How to make BlitzMax app Always on Top

Archives Forums/Win32 Discussion/How to make BlitzMax app Always on Top

gweedo767

(Posted 2008) [#1]

I have a full screen BlitzMax app that has to use system_() to call ghostscript to print a PDF. The problem is that it cases the shell window to pop up over the app while it runs. Is there a way to either force the app to be on top always or force the other one to be minimized when ran?

Koriolis

(Posted 2008) [#2]

I was trying to do exactly that a few days ago, and came up with this code quick & dirty snippet:

?Win32
Extern "os"
Function win32_LoadLibrary:Int(lpFileName$z) = "LoadLibraryA@4"
Function win32_GetProcAddress:Byte Ptr(hModule:Int, lpProcName$z) = "GetProcAddress@8"
End Extern
?
Function SetAlwaysOnTop(win:TGadget, bState:Int = True)
?Win32
	Local hModule:Int = win32_LoadLibrary("user32.dll")
	If hModule = 0 Then
		Return
	EndIf
	Local SetWindowPos:Int(hWnd:Int, hWndInsertAfter:Int, X:Int, Y:Int, cx:Int, cy:Int, uFlags:Int) "os" = win32_GetProcAddress(hModule, "SetWindowPos")
	
	Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1
	Const HWND_NOTOPMOST = -2
	Const SWP_NOSIZE          = $0001
	Const SWP_NOMOVE          = $0002
	'Const SWP_NOZORDER        = $0004
	'Const SWP_NOREDRAW        = $0008
	Const SWP_NOACTIVATE      = $0010
	
	Local hwnd% = QueryGadget(win, QUERY_HWND)
	If hwnd <> 0 Then
		If bState
			SetWindowPos(hwnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOACTIVATE)
		Else
			SetWindowPos(hwnd, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOACTIVATE)
		EndIf
	EndIf
?	
End Function

I didn't even check yet if passing false actually makes it normal again.
NOTE: the forum is buggy, it adds a "\" before "LoadLibraryA@4" and "GetProcAddress@8". They're not in the original code.

gweedo767

(Posted 2008) [#3]

Where is the TGadget type defined?

gweedo767

(Posted 2008) [#4]

Okay, so found the TGadget stuff (it is part of MaxGUI which I haven't ever used). I will do some reading into MaxGUI now ;)

gweedo767

(Posted 2008) [#5]

Well, doesn't look like MaxGUI is going to work for me. This is a full screen app that uses a lot of the Max2D functions. Or ist here a way to use MaxGUI along with that?

plash

(Posted 2008) [#6]

You can use a canvas in a MaxGUI window, but not in fullscreen.

If your window is fullscreen and your having problems with it not being "always on top" then theres no way to fix that. Technically when your program is full screen, it is "always on top" - unless an important window interrupts it (which is what I would assume is happening here).

EDIT: Take a look at this (for always on top MaxGUI windows): automax.mod
It contains a function for doing it, which you can just snag from the source if thats all you need.

William Drescher

(Posted 2008) [#7]

You can use the GetActiveWindow() command to get the HWND of the window created by the Graphics function and set it topmost that way.

USNavyFish

(Posted 2008) [#8]

I've found that calling "ShowGadget()" Keeps a gadget on top. (This is for MaxGUI)

If the window hides only after particular actions, just call "ShowGadget" on it, and it will remain on top of everything.

If the hiding is occurring due to popups etc, I suppose you could call ShowGadget once every flip (assuming canvas-based graphics)... but I have no idea if this is a costly operation.