Taskbar Icon doesn't match Application Icon when using a Soortcut

Question

I wrote a program that monitors my Documents Folder and every time a file that matches my criteria is saved, it makes a copy in the selected backup folder. I added code that blinks the Icon a few times so I know that the file was backed up. The blinking is done using a timer that changes the icon from "1.ico" to "2.ico" and back a few times. I don't know if the problem is related to Visual Studio or what but once the app is built, starting it directly is fine but making a shortcut and opening the app from it makes the tray icon a generic one and the blinking does not happen. Changing the shortcut icon manually to match the app icon makes it look fine but there is no blinking, The timer code is quite simple:

Private Sub IconBlink_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles IcoBlink.Tick

Ticks += 1

If Ticks Mod 2 = 0 Then

Me.Icon = Icon2

Else

Me.Icon = Icon1

End If

If Ticks >= 10 Then

IcoBlink.Stop()

Me.Icon = Icon1

End If

End Sub

Any ideas?

That is "Icon1" - "Icon2" is identical except it is dark grey

Answer 1

Instead of changing icons you can use the Windows API FlashWindowEx function to flash your application's taskbar button.

For example, in a Windows Forms Application -

Example code -

Public Class Form1
    Public FW_TRAY As Integer = 2
    Public FW_TIMER As Integer = 4
    Public FW_STOP As Integer = 0
    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)>
    Public Structure FLASHWINFO
        Public cbSize As Integer
        Public hwnd As IntPtr
        Public flags As Integer
        Public count As Integer
        Public timeout As Integer
    End Structure
    <DllImport("user32.dll", CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall, ExactSpelling:=True)>
    Public Shared Function FlashWindowEx(fwi As FLASHWINFO) As Boolean
    End Function

    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim fwinfo As FLASHWINFO = New FLASHWINFO()
        fwinfo.cbSize = Marshal.SizeOf(Of FLASHWINFO)
        fwinfo.hwnd = Handle
        fwinfo.flags = FW_TRAY
        fwinfo.timeout = 1000
        fwinfo.count = 10
        FlashWindowEx(fwinfo)
    End Sub

End Class