Remove TaskBar Button

[GTKemp]

Hello and thanks in advance for any assistance.

I need to have my application not show up at all in the task bar. It is a desktop app (kind of a reminder system) it is a very small tab that stays active, like an Icon then slides open when the user needs more information. Problem is I don't want to take up space on the taskbar.

I tried using the ITaskbarList and DeletTab functions in the shell32.dll but cannot get those functions to be found with the dll action - any ideas? I am new to this and not really a coder.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

GTK

[Adam]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

There is nothing built into AutoPlay that can accomplish this. There must be a way to do this through the Windows API. Any ideas folks?

[Corey]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Did I hear someone ask for ideas?

Trick Bill Gates into falling in love with you and then get him to solve it, that's one idea.

Build a Window's savvy super-robot out of ordinary household refuse. That's another idea. I actually tried this when I was 5, no lie. Even went so far as to climb in the garbage can with Alan Hindle and sift through the contents for about an hour before determining that appropriate parts simply weren't available. Frankly the technology then hadn't advanced to the extent it has now. I believe it could be done now given the superiority of today's household garbage.

A third and final idea is to kidnap yourself and make a ransom demand to your parents that they solve it. Admittedly this idea is not the best of the three but it provides good contrast and opportunity for travel.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[GTKemp]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Adam, there are many ways this could be done with the Windows API… But I am not a coder, that’s why I have been attempting this with AMS. I think it should be an option at the project and/or page level in AMS. Or at least a dll supplied by AMS.

In Visual Basic 6 this is a simple option on the form control. I know this because I have spent the last week trying to figure out how to write a VB program that will hide the Icon. In fact I have learned enough about VB that I am contemplating rewriting the application in VB. I already had to write the Internet File Download because the function would not work in AMS?

Any way, I love the AMS environment… but I must solve this problem. Please Help

[GTKemp]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Cory - thanks for taking you time to add a bit of sarcasm to my problem! Is that an official part of your job description. Perhaps some creative effort in SUPPORT would be more worthwhile.

Think about it… this is not as much fun as golf or 43 million other things we could all be doing. Less comedy, (or at least good comedy), more help.

[Corey]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Hi. If I have something to offer I do so freely, but I don't have any knowledge to offer this topic. Sorry, wish I could be of more help...

I was just having a bit of fun with Adam since he's going to be gone for a while and I won't get a chance. I'll put you on my no comedy list and it won't happen again in your threads. That's the best I can do for you, I hope it suffices.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[Brett]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

GTKemp,

I don't know of an easy way to do that with AMS40. I know that I have seen programs that could make any program run in the taskbar, but can't remember the names right now.

If you are a C++ or VB or Delphi programmer I bet you could make a DLL that would take the window handle of your app and put it in the taskbar. You could then call it from AMS using File.CallDLLFunction.

Hope that helps.

[Worm]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Brett,

I've been working on this, and to tell you the truth I'm stumped. I've been able to successfully change the ExStyle of the AMS app to a ToolWindow, which from all I've read should remove the button from the taskbar. What I'm doing is, using ShowWindow to hide the window, changing the style using SetWindowLong, then using ShowWindow again to show th window. The border to the window does become the ToolWindow, but the button stays on the taskbar.

The ITaskbarList DeleteTab may be the way to go, but I've read that it's not overly reliable. Supposedly when the window receives focus, the button reappears, and I don't think that's the end result he's looking for.

Any othe ideas to point me in the right direction?

[GTKemp]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Thanks all for your efforts. Like I said, I am not a coder but I have been researching this.

I think the key is in ownership or parent/child relationship of the window/thread between the AMS.exe and the VB/C++.exe that modifies the AMS.exe window properties? I think if a Launch.exe (VB/C++) program does a CreateProcess to launch the MyProgram.exe (AMS) it can successfully use the ITaskBarList function or the ShowWindow (Hide) / Modify-Window / ShowWindow (Show) process successfully. But I am struggling to write this code…

Another method that seems would work would be a dll or exe that AMS calls. It would pass control and set the outside program as the parent; then, use the strategies above to change the taskbar. Alternatively, supposedly if the outside dll is the parent, and is hidden, the child window will not show in the taskbar, like I would have an icicles chance in **** of programming that myself. LOL

Thanks Again for you effort… (and humor ;-)
Greg

[Worm]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Well, I think I got it!
Using SetWindowsLong to change the ExStyle of the AMS app to a ToolWindow, in the Page Initialize, I was able to "Make the World, er button, go away" (Eddy Arnold anyone?).

Download Sample

[element78]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

WORM YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY A GENIUS!!!!

Set Window.Minimize to something, and check out your desktop

it docks right above the taskbar, kinda cool. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[element78]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Hey worm, check out.

I modified yours with a few perks [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[GTKemp]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

Worm, How funny and how cool! I worked on this today and figured out the same darn thing… I should have worked in the yard! Here is my example if you care to see, basically the exact same thing. I put it together as a hard coded example to post. When I got there to post, LOL I saw you had already posted your example.

http://www.novocore.com/AMS/NoTaskbarButton.zip

Thanks a Million for your time, effort and generosity – you are a good worm at that!

Regards - Greg

[GTKemp]

Re: Remove TaskBar Button

All of our solutions have one problem... It does not bother my app because there is no Min Button. But, the Min / Restore does not work because of the Tool Style. There is a way around that in the Style Parameters of the WindowType. Worm, if you are intrested I can send you what I have on that. I have what I need... so I am done.

Thanks again.

Greg

[JimS]

Re: VB Internet File Download program

GTKemp I take it that that the VB Internet File Download program you wrote will download files in ASCII format instead of binary. Is there any chance that you would share that code? I'm sorry to be so forward, but I had the same difficulties, and I'm not smart enough to write the VB code, or the PHP code (Corey's helpful suggestion), I just want to get a simple text file to download correctly.

Thanks if you share, no hard feelings if you don't. I know it's not easy to give away hard work.

Jim