How to avoid minimize on show desktop or peek desktop from an application.

Bhushan Kolhe 0

Hi,

I am trying to create a desktop widget like application which need to be visible on desktop at all times. To hide it from taskbar and alt + tab menu I am using WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW window style.

The problem is the application is minimized when using Peek Desktop function or Win + D shortcut or Show desktop button.

What is the best way to avoid/handle this minimization?

Thanks in advance.

Castorix31 86,506 Reputation points

2024-12-06T21:45:11.11+00:00

I am trying to create a desktop widget like application

If you install/launch Widget Launcher, you launch a Widget, Right-click on tray icon to select "Toggle Always On Top" in context menu, then you check styles of the Widget with Spy++, you will see WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW, which contains WS_EX_TOPMOST as RLWA32 said...
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Roy Li - MSFT 33,591 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2025-01-06T07:38:45.87+00:00

Haven't heard from you for a while. Have you solved your issue?

2 answers

RLWA32 46,561 Reputation points

2024-12-12T15:51:20.7333333+00:00

For what its worth I solved the problem by installing a WH_GETMESSAGE hook in the Explorer process. Spy++ (64-bit version) showed that an undocumented message (WM_USER+83) was posted to the Program Manager window available from the GetShellWindow function whenever Show Desktop/Show Open Windows was invoked regardless of the method used to invoke it. The hook procedure watches for this message and, when detected it posts a message back to the test application make its window topmost or not.

For example,

Naturally, this is all implementation dependent and is not guaranteed to work on all Windows versions/builds. I tested on Win10 22H2 with all updates installed.
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1 person found this answer helpful.
Bhushan Kolhe 0 Reputation points

2024-12-20T06:35:59.5966667+00:00

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply, Do you install the WH_GETMESSAGE hook in Program Manager window using DLL Injection since its part of different process or is there another way?

RLWA32 46,561 Reputation points

2024-12-20T09:04:26.61+00:00

The program installs a thread specific hook which resides in a DLL. The GetWindowThreadProcessId function is used to obtain the thread id for the hook. The system injects the DLL into the explorer process when the hook is installed and removes it from the explorer process when the hook is uninstalled.

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RLWA32 46,561 Reputation points

2025-01-17T11:46:34.6766667+00:00

@Bhushan Kolhe, We have not heard from you in quite some time. Have you implemented my solution to your question?
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RLWA32 46,561 Reputation points

2024-12-06T19:21:01.4066667+00:00

What is probably happening is that the desktop window is covering your window so you think it has been minimized. If you add WS_EX_TOPMOST to the window extended styles then the desktop won't cover it. See What is the difference between Minimize All and Show Desktop?
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Bhushan Kolhe 0 Reputation points

2024-12-07T03:26:22.89+00:00

This works but puts the application in front of all other windows. I want the app to be behind all other windows but always visible on desktop. I tried to move the application to back with the code below but with this the show desktop problem remains.

case WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGING: { WINDOWPOS* pos = (WINDOWPOS*)lParam; pos->hwndInsertAfter = HWND_BOTTOM; return 0; }

RLWA32 46,561 Reputation points

2024-12-07T11:54:15.06+00:00

If you use Spy++ to examine the window messages received when using Win+D you will see that your window does not receive WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGING. When I tested on Win10 22H2 I saw that the window procedure received a number of undocumented messages.

If you don't want your window to always be Topmost you could install a low-level keyboard hook that makes your window Topmost when the Win+D sequence is detected. When you don't want it to be Topmost you can remove the style with SetWindowPos.

Bhushan Kolhe 0 Reputation points

2024-12-07T12:56:46.6+00:00

Although the low level keyboard hook will work for Win + D shortcut, It wont work for Show Desktop button on taskbar.

RLWA32 46,561 Reputation points

2024-12-07T13:26:59.28+00:00

Well, my last suggestion is to create an icon in the notification area that you can use to make your window visible without messing around with adding/removing topmost.

Roy Li - MSFT 33,591 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-12-20T02:40:03.9133333+00:00

@Bhushan Kolhe Hope you've been well. Any updates about this issue?

Roy Li - MSFT 33,591 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-12-24T08:24:02.64+00:00

@Bhushan Kolhe Haven't heard from you for a while. Have you solved your issue?
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How to avoid minimize on show desktop or peek desktop from an application.

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