Setting the focus for an Application in VB.net

mountainyman · 16-10-2008 06:52PM #1

I have an applicatuion which calls an external process. I would like this process to be open as soon as it is called. i.e. with no user interaction.

This is because I would like to send Keys to it to interact.
I know how crude this is but this is a thrid party application that my boss has promised will open is a specific way.

Dim procSungard As System.Diagnostics.Process = _
           New System.Diagnostics.Process()
           procSungard.StartInfo.FileName = _
           System.Environment.GetFolderPath_
          (Environment.SpecialFolder.ProgramFiles)&_
          "sungard/sungard.exe"
          procSungard.StartInfo.WindowStyle = _
          System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Normal


           If iCode = 1 Then

            procSungard.Start()

            System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
            System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys.Send("{Tab}")
            End If

So I declare the process, get its expected location and set a window style.
Is there any way to give it focus on load?

MM

dazberry · 16-10-2008 08:23PM

You'll probably need to use the likes of SetForegroundWindow and SetActiveWindow API functions directly. Something like (in C# - VB.NET should be pretty similar...)

        [DllImport("user32.dll")]       
        static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd);
        [DllImport("user32.dll")]
        static extern int SetActiveWindow(IntPtr hWnd);

        ...

        Process process = Process.Start("c:\\winnt\\notepad.exe");
        SetActiveWindow(process.MainWindowHandle);
        SetForegroundWindow(process.MainWindowHandle);

D.

Ginger · 16-10-2008 09:19PM

Second post in this thread should help you out

http://bytes.com/forum/thread113739.html

mountainyman · 17-10-2008 09:12AM

Ginger you are the king (or queen if you prefer) of CLR.

MM

Ginger · 17-10-2008 11:26AM

I generally prefer king

mountainyman · 17-10-2008 11:45AM

Dazberry apologies forgot to say thanks
You are the Jedi of CLR.

Setting the focus for an Application in VB.net

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