SHIFT+Right Click on running App

[Scott24x7]

Hi All,
There is a behavior in Windows that if a application is running in a area that is "off screen" (usually nappenens with laptops that are connected to other monitors when docked, but only single screen when on the move).

I found that my VFP app, if I Shift+Right Click on it (in Win10, probably all prior versions as well), the "Restore, Move, Size, Minimize, Maximize Close" system window isn't presented. (It does exactly nothing).

Is there some way to "enable" this capability on a VFP app? Or have I turned something off somewhere that I didn't realize would result in this behavior?


Best Regards,
Scott
MIET, MASHRAE, CDCP, CDCS, CDCE, CTDC, CTIA, ATS

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[TamarGranor]

I just ran a VFP app that I have on my system and when it's running, shift-rightclick in the taskbar turns up the menu you reference. So it must be something about that application.

Tamar

 

[Tore Bleken]

In my mind the easiest solution is the "keyboard only" solution. Alt-Tab until your application is active. Then press Alt-Shift and press M (Move). Now you can use the arrow keys to move the application until you see it.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Scott, when you say you Shift+RightClick on it, what exactly are you clicking on? Do you mean the app's button in the taskbar?

If so, then I agree with Tamar. I've just tried this on several systems, and it always brings up the menu you describe. In fast, I don't need to hold down Shift. A simple right-click does the same (at least in versions of Windows other than 10).

The only time the Move and Size options are disabled is when the app is maximised, which by definition isn't the case here.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads

 

[Scott24x7]

Hi all,
Thanks, this confirms to me something "isn't right in Denmark".
Tore, thanks for that alternative, I tried it, but it also yields a "nothing" at the point of ALT+M.
Mike and Tamar,
Thanks for validating the behavior. Couple comments:
1. When I just RIGHT CLICK the app in the task bar (good clarity there Mike, yes, that is where I'm trying to do this), I get 3 options from Win10:

a. Name of my App and it's Favicon
b. Unpin from Taskbar (I have it pinned for quick access)
c. Close Window (Which incidentally does nothing if I click it... maybe that's another clue)​

SHIFT+RIGHT CLICK yields nothing (no visible confirmation that anything has occurred), and same with ALT+TAB to the app, and ALT+M).

The MAIN form is defined as a Top-Level form with (ShowWindow Property - 2 - As Top Level Form) and Title Bar is off. I tried this with both Title Bar On or Off, but it didn't make any difference.
Any other ideas?


Best Regards,
Scott
MIET, MASHRAE, CDCP, CDCS, CDCE, CTDC, CTIA, ATS

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[Mike Lewis]

One more possibility: Have you got a "Cascade Windows" option somewhere on your desktop? (In my systems, I can right-click on the taskbar [in the "blank" space to the right of all the buttons] to reach that option). If so, does that succeed in bringing the relevant window into view?

(I suspect not, for the same reason that Tore's solution didn't work.)

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro articles, tips and downloads

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Here's what I can do on Win10:

Just hover the mouse on the taskbar button. A small size preview of the window appears, even if the app is off-screen. If you hover that all other windows are fading away, your app still not getting on this screen. But don't hover on the preview, just use it as if it was the real window: Right click on the top left window icon, it'll give you the Windows system menu with the option to move it. The mouse pointer changes to the arrow cross and you can use arrow keys to move the window.

Watch out, the second screen you don't see on a laptop isn't necessarily to the right, I've had notebook displays and display configurations where it was screen #2 and the other screen was off to the left. Windows does not indicate the direction, in which an app window is off the display you work on, so you can test going in left/right direction.

Bye, Olaf.

Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[Scott24x7]

So the issue was, I have a form that is MAIN which is a top level form. I had disabled all of the standard "windows" features because I don't like how it creates the title bars, and have created a custom "headerless" form. In so duing, having the "Moveable" property and the "ControlBox" property set to .F., then right click on the application in the task bar, yields nothing. I turned them back on, and it then works, but that places additional objects that don't meet my look and feel otherwise. So I'll have to think about some other way to approach this.


Best Regards,
Scott
MIET, MASHRAE, CDCP, CDCS, CDCE, CTDC, CTIA, ATS

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[Olaf Doschke]

As far as I played with major form properties about showing up in the taskbar at all, that's only done for ShowWindow=2 forms and while a form then shows up with the app icon and ControlBox as a miniature window in the taskbar preview indeed if the ControlBox is set .F. you also don't have the Move item.

Alt+Shift doesn't do somethng for me even for a normal application window. and all the window rearrangement functions don't grab a window without titlebar, as long as a titlebar exists the general winodow arrangement functionality Mike talks about works, even for forms without a controlbox.

You know the solutions app has an example of drawing on the Windows Titlebar?

Bye, Olaf.



Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[Scott24x7]

Hi Olaf,
Thanks, was not aware the solution app touches on this. I'll take a look at it. I'm not really happy with the appearance or behavior I get otherwise, so maybe I can find something more appealing.
Cheers,


Best Regards,
Scott
MIET, MASHRAE, CDCP, CDCS, CDCE, CTDC, CTIA, ATS

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."

 

[Olaf Doschke]

There is a section "Binding to Windows Message events" and one of the examples within that example is "GDI+ Titlebar".
And in windows 10 it doesn't work for me, but that may just be my installation, as I upgraded from Win7 to Win 10 and didn't reinstall VFP.

Bye, Olaf.


Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Is this merely a design issue, do you want a self-made title bar or do you want none to also get rid of the possibility of a double click on the title bar to put the window from maximized into normal stare?
Do you want kiosk mode? Because there is such a mode, though it's said to be a compromise between a real kiosk system and just a normal maximized window.

There is that tutorial on making use of event binding to windows messages to get your own title bar going. Completely turn the normal title bar off and draw your own. It might even enable you to bring back that move feature when adding an even reaction for that specific window menu. I haven't dug deep into this and you're going down a rabbit hole of complexity just for a minor feature.

Here's that example:

https://github.com/VFPX/Win32API/blob/master/samples/sample_499.md

I guess it won't work on "as top form" windows, but you'll find out for yourself.

Bye, Olaf.



Olaf Doschke Software Engineering

https://www.doschke.name