Open Start Menu

[Vadersapien]

I would like to know how to open the start menu from my app, possibly without using keyboard shorcuts (Dll instead)...I think this is possible because I've seen it in a rocketdock docklet...

EDIT: Can I also hide the start button?

Edited November 1, 2009 by Vadersapien

[Authenticity]

You can, typically it's required that the button's draw state remains pressed while the start menu is shown and then draw state normal when the start menu is invisible, it's always there though.

#include <Constants.au3>
#include <WinAPI.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

$hWnd = WinGetHandle("[CLASS:DV2ControlHost]")
;_WinAPI_SetWindowPos($hWnd, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, BitOR($SWP_NOSIZE, $SWP_NOMOVE, $SWP_NOACTIVATE))
_WinAPI_SetWindowPos($hWnd, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, BitOR($SWP_NOSIZE, $SWP_NOACTIVATE))
_WinAPI_ShowWindow($hWnd)

It doesn't work 100% as some controls are not drawn because the button click does more work. Try to use Spy++ or WinSpector to log the messages posted to and from the DV2ControlHost window. By the way it's on Vista, don't know if it works on XP or 7.

[Vadersapien]

By the way it's on Vista, don't know if it works on XP or 7.

Yeah, it ends up real weird on 7 (no aero, shutdown button doesn't work)

I wanted it to work like ViOrb...

[Authenticity]

This one is sending a message to the button with mouse down event:

#include <Constants.au3>
#include <WinAPI.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

$hBtn = WinGetHandle("[CLASS:Button]")
$hWnd = WinGetHandle("[CLASS:DV2ControlHost]")

Do
    _SendMessage($hBtn, 0x0201, 1, 0x00050005) ; WM_LBUTTONDOWM = 0x0201
    Sleep(200)
Until BitAND(WinGetState($hWnd), 2)


Sleep(2000)
_SendMessage($hBtn, 0x0201, 1, 0x00050005) ; WM_LBUTTONDOWM = 0x0201

[Vadersapien]

What about hiding the button?

[bo8ster]

What about hiding the button?

ControlHide($hBtn, "", "") or look at ControlCommand()

[Vadersapien]

I meant the "Start" button in windows...if I try to hide the application "Start", it just makes the button not work, although it still appears to be there...