Setting the focus for an Application in VB.net

mountainyman

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

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

Second post in this thread should help you out

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

mountainyman

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

MM

Ginger

I generally prefer king

mountainyman

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