Shell Application Bar

[Nine]

I was wondering how to create an Application Bar that would be recognized by the system.  Searching on the forum here revealed that there was a few attempts of doing so but none was successful.  So here a working example of how to perform it.  Notice how maximized windows are shrunk by the application bar. 😎

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#NoTrayIcon
;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y

#include <GUIConstants.au3>
#include <StructureConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <TrayConstants.au3>

; #SHAppBarMessage# =============================================================================================================
; Name ..........: SHAppBarMessage.AU3
; Description ...: Create an Application Bar recognized by the system
; Author ........: Nine
; Created .......: 2025-04-04
; Modified ......:
; Remarks .......:
; Example .......: Yes
; ===============================================================================================================================

Opt("MustDeclareVars", True)
Opt("GUICloseOnESC", False)
Opt("TrayMenuMode", 1)
Opt("TrayAutoPause", 0)

Global Enum $ABM_NEW, $ABM_REMOVE, $ABM_QUERYPOS, $ABM_SETPOS, $ABM_GETSTATE, $ABM_GETTASKBARPOS, $ABM_ACTIVATE, $ABM_GETAUTOHIDEBAR, _
    $ABM_SETAUTOHIDEBAR, $ABM_WINDOWPOSCHANGED, $ABM_SETSTATE
Global Enum $ABS_ONTOP, $ABS_AUTOHIDE, $ABS_ALWAYSONTOP
Global Enum $ABE_LEFT, $ABE_TOP, $ABE_RIGHT, $ABE_BOTTOM

Global Enum $ABN_STATECHANGE, $ABN_POSCHANGED, $ABN_FULLSCREENAPP, $ABN_WINDOWARRANGE
Global Const $CALLBACK = $WM_USER + 0x10
Global Const $tagAPPBARDATA = "dword cbSize;hwnd hWnd;uint uCallbackMessage;uint uEdge;" & $tagRECT & ";lparam lParam"

Global $idDummy

Example()

Func Example()
  Local $tAppBarData = DllStructCreate($tagAPPBARDATA)
  $tAppBarData.cbSize = DllStructGetSize($tAppBarData)

  Local $hGUI = GUICreate("", 80, @DesktopHeight, 0, 0, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW + $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
  GUISetBkColor(0x202020)
  GUISetFont(11, 0, 0, "Comic Sans MS")

  Local $idHide = GUICtrlCreateButton(" Hide", 5, 5, 70, 30)
  GUICtrlSetImage(-1, "shell32.dll", 200, 0)
  Local $idTask = GUICtrlCreateButton(" Task", 5, 40, 70, 30)
  GUICtrlSetImage(-1, "shell32.dll", 16739, 0)

  Local $idDo = GUICtrlCreateButton(" Do", 5, 75, 70, 30)
  GUICtrlSetImage(-1, "shell32.dll", 16802, 0)
  Local $idDont = GUICtrlCreateButton(" Don't", 5, 110, 70, 30)
  GUICtrlSetImage(-1, "shell32.dll", 240, 0)

  Local $idExit = GUICtrlCreateButton(" Exit", 5, 300, 70, 30)
  GUICtrlSetImage(-1, "shell32.dll", 290, 0)

  $tAppBarData.hWnd = $hGUI
  $tAppBarData.uCallbackMessage = $CALLBACK
  DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_NEW, "struct*", $tAppBarData)
  AppBarSetPos($tAppBarData)

  GUIRegisterMsg($CALLBACK, AppBarProc)
  GUISetState()

  $idDummy = GUICtrlCreateDummy()

  While True
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
      Case $idExit
        ExitLoop
      Case $idDummy
        AppBarSetPos($tAppBarData)
      Case $idHide
        GUISetState(@SW_HIDE)
        DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_REMOVE, "struct*", $tAppBarData)
        TraySetIcon("shell32.dll", 255)
        TraySetState($TRAY_ICONSTATE_SHOW)
        TraySetToolTip("Left click to restore" & @CRLF & "Right click to Exit")
      Case $idTask
        ToggleTaskBar()
    EndSwitch
    Switch TrayGetMsg()
      Case $TRAY_EVENT_PRIMARYDOWN
        GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)
        DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_NEW, "struct*", $tAppBarData)
        AppBarSetPos($tAppBarData)
        TraySetState($TRAY_ICONSTATE_HIDE)
      Case $TRAY_EVENT_SECONDARYUP
        Exit
    EndSwitch
  WEnd

  DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_REMOVE, "struct*", $tAppBarData)
EndFunc   ;==>Example

Func AppBarSetPos(ByRef $tAppBar)
  $tAppBar.uEdge = $ABE_LEFT
  $tAppBar.left = 0
  $tAppBar.top = 0
  $tAppBar.Right = 80
  $tAppBar.Bottom = @DesktopHeight

  DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_QUERYPOS, "struct*", $tAppBar)
  DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_SETPOS, "struct*", $tAppBar)

  WinMove($tAppBar.hWnd, "", $tAppBar.Left, $tAppBar.Top, $tAppBar.Right, $tAppBar.Bottom)
EndFunc   ;==>AppBarSetPos

Func ToggleTaskBar()
  Local $tAppBar = DllStructCreate($tagAPPBARDATA)
  $tAppBar.cbSize = DllStructGetSize($tAppBar)
  Local $iState = DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_GETSTATE, "struct*", $tAppBar)[0]
  $tAppBar.lParam = $iState = $ABS_AUTOHIDE ? $ABS_ALWAYSONTOP : $ABS_AUTOHIDE
  DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "dword", $ABM_SETSTATE, "struct*", $tAppBar)
EndFunc   ;==>ToggleTaskBar

Func AppBarProc($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam)
  If $wParam = $ABN_POSCHANGED Then GUICtrlSendToDummy($idDummy, $wParam)
  Return $GUI_RUNDEFMSG
EndFunc   ;==>AppBarProc

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Nine

[Parsix]

Very Nice, Thank you 😍

[Nine]

Glad you like it