYNCWINDOWPOS = 0x4000;

    private const UInt32 TOPMOST\_FLAGS = SWP\_NOMOVE | SWP\_NOSIZE;
    private const UInt32 NOTOPMOST\_FLAGS = TOPMOST\_FLAGS | SWP\_SHOWWINDOW;

    \[DllImport("user32.dll")\]
    \[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)\]
    public static extern bool SetWindowPos(IntPtr hWnd, IntPtr hWndInsertAfter, int X, int Y, int cx, int cy, uint uFlags);

    private void btnType\_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            if (tbxTagList.Text == "")
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Please enter in at least 1 tag");
                return;
            }

            int x = Convert.ToInt32(tbxXCoordinates.Text);
            int y = Convert.ToInt32(tbxYCoordinates.Text);
            SimulateMouseClick(x, y);
            foreach (char character in tbxTagList.Text)
            {

                if ((character != '\\n') && (character != '\\r'))
                {
                    SendKeys.Send(character.ToString());
                }

                if (character == '\\n')
                {
                    SendKeys.Send("{Enter}

Lost User

I cannot see anything wrong with that code, and the documentation does not give any further ideas.

turbosupramk3

Ok, thank you for trying!

turbosupramk3

I don't know why, but the addition of the thread sleep as pictured below fixed it?

            tbxXCoordinates.Text = "";
            tbxYCoordinates.Text = "";
            
            Thread.Sleep(250);
            SetWindowPos(this.Handle, HWND\_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, NOTOPMOST\_FLAGS);

Lost User

I wonder if using SendKeys.SendWait Method (String) (System.Windows.Forms)[^] instead of Send might have the same effect?