Group different Apps on Win 7+ taskbar

[jackchen]

How to group different apps on Win 7+ taskbar?

I pin my "chrome_portable_loader.exe" on taskbar to launch chrome browser, I wish chrome's icon can group with the "chrome_portable_loader.exe" icon on taskbar.

Here is a solution, https://code.google.com/p/win7appid/, setting the shortcut's AppID the same as chrome window's AppUserModelId. 

see also  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378459%28VS.85%29.aspx.

Can someone translate it to Autoit?

Thanks!

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//
// Win7AppId
// Author: David Roe (didroe)
// The code's a bit rough and ready but it does the job
//
// Compile with VS 2010 express using command:
//     cl /EHsc /D _UNICODE Win7AppId.cpp /link ole32.lib

#include <windows.h>
#include <shobjidl.h>
#include <propkey.h>
#include <tchar.h>

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

EXTERN_C const PROPERTYKEY DECLSPEC_SELECTANY PKEY_AppUserModel_ID =
                     { { 0x9F4C2855, 0x9F79, 0x4B39,
                     { 0xA8, 0xD0, 0xE1, 0xD4, 0x2D, 0xE1, 0xD5, 0xF3, } }, 5 };

void die(string message) {
        cout << "Error: " << message.c_str() << endl;
        exit(1);
}

void doOrDie(HRESULT hr, string message) {
        if (!SUCCEEDED(hr)) {
                die(message);
        }
}

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
        doOrDie(CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_APARTMENTTHREADED),
                        "Failed to initialise COM");

        IShellLink *link;
        doOrDie(CoCreateInstance(CLSID_ShellLink, NULL, CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER, IID_PPV_ARGS(&link)),
                        "Failed to create ShellLink object");
        
        IPersistFile* file; 
        doOrDie(link->QueryInterface(IID_PPV_ARGS(&file)),
                        "Failed to obtain PersistFile interface"); 

        if (argc > 2) {
                doOrDie(file->Load(argv[1], STGM_READWRITE),
                                "Failed to load shortcut file");
        } else {
                doOrDie(file->Load(argv[1], STGM_READ | STGM_SHARE_DENY_NONE),
                                "Failed to load shortcut file");
        }
    
        IPropertyStore* store; 
        doOrDie(link->QueryInterface(IID_PPV_ARGS(&store)),
                        "Failed to obtain PropertyStore interface"); 

        PROPVARIANT pv;
        doOrDie(store->GetValue(PKEY_AppUserModel_ID, &pv),
                        "Failed to retrieve AppId");
        
        if (pv.vt != VT_EMPTY) {
                if (pv.vt != VT_LPWSTR) {
                        cout << "Type: " << pv.vt << endl;
                        die("Unexpected property value type");
                }

                wcout << "Current AppId: " << pv.pwszVal << endl;
        } else {
                cout << "No current AppId" << endl;
        }
        PropVariantClear(&pv);

        if (argc > 2) {
                wcout << "New AppId: " << argv[2] << endl;

                pv.vt = VT_LPWSTR;
                pv.pwszVal = argv[2];

                doOrDie(store->SetValue(PKEY_AppUserModel_ID, pv),
                                "Failed to set AppId");

        // Not sure if we need to do this
        pv.pwszVal = NULL;
                PropVariantClear(&pv);

                doOrDie(store->Commit(),
                                "Failed to commit AppId property");

                doOrDie(file->Save(NULL, TRUE),
                                "Failed to save shortcut");
        }

        store->Release();
        file->Release();
        link->Release();        

        return 0;
}
 

Edited July 13, 2015 by jackchen

[jackchen]

I tried to get / set appid of a .lnk file in a stupid way.I read and parsed the .lnk file directly in binary to get appid info, GetAppId() was ok while SetAppId() failed.

can anyone help?

Codes deleted due to not work in some circumstance.

Edited July 12, 2015 by jackchen

[jackchen]

After some days effort I've solved my problem.

I made some udfs to get / set appid for windows or shortcut files.So I can group any windows/taskbar icons as desired.

Some Funcs are from this thread.Thanks to binhnx, LarsJ and others.

Here is the UDF:

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#include-once
; file name: AppUserModelId.au3

; #### Title ####
; ================================================================================
; Get / Set AppUserModelId for a window or a shortcut file(*.lnk)
; Thanks to binhnx, LarsJ and others
; - jackchen
; ================================================================================

; #### FUNCTIONS ####
; ================================================================================
; _WindowAppId
; _ShortcutAppId
; ================================================================================

#include <WinAPI.au3>

#Region ====================== #### CONSTANTS #### ======================
; https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/161067-get-clsid-from-iid/
Global Const $CLSID_ShellLink = "{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"
Global Const $sIID_IShellLinkW = "{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"
Global Const $tag_IShellLinkW = _
  "GetPath hresult(long;long;long;long);" & _
  "GetIDList hresult(long);" & _
  "SetIDList hresult(long);" & _
  "GetDescription hresult(long;long);" & _
  "SetDescription hresult(wstr);" & _
  "GetWorkingDirectory hresult(long;long);" & _
  "SetWorkingDirectory hresult(long;long);" & _
  "GetArguments hresult(long;long);" & _
  "SetArguments hresult(ptr);" & _
  "GetHotkey hresult(long);" & _
  "SetHotkey hresult(word);" & _
  "GetShowCmd hresult(long);" & _
  "SetShowCmd hresult(int);" & _
  "GetIconLocation hresult(long;long;long);" & _
  "SetIconLocation hresult(wstr;int);" & _
  "SetRelativePath hresult(long;long);" & _
  "Resolve hresult(long;long);" & _
  "SetPath hresult(wstr);"

Global Const $tag_IPersist = "GetClassID hresult(long);"
Global Const $sIID_IPersistFile = "{0000010b-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"
Global Const $tag_IPersistFile = $tag_IPersist & _ ; Inherits from IPersist
  "IsDirty hresult();" & _
  "Load hresult(wstr;dword);" & _
  "Save hresult(wstr;bool);" & _
  "SaveCompleted hresult(long);" & _
  "GetCurFile hresult(long);"

; https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa380337(v=vs.85).aspx
Global Const $STGM_READ = 0x00000000
Global Const $STGM_READWRITE = 0x00000002
Global Const $STGM_SHARE_DENY_NONE = 0x00000040

; Global Const $tagPROPERTYKEY = $tagGUID & ';DWORD pid'
Global Const $tagPROPERTYKEY = 'struct;ulong Data1;ushort Data2;ushort Data3;byte Data4[8];DWORD pid;endstruct'
Global $tagPROPVARIANT = _
        'USHORT vt;' & _ ;typedef unsigned short VARTYPE; - in WTypes.h
        'WORD wReserved1;' & _
        'WORD wReserved2;' & _
        'WORD wReserved3;' & _
        'LONG;PTR'  ;union, use the largest member (BSTRBLOB, which is 96-bit in x64)

Global Const $sIID_IPropertyStore = '{886D8EEB-8CF2-4446-8D02-CDBA1DBDCF99}'
Global Const $VT_EMPTY = 0, $VT_LPWSTR = 31
#EndRegion ====================== #### CONSTANTS #### ======================


; #FUNCTION# ;===============================================================================
; Name...........: _WindowAppId
; Description ...: Get / Set AppUerModelId(AppId) of a window
; Syntax.........: _WindowAppId($hWnd, $appid = Default)
; Parameters ....: $hWnd - Handle of a window.
;                  $appid - [optional] AppId to set.
; Return values .: Success - Returns current AppId
;                  Failure - Returns "" and sets @error:
; Author ........: binhnx, jackchen
; Link ..........: https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/168099-how-to-prevent-multiple-guis-from-combining-in-the-taskbar/
;============================================================================================
Func _WindowAppId($hWnd, $appid = Default)
    Local $tpIPropertyStore = DllStructCreate('ptr')
    _WinAPI_SHGetPropertyStoreForWindow($hWnd, $sIID_IPropertyStore, $tpIPropertyStore)
    Local $pPropertyStore = DllStructGetData($tpIPropertyStore, 1)
    Local $oPropertyStore = ObjCreateInterface($pPropertyStore, $sIID_IPropertyStore, _
            'GetCount HRESULT(PTR);GetAt HRESULT(DWORD; PTR);GetValue HRESULT(PTR;PTR);' & _
            'SetValue HRESULT(PTR;PTR);Commit HRESULT()')
    If Not IsObj($oPropertyStore) Then Return SetError(1, 0, '')

    Local $tPKEY = _PKEY_AppUserModel_ID()
    Local $tPROPVARIANT = DllStructCreate($tagPROPVARIANT)
    Local $sAppId
    If $appid = Default Then
        $oPropertyStore.GetValue(DllStructGetPtr($tPKEY), DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT))
        ; Extracts a string value from a PROPVARIANT structure
        ; http://deletethis.net/dave/dev/setappusermodelid/
        ; https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb776559(v=vs.85).aspx
        If DllStructGetData($tPROPVARIANT, 'vt') <> $VT_EMPTY Then
            Local $buf = DllStructCreate('wchar[128]')
            DllCall('Propsys.dll', 'long', 'PropVariantToString', _
                    'ptr', DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT), _
                    'ptr', DllStructGetPtr($buf), _
                    'uint', DllStructGetSize($buf))
            If Not @error Then
                $sAppId = DllStructGetData($buf, 1)
            EndIf
        EndIf
    Else
        _WinAPI_InitPropVariantFromString($appId, $tPROPVARIANT)
        $oPropertyStore.SetValue(DllStructGetPtr($tPKEY), DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT))
        $oPropertyStore.Commit()
        $sAppId = $appid
    EndIf

    ;$oPropertyStore.Release() ; this line crashes Autoit
    Return SetError(($sAppId == '')*2, 0, $sAppId)
EndFunc


; #FUNCTION# ;===============================================================================
; Name...........: _ShortcutAppId
; Description ...: Get AppUerModelId(AppId) from a .lnk shortcut file or
;                  set the shortcut's AppId if $appid is provided.
; Syntax.........: _ShortcutAppId($lnkfile, $appid = Default)
; Parameters ....: $lnkfile - path of shortcut file.
;                  $appid - [optional] AppId to set.
; Return values .: Success - Returns current AppId
;                  Failure - Returns "" and sets @error:
; Author ........: jackchen
; Linlk .........: https://code.google.com/p/win7appid/
;============================================================================================
Func _ShortcutAppId($lnkfile, $appid = Default)
    Local $oIShellLinkW = ObjCreateInterface($CLSID_ShellLink , $sIID_IShellLinkW, $tag_IShellLinkW )
    If Not IsObj( $oIShellLinkW ) Then Return SetError(1, 0, '')

    Local $pIPersistFile, $oIPersistFile, $ret, $sAppId
    Local $tRIID_IPersistFile = _WinAPI_GUIDFromString( $sIID_IPersistFile )
    $oIShellLinkW.QueryInterface( $tRIID_IPersistFile, $pIPersistFile )
    $oIPersistFile = ObjCreateInterface( $pIPersistFile, $sIID_IPersistFile, $tag_IPersistFile )
    If IsObj( $oIPersistFile ) Then
        If $appid == Default Then ; read only
            $ret = $oIPersistFile.Load($lnkfile, BitOR($STGM_READ, $STGM_SHARE_DENY_NONE))
        Else
            $ret = $oIPersistFile.Load($lnkfile, $STGM_READWRITE)
        EndIf
        If $ret = 0 Then
            Local $tPKEY = _PKEY_AppUserModel_ID()
            Local $tPROPVARIANT = DllStructCreate($tagPROPVARIANT)

            $tRIID_IPropertyStore = _WinAPI_GUIDFromString($sIID_IPropertyStore)

            Local $pPropertyStore
            $oIShellLinkW.QueryInterface($tRIID_IPropertyStore, $pPropertyStore)

            Local $oPropertyStore = ObjCreateInterface($pPropertyStore, $sIID_IPropertyStore, _
                    'GetCount HRESULT(PTR);GetAt HRESULT(DWORD;PTR);GetValue HRESULT(PTR;PTR);' & _
                    'SetValue HRESULT(PTR;PTR);Commit HRESULT()')
            If IsObj($oPropertyStore) Then
                If $appid == Default Then ; get appid
                    $oPropertyStore.GetValue(DllStructGetPtr($tPKEY), DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT))
                    If DllStructGetData($tPROPVARIANT, 'vt') <> $VT_EMPTY Then
                        ; Extracts a string value from a PROPVARIANT structure
                        ; http://deletethis.net/dave/dev/setappusermodelid/
                        ; https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb776559(v=vs.85).aspx
                        Local $buf = DllStructCreate('wchar[128]')
                        DllCall('Propsys.dll', 'long', 'PropVariantToString', _
                                'ptr', DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT), _
                                'ptr', DllStructGetPtr($buf), _
                                'uint', DllStructGetSize($buf))
                        $sAppId = DllStructGetData($buf, 1)
                    EndIf
                Else ; set appid
                    _WinAPI_InitPropVariantFromString($appid, $tPROPVARIANT)
                    $oPropertyStore.SetValue(DllStructGetPtr($tPKEY), DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT))
                    $oPropertyStore.Commit()
                    $oIPersistFile.Save($lnkfile, True)
                    $sAppId = $appid
                EndIf
            EndIf
        EndIf
    EndIf
    If IsObj($oPropertyStore) Then $oPropertyStore.Release()
    If IsObj($oIPersistFile) Then $oIPersistFile.Release()
    If IsObj($oIShellLinkW) Then $oIShellLinkW.Release()
    Return SetError(($sAppId == '')*2, 0, $sAppId)
EndFunc

; https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/168099-how-to-prevent-multiple-guis-from-combining-in-the-taskbar/
; This function is not exposed in any dll, but inlined in propvarutil.h so we need to rewrite it entirely in AutoIt
Func _WinAPI_InitPropVariantFromString($sUnicodeString, ByRef $tPROPVARIANT)
    DllStructSetData($tPROPVARIANT, 'vt', $VT_LPWSTR)
    Local $aRet = DllCall('Shlwapi.dll', 'LONG', 'SHStrDupW', _
            'WSTR', $sUnicodeString, 'PTR', DllStructGetPtr($tPROPVARIANT) + 8)

    If @error Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, False)
    Local $bSuccess = $aRet[0] == 0

    ; If fails, zero memory of the current PROPVARIANT struct
    If (Not $bSuccess) Then $tPROPVARIANT = DllStructCreate($tagPROPVARIANT)
    Return SetExtended($aRet[0], $bSuccess)
EndFunc

; https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/168099-how-to-prevent-multiple-guis-from-combining-in-the-taskbar/
Func _PKEY_AppUserModel_ID()
    Local $tPKEY = DllStructCreate($tagPROPERTYKEY)
    ;PKEY_AppUserModel_ID = { {0x9F4C2855, 0x9F79, 0x4B39,
    ;   {0xA8, 0xD0, 0xE1, 0xD4, 0x2D, 0xE1, 0xD5, 0xF3}}, 5 }
    _WinAPI_GUIDFromStringEx('{9F4C2855-9F79-4B39-A8D0-E1D42DE1D5F3}', _
            DllStructGetPtr($tPKEY))
    DllStructSetData($tPKEY, 'pid', 5)
    Return $tPKEY
EndFunc

; https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/168099-how-to-prevent-multiple-guis-from-combining-in-the-taskbar/
Func _WinAPI_SHGetPropertyStoreForWindow($hWnd, $sIID, ByRef $tPointer)
    Local $tIID = _WinAPI_GUIDFromString($sIID)
    Local $pp = IsPtr($tPointer)? $tPointer : DllStructGetPtr($tPointer)
    Local $aRet = DllCall('Shell32.dll', 'LONG', 'SHGetPropertyStoreForWindow', _
            'HWND', $hWnd, 'STRUCT*', $tIID, 'PTR', $pp)
    If @error Then Return SetError(@error, @extended, False)
    Return SetExtended($aRet[0], ($aRet[0] = 0))
EndFunc

And here are some examples:

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#include "AppUserModelId.au3"



; Example 1
; search .lnk files in user pinned taskbar dir and show appid info
$TaskbarDir = @AppDataDir & "\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar"
$hSearch = FileFindFirstFile($TaskbarDir & "\*.lnk")
If $hSearch = -1 Then Exit
While 1
    $file = FileFindNextFile($hSearch)
    If @error Then ExitLoop

    $ShellObj = ObjCreate("WScript.Shell")
    $objShortcut = $ShellObj.CreateShortCut($TaskbarDir & "\" & $file)
    $path = $objShortcut.TargetPath
    $ShellObj = ""
    $objShortcut = ""

    ConsoleWrite($file &':' & @crlf & _
        $path & @CRLF & _
        _ShortcutAppId($TaskbarDir & "\" & $file))
    ConsoleWrite(@CRLF & @CRLF)
WEnd
FileClose($hSearch)
MsgBox(0, "Example 1", "Take a look at console for AppId info of user pinned Apps!")


; Example 2
; group 2 of 3 windows
$hWnd1 = GUICreate('Test1', 400, 200, 0, 100)
$hWnd2 = GUICreate('Test2', 400, 200, 500, 100)
$hWnd3 = GUICreate('Test3', 400, 200, 1000, 100)
; The application id should be unique so it not effect any other application.
; Better use a format like MyCompany(orMyName).MyApplication.WindowId
_WindowAppId($hWnd1, 'MyGreatCompany.MyAwesomeApplication.MyElegantWindow1')
_WindowAppId($hWnd2, 'MyGreatCompany.MyAwesomeApplication.OhImNotAWindowImAnAlien')
_WindowAppId($hWnd3, 'MyGreatCompany.MyAwesomeApplication.MyElegantWindow1')
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hWnd1)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hWnd2)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hWnd3)

$appid1 = _WindowAppId($hWnd1)
$appid3 = _WindowAppId($hWnd3)
MsgBox(0, 'Example 2', 'AppId of Test1 Window: ' & @CRLF & $appid1 & @CRLF & @CRLF & _
        'AppId of Test3 Window: ' & $appid3 & @CRLF & @CRLF & _
        'Their AppIds are the same, so their icons should be grouped together.', 0, $hWnd1)

Do
Until GUIGetMsg() = -3
GUIDelete($hWnd1)
GUIDelete($hWnd2)
GUIDelete($hWnd3)

Example 3:

Script of example 3 should be compiled to exe and pinned to taskbar before test.

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#include "AppUserModelId.au3"

; Example 3
; --> Compile this script to compiled_script.exe before test
; --> Pin compiled_script.exe to taskbar
; --> click compiled_script.exe icon on taskbar to start notepad
; --> notepad's icon should be grouped with compiled_script.exe icon

$appid_to_set = "MyNotepad.123456"
; DllCall("Shell32.dll", "long", "SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID", "wstr", $appid_to_set)

$TaskbarDir = @AppDataDir & "\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar"
$lnkfile = $TaskbarDir & "\" & StringTrimRight(@ScriptName, 4) & ".lnk"
If Not FileExists($lnkfile) Then
    MsgBox(0, "Example 3", "Please compile this script to exe" & @CRLF & "and pin to taskbar before test Example 3!")
    Exit
EndIf

Run("Notepad.exe")
WinWait("[REGEXPCLASS:(?i)Notepad]", "", 15)
$hWnd = WinGetHandle('[REGEXPCLASS:(?i)Notepad]')

MsgBox(0, "Example 3", "Notepad should be launched." & @CRLF & _
    "Press OK to combine Notepad's icon!", 0, $hWnd)

; Get the window's appid, normaly Notepad's window has no appid.
; so we set a predefined appid for it.
$window_appid = _WindowAppId($hWnd)
If Not $window_appid Then
    $window_appid = _WindowAppId($hWnd, $appid_to_set)
EndIf

; We set the same appid for the lnk file
$shortcut_appid = _ShortcutAppId($lnkfile)
If $shortcut_appid <> $window_appid Then
    $shortcut_appid = _ShortcutAppId($lnkfile, $window_appid)
EndIf

MsgBox(0, "Example 3", "Notepad's taskbar icon should be combined with this script's icon now!", 0, $hWnd)

 

Edited July 17, 2015 by jackchen

[AdmiralAlkex]

You should post that UDF in the example scripts forum, that's what it's for

[mLipok]

I'm not sure is it related but I'm using:

_WinAPI_SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID()

 

[jackchen]

I'm not sure is it related but I'm using:

_WinAPI_SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID()

 

mLipok,it's related but I think it's impossible to combine your script's icon/window with the icon/window of Notepad or other app only using  

WinAPI_SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID()