windowsdelphiwindows-7delphi-5windows-95

How to minimize a window to the taskbar? (i.e. not iconify)


i have a window that i want to minimize (to the taskbar), so i call ShowWindow:

ShowWindow(Handle, SW_MINIMIZE);

Except that rather than minimizing itself (to the taskbar), the window is iconified:

enter image description here

The window is unparented:

enter image description here

How do i minimize a window to the taskbar?


Update:

Following some advice from 2002, i try setting the WS_EX_APPWINDOW window style and/or ensuring the window has no owner:

enter image description here

Unfortunately, that changes the behavior of my (Delphi) application because there is now two taskbar icons for my application, rather than one:

enter image description here

This, of course, is an artifact of Delphi (5); and because i was trying to solve another issue.

But that shouldn't affect this question. i'm calling the ShowWindow(..., SW_MINIMIZE) API, and rather than minimize the window Windows is iconifying the application.

How do i minimize a window to the taskbar?


Solution

  • That icon on the taskbar is the icon of the Application (Handle) rather than that of the MainForm.

    Use:

    Application.Minimize;
    

    Edit: But out of both your links, I understand you knew that already...duh ;)

    This works for the MainForm:

    TForm1 = class(TForm)
    private
      procedure WMSysCommand(var Msg: TWMSysCommand); message WM_SYSCOMMAND;
    protected
      procedure CreateParams(var Params: TCreateParams); override;
    
    ...
    
    procedure TForm1.CreateParams(var Params: TCreateParams);
    begin
      inherited CreateParams(Params);
      with Params do
      begin
        ExStyle := ExStyle or WS_EX_APPWINDOW;
        WndParent := GetDesktopWindow;
      end;
    end;
    
    procedure TForm1.WMSysCommand(var Msg: TWMSysCommand);
    begin
      if Msg.CmdType = SC_MINIMIZE then
        ShowWindow(Handle, SW_MINIMIZE)
      else
        inherited;
    end;
    

    And to hide Application.Handle from the taskbar (to only have a taskbar icon for the MainForm): set the Visible property of this Form to True and hide the Application in the project file:

    Application.Initialize;
    Application.CreateForm(TForm1, Form1);
    ShowWindow(Application.Handle, SW_HIDE);
    Application.Run;
    

    For this form, ShowWindow(Handle, SW_MINIMIZE); shóuld work. It also provides for the default zooming-feature of Windows when minimizing or restoring.

    (Tested with D5 & D7 on XP and W7)