ALT+TAB Detection

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3 total messages Started by Stephane Baillargeon Wed, 26 Mar 2003 15:00

#17390

Author: Stephane Baillargeon
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 15:00

13 lines
1475 bytes

Is there a way to detect the ALT+TAB app switcher and control it?

Explanation:

We are developping a large scale video game. Durring gameplay, we want the
user to be able to hit the ALT+TAB keys in order to change the current task.
Our problem is that the game's threads are still running in the background
and it consumes a massive ammount of memory rendering the PC pretty slow. Is
there a way to detect this combination of keys in a WinAPI point of view and
stop the task switch momentarly to do some proccessing like stopping the
game's threads?

Thank you.

Re: ALT+TAB Detection

#17222

Author: Early Ehlinger
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 21:52

34 lines
2209 bytes

"Stephane Baillargeon" <sbaillargeon@microids.com> wrote:
> Is there a way to detect the ALT+TAB app switcher and control it?
>
> We want the user to be able to hit the ALT+TAB keys in order to
> change the current task. Is there a way to detect this combination
> of keys in a WinAPI point of view and stop the task switch
> momentarly to do some proccessing like stopping the
> game's threads?

I think the answer is no, but that's not to say you can't have the same
effect :)

From MSDN:

    The WM_ACTIVATEAPP message is sent when a
    window belonging to a different application
    than the active window is about to be activated.
    The message is sent to the application whose
    window is being activated and to the application
    whose window is being deactivated.

    wParam

    Specifies whether the window is being activated or
    deactivated. This parameter is TRUE if the window
    is being activated; it is FALSE if the window is
    being deactivated.

So all you need to do is catch WM_ACTIVATEAPP. If wParam is TRUE, resume all
your threads. Otherwise, suspend them.

--
-- Early Ehlinger CEO, ResPower Inc - Toll-Free : 866-737-7697
-- www.respower.com -- 500+ GHz Supercomputer Starting At USD$0.50/GHz*Hour

Re: ALT+TAB Detection

#17239

Author: Stephane Baillargeon
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 12:39

43 lines
2536 bytes

Thanks alot. Really appreciated.

"Early Ehlinger" <early@respower.com> wrote in message
news:3e86159e@newsgroups.borland.com...
> "Stephane Baillargeon" <sbaillargeon@microids.com> wrote:
> > Is there a way to detect the ALT+TAB app switcher and control it?
> >
> > We want the user to be able to hit the ALT+TAB keys in order to
> > change the current task. Is there a way to detect this combination
> > of keys in a WinAPI point of view and stop the task switch
> > momentarly to do some proccessing like stopping the
> > game's threads?
>
> I think the answer is no, but that's not to say you can't have the same
> effect :)
>
> From MSDN:
>
>     The WM_ACTIVATEAPP message is sent when a
>     window belonging to a different application
>     than the active window is about to be activated.
>     The message is sent to the application whose
>     window is being activated and to the application
>     whose window is being deactivated.
>
>     wParam
>
>     Specifies whether the window is being activated or
>     deactivated. This parameter is TRUE if the window
>     is being activated; it is FALSE if the window is
>     being deactivated.
>
> So all you need to do is catch WM_ACTIVATEAPP. If wParam is TRUE, resume
all
> your threads. Otherwise, suspend them.
>
> --
> -- Early Ehlinger CEO, ResPower Inc - Toll-Free : 866-737-7697
> -- www.respower.com -- 500+ GHz Supercomputer Starting At
USD$0.50/GHz*Hour
>
>
>

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