| Groups | Blog | Home |
dotnet windows forms : Make a window "Click-through"
Hello everyone,
I've got two little apps which are able to create a window that displays something on the desktop, but are not clickable. Instead, when you click on the window, the item 'behind' or 'under' that window gets clicked. I'd like to know how to do this, using VB6, VB.Net, Windows Forms, or API functions. Any ideas? PS. The apps in question are (both freeware): Desktop Logo - http://mt.smolyan.info/desktoplogo.php ClocX - http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx/ Thanks in advance, --
Another opportunity to advertise one of my favorite API functions:
SendMessage. Use the SendMessage Win32 API method to send a WM_LBUTTONDOWN message, adding the appropriate parameters as described in http://www.mangovision.com/vbapi/ref/w/wm_lbuttondown.html to pass the click location to the target application. There may be other ways, but based on my knowledge and experience, this is how I would begin to tackle the problem. Dale [quoted text, click to view] "Martijn Coppoolse" <msnewsgroups@martijn.coppoolse.com> wrote in message news:40A53F1B.8030600@martijn.coppoolse.com... > Hello everyone, > > I've got two little apps which are able to create a window that displays > something on the desktop, but are not clickable. Instead, when you > click on the window, the item 'behind' or 'under' that window gets clicked. > > I'd like to know how to do this, using VB6, VB.Net, Windows Forms, or > API functions. > > Any ideas? > > PS. The apps in question are (both freeware): > Desktop Logo - http://mt.smolyan.info/desktoplogo.php > ClocX - http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx/ > > Thanks in advance, > -- > Martijn <@> Coppoolse <.com>
The problem is a bit more complicated. It requires that you enumerate windows
on the machine to find the window that is immediately below you. GetWindow and GetNextWindow are prime candidates. Another possibility is to create you window with WS_EX_NOACTIVE (or is it NO_ACTIVATE, can't remember), and then set it top-most. It'll be top visible, but it won't be the *foreground* window and so it won't receive the input. I haven't tried this later one, but I did some research yesterday after the original post to try and find a concrete answer. The biggest problem is that getting the window underneath you is not easy. Z-Ordering in windows is not easy to control or get information about. The closest I could come is that GetNextWindow might allow you to cycle windows in z-ordered order, so you could find the window at your point, that was immediately behind your window. -- Justin Rogers DigiTec Web Consultants, LLC. Blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/justin_rogers [quoted text, click to view] "DalePres" <nospam@nomail.com> wrote in message news:udPz6IoOEHA.2336@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl... > Another opportunity to advertise one of my favorite API functions: > SendMessage. Use the SendMessage Win32 API method to send a WM_LBUTTONDOWN > message, adding the appropriate parameters as described in > http://www.mangovision.com/vbapi/ref/w/wm_lbuttondown.html to pass the click > location to the target application. > > There may be other ways, but based on my knowledge and experience, this is > how I would begin to tackle the problem. > > Dale > > "Martijn Coppoolse" <msnewsgroups@martijn.coppoolse.com> wrote in message > news:40A53F1B.8030600@martijn.coppoolse.com... > > Hello everyone, > > > > I've got two little apps which are able to create a window that displays > > something on the desktop, but are not clickable. Instead, when you > > click on the window, the item 'behind' or 'under' that window gets > clicked. > > > > I'd like to know how to do this, using VB6, VB.Net, Windows Forms, or > > API functions. > > > > Any ideas? > > > > PS. The apps in question are (both freeware): > > Desktop Logo - http://mt.smolyan.info/desktoplogo.php > > ClocX - http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx/ > > > > Thanks in advance, > > -- > > Martijn <@> Coppoolse <.com> > >
The reason you can click through with ClocX is because it's drawn directly
to the main screen (if you set it to click through). Otherwise, it sits on its own form and you can't click through. A simple trick. [quoted text, click to view] "Bob Powell [MVP]" <bob@_spamkiller_bobpowell.net> wrote in message news:e$hDmvrOEHA.624@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl... > I too went through some experimental code and created a form that handled > the WM_NCHITTEST message. This works a treat for controls but not forms and > top-level windows. > > I created a clock that showed up semi-transparent on the desktop but I > couldn't click through it. I can set a transparency key and click through > that but the numerals on the clock are never transparent to clicks. > > I'd post the code but it doesn't do what's needed so I won't bother. :-( > > -- > Bob Powell [MVP] > Visual C#, System.Drawing > > Image transition effects, automatic persistent configuration and > design time mouse operations all in April's issue of Well Formed > http://www.bobpowell.net/wellformed.htm > > Answer those GDI+ questions with the GDI+ FAQ > http://www.bobpowell.net/gdiplus_faq.htm > > The GDI+ FAQ RSS feed: http://www.bobpowell.net/faqfeed.xml > Windows Forms Tips and Tricks RSS: http://www.bobpowell.net/tipstricks.xml > Bob's Blog: http://royo.is-a-geek.com/siteFeeder/GetFeed.aspx?FeedId=41 > > > > > > "Justin Rogers" <Justin@games4dotnet.com> wrote in message > news:Ov8w8GrOEHA.3012@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl... > > The problem is a bit more complicated. It requires that you enumerate > windows > > on the machine to find > > the window that is immediately below you. GetWindow and GetNextWindow are > prime > > candidates. > > Another possibility is to create you window with WS_EX_NOACTIVE (or is it > > NO_ACTIVATE, can't > > remember), and then set it top-most. It'll be top visible, but it won't > be the > > *foreground* window and so > > it won't receive the input. I haven't tried this later one, but I did > some > > research yesterday after the original > > post to try and find a concrete answer. > > > > The biggest problem is that getting the window underneath you is not easy. > > Z-Ordering in windows is not > > easy to control or get information about. The closest I could come is > that > > GetNextWindow might allow > > you to cycle windows in z-ordered order, so you could find the window at > your > > point, that was immediately > > behind your window. > > > > > > -- > > Justin Rogers > > DigiTec Web Consultants, LLC. > > Blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/justin_rogers > > > > "DalePres" <nospam@nomail.com> wrote in message > > news:udPz6IoOEHA.2336@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl... > > > Another opportunity to advertise one of my favorite API functions: > > > SendMessage. Use the SendMessage Win32 API method to send a > WM_LBUTTONDOWN > > > message, adding the appropriate parameters as described in > > > http://www.mangovision.com/vbapi/ref/w/wm_lbuttondown.html to pass the > click > > > location to the target application. > > > > > > There may be other ways, but based on my knowledge and experience, this > is > > > how I would begin to tackle the problem. > > > > > > Dale > > > > > > "Martijn Coppoolse" <msnewsgroups@martijn.coppoolse.com> wrote in > message > > > news:40A53F1B.8030600@martijn.coppoolse.com... > > > > Hello everyone, > > > > > > > > I've got two little apps which are able to create a window that > displays > > > > something on the desktop, but are not clickable. Instead, when you > > > > click on the window, the item 'behind' or 'under' that window gets > > > clicked. > > > > > > > > I'd like to know how to do this, using VB6, VB.Net, Windows Forms, or > > > > API functions. > > > > > > > > Any ideas? > > > > > > > > PS. The apps in question are (both freeware): > > > > Desktop Logo - http://mt.smolyan.info/desktoplogo.php > > > > ClocX - http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx/ > > > > > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > -- > > > > Martijn <@> Coppoolse <.com> > > > > > > > > > > > >
I too went through some experimental code and created a form that handled
the WM_NCHITTEST message. This works a treat for controls but not forms and top-level windows. I created a clock that showed up semi-transparent on the desktop but I couldn't click through it. I can set a transparency key and click through that but the numerals on the clock are never transparent to clicks. I'd post the code but it doesn't do what's needed so I won't bother. :-( -- Bob Powell [MVP] Visual C#, System.Drawing Image transition effects, automatic persistent configuration and design time mouse operations all in April's issue of Well Formed http://www.bobpowell.net/wellformed.htm Answer those GDI+ questions with the GDI+ FAQ http://www.bobpowell.net/gdiplus_faq.htm The GDI+ FAQ RSS feed: http://www.bobpowell.net/faqfeed.xml Windows Forms Tips and Tricks RSS: http://www.bobpowell.net/tipstricks.xml Bob's Blog: http://royo.is-a-geek.com/siteFeeder/GetFeed.aspx?FeedId=41 [quoted text, click to view] "Justin Rogers" <Justin@games4dotnet.com> wrote in message news:Ov8w8GrOEHA.3012@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl... > The problem is a bit more complicated. It requires that you enumerate windows > on the machine to find > the window that is immediately below you. GetWindow and GetNextWindow are prime > candidates. > Another possibility is to create you window with WS_EX_NOACTIVE (or is it > NO_ACTIVATE, can't > remember), and then set it top-most. It'll be top visible, but it won't be the > *foreground* window and so > it won't receive the input. I haven't tried this later one, but I did some > research yesterday after the original > post to try and find a concrete answer. > > The biggest problem is that getting the window underneath you is not easy. > Z-Ordering in windows is not > easy to control or get information about. The closest I could come is that > GetNextWindow might allow > you to cycle windows in z-ordered order, so you could find the window at your > point, that was immediately > behind your window. > > > -- > Justin Rogers > DigiTec Web Consultants, LLC. > Blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/justin_rogers > > "DalePres" <nospam@nomail.com> wrote in message > news:udPz6IoOEHA.2336@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl... > > Another opportunity to advertise one of my favorite API functions: > > SendMessage. Use the SendMessage Win32 API method to send a WM_LBUTTONDOWN > > message, adding the appropriate parameters as described in > > http://www.mangovision.com/vbapi/ref/w/wm_lbuttondown.html to pass the click > > location to the target application. > > > > There may be other ways, but based on my knowledge and experience, this is > > how I would begin to tackle the problem. > > > > Dale > > > > "Martijn Coppoolse" <msnewsgroups@martijn.coppoolse.com> wrote in message > > news:40A53F1B.8030600@martijn.coppoolse.com... > > > Hello everyone, > > > > > > I've got two little apps which are able to create a window that displays > > > something on the desktop, but are not clickable. Instead, when you > > > click on the window, the item 'behind' or 'under' that window gets > > clicked. > > > > > > I'd like to know how to do this, using VB6, VB.Net, Windows Forms, or > > > API functions. > > > > > > Any ideas? > > > > > > PS. The apps in question are (both freeware): > > > Desktop Logo - http://mt.smolyan.info/desktoplogo.php > > > ClocX - http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx/ > > > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > -- > > > Martijn <@> Coppoolse <.com> > > > > > >
I guess the functionality you desire could be achieved wit
Form.TransparencyKe [? -Niti ----- Martijn Coppoolse wrote: ---- Hello everyone I've got two little apps which are able to create a window that displays something on the desktop, but are not clickable. Instead, when you click on the window, the item 'behind' or 'under' that window gets clicked I'd like to know how to do this, using VB6, VB.Net, Windows Forms, or API functions Any ideas PS. The apps in question are (both freeware) Desktop Logo - http://mt.smolyan.info/desktoplogo.ph ClocX - http://www.tenzor.cz/clocx Thanks in advance -
[quoted text, click to view]
"yEaH rIgHt" wrote: > The reason you can click through with ClocX is because it's drawn directly > to the main screen (if you set it to click through). Otherwise, it sits on > its own form and you can't click through. A simple trick. How could that be done, then? Drawing directly onto the desktop's hDC wouldn't show on screen, if there's a window on top of it, would it? In the meantime, I'll look into figuring out what other window's supposed to get the clicks. Thanks for the pointers! --
[quoted text, click to view]
Nitin Koshy wrote: > I guess the functionality you desire could be achieved with > Form.TransparencyKey > I'm afraid not; AFAIK, Form.TransparencyKey doesn't 'ignore' clicks on the form. What I'm looking to make, is a kind of ghost form: you can see it, but if you click on it, it's as if the form didn't exist... Thanks anyway, --
Don't see what you're looking for? Try a search.
|
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
February 2004
March 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
| home · blog · groups | Questions? Comments? Contact the dn |