Visual Basic

6-Jan-07 0:42

I try to call SetParent window api.
I use this code:

Private Declare Function SetParent Lib "user32" _<br />
       (ByVal hWndChild As Long, _<br />
       ByVal hWndNewParent As Long) As Long<br />
 <br />
Private Sub Form1_Load1(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load<br />
        Dim lngStyle As Long<br />
        Dim c As Object<br />
        'Dim lngStatusBar As Long<br />
<br />
        mobjXL = New Excel.Application<br />
        mobjXL.Caption = "Main"<br />
      <br />
        mlngXLHwnd = FindWindow("XLMAIN", "Main")<br />
        SetParent(mlngXLHwnd, Me.Handle)<br />
<br />
        lngStyle = GetWindowLong(mlngXLHwnd, GWL_STYLE)<br />
<br />
        lngStyle = lngStyle Xor WS_CAPTION<br />
        lngStyle = lngStyle Xor WS_SIZEBOX<br />
<br />
        SetWindowLong(mlngXLHwnd, GWL_STYLE, lngStyle)<br />
End Sub

When I call the function SetParent I got error:
PInvokeStackImBalance was detected

What is wrong in this line?

Duncan Edwards Jones6-Jan-07 1:40

6-Jan-07 1:40

You are using Long but it should be Int32 ...

'--8<------------------------
Ex Datis:
Duncan Jones
Merrion Computing Ltd

shabyb6-Jan-07 4:41

6-Jan-07 4:41

I change the parameter from Long to int32 but still got the error:
A call to PInvoke function 'EmbedManagedExe!EmbedManagedExe.Form1::SetParent' has unbalanced the stack. This is likely because the managed PInvoke signature does not match the unmanaged target signature. Check that the calling convention and parameters of the PInvoke signature match the target unmanaged signature.

Do you have any other idea how to solve the problem

Duncan Edwards Jones6-Jan-07 9:08

6-Jan-07 9:08

How about...

<code>
Private Declare Function SetParent Lib "user32" _
(ByVal hWndChild As Int32, _
ByVal hWndNewParent As Int32) As Int32
</code>

'--8<------------------------
Ex Datis:
Duncan Jones
Merrion Computing Ltd

shabyb6-Jan-07 10:56

6-Jan-07 10:56

using your function declaration, I got the error:
OverflowException was unhandled.
I don't know whats wrong eith thus call?

Thanks for the help;)

Duncan Edwards Jones6-Jan-07 11:30

6-Jan-07 11:30

Presumably your declaration for GetWindowLong are still using Long?
Change this to Int32, and also change the variables you pass in to match.

'--8<------------------------
Ex Datis:
Duncan Jones
Merrion Computing Ltd

Thomas Stockwell6-Jan-07 8:21

6-Jan-07 8:21

If you wrote the declaration by hand than you may have a part of the declaration wrong. I would suggest that you google API Viewer and API Guide. These two programs give you both examples of how to use native WinAPI (API Guide), and the proper syntax for thousands of commands, structures, and constants (API Viewer). The information provided by the programs can be converted to a variety of languages (at least API Viewer, API Guide is all in VB but can be converted fairly easily to other languages).

Regards,
Thomas Stockwell

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.

Visit my homepage Oracle Studios[^]

shabyb6-Jan-07 11:01

6-Jan-07 11:01

Hellow Thomas
I didn't wrote the declaration by hand
The declaration was taken from ApiViewer

Declare Function SetParent Lib "user32.dll" ( _ <br />
	 ByVal hWndChild As Long, _ <br />
	 ByVal hWndNewParent As Long) As Long

Thomas Stockwell6-Jan-07 13:51

6-Jan-07 13:51

Well even API Viewer has some problems. When dealing with any sort of window in .NET you can get the IntPtr handle of the window through the Handle property. You can pass the IntPtr value through the declarations and it should work. Try this:

<br />
Declare Function SetParent Lib "user32.dll" ( _<br />
ByVal hWndChild As IntPtr, _<br />
ByVal hWndNewParent As IntPtr) As Long

Another similar option would be to set the identifiers to Int32 instead of long and using the form1.Handle.ToInt32() method to convert the handle to Int32. Code for that declaration would be:

<br />
Declare Function SetParent Lib "user32.dll" ( _<br />
ByVal hWndChild As Int32, _<br />
ByVal hWndNewParent As Int32) As Long

Int32 is always the best alternative (in most cases) to use instead of the long identifier which (if I am correct) has been changed with how much memory it can store. One of my articles: Add Transparent Menus and XP Titlebar Buttons to your application[^], uses various API commands that use hwnd handles and you can see similarly how they are used and it may be able to help you.

Good Luck!

shabyb7-Jan-07 5:34

7-Jan-07 5:34

Hellow Thomas

I tried the both way, and the two ways were failed.
When the type is declare as IntPtr I got OverFlowException error.
I got the same error when the parameter was declared as Int32.

What you suggest the best way to continue?

Thanks;)

Thomas Stockwell7-Jan-07 8:57

7-Jan-07 8:57

I will see if I can have a success when using the dll function and post back. All I have suggested has been from prior knowledge and not from me actually testing the procedure. I'll post if I succeed.

Thomas Stockwell7-Jan-07 12:04

7-Jan-07 12:04

I have found both your error plus a sort of conclusion. I used the code following to test the SetParent method. At first I was trying to move the start button and have its parent the window where I was working, however that resulted in a memory error and my losing of the start menu temporarily. I was able to, however, to use the SetParent method for actual windows that are visible on the desktop window.

To start off here is the code (quiet lengthy):

Public Class Form1<br />
    'API Declarations<br />
    Private Declare Function SetParent Lib "user32.dll" ( _<br />
      ByVal hWndChild As IntPtr, _<br />
      ByVal hWndNewParent As IntPtr) As Int32<br />
    Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32.dll" Alias "FindWindowA" ( _<br />
      ByVal lpClassName As String, _<br />
      ByVal lpWindowName As Int32) As Int32<br />
    'API NOTE: When using the findWindow API command you can replace the indetfiers of<br />
    'either classname or windowname to Int32 so that you can have an empty (0) parameter<br />
    'similar to the null object in C# and C++.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
    'Variables to store the handles of specific windows<br />
    Dim apiViewerHandle As Int32 = 0<br />
<br />
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load<br />
        apiViewerHandle = FindWindow("ThunderRT6FormDC", 0)<br />
        If apiViewerHandle = 0 Then<br />
            'You always need to make sure that you have a windows' handle<br />
            'if the handle is 0 then you do not have any control over the window<br />
            MessageBox.Show(apiViewerHandle.ToString())<br />
            MessageBox.Show("No handle can be found")<br />
            Application.Exit()<br />
        Else<br />
            'SetParent(buttonHandle, taskbarHandle)<br />
            SetParent(apiViewerHandle, Me.Handle.ToInt32())<br />
        End If<br />
    End Sub<br />
<br />
End Class<br />
<br />

This code I tested by setting the parent of the API Viewer window to that of my .NET applications' Form1. I first used the Visual Studio tool Spy ++ which allowed me to find out the class of the window that I was taking control of so that I could get its handle through FindWindow. I then set the parent of the form using the SetParent method, as said, to my .NET applciations' form. This scenario did work, at least for me, but I am not quite sure if will help in your exact situation since I do not know what window you are trying to take control of. My next guess would be to make sure that you have a handle of the window you want control over. Make sure the handle from FindWindow is not equal to 0.

shabyb8-Jan-07 8:27

8-Jan-07 8:27

Thanks for your help.

With your code example I success using SetParent function of ummanaged exe into managed form
Big Grin | :-D

form problem in vb.net 2005

Christian Graus6-Jan-07 11:00

Christian Graus

6-Jan-07 11:00

www.pinvoke.net is my first call when I have pinvoke issues.

Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog

amaneet6-Jan-07 0:30

amaneet

6-Jan-07 0:30

Sir/Madam,
I have two forms named form1 and form2.There is a button in form1.
On clicking the button in form1 , I am creating the object of form2 and opening the form2 and along with this i am closing the form1.But this closes the form2 as well.
I wanted to open the form2 and close the form1.Please help.
Thanks and Regards
Pankaj

Re: form problem in vb.net 2005

nagendra rao s.v.6-Jan-07 1:05

nagendra rao s.v.

6-Jan-07 1:05

Hi,
Here what is happening is the application main thread executed is calling the form1 to show and you are programatically calling the form2 to show and making the form1 closed so what happens the object of the form1 will get disposed right, due to this the application is completly closed Instead of this you can go for Me.Hide() to hide the parent form.

Re: WYSIWIG PRINTING PROBLEM PLS READ

Duncan Edwards Jones5-Jan-07 23:59

Re: WYSIWIG PRINTING PROBLEM PLS READ

5-Jan-07 23:59

Possibly you are not resetting the line count or page number variables when the already previewed job is printed? You should consider doing this in the BeginPrint even so it gets done no matter how many times a print is done.

'--8<------------------------
Ex Datis:
Duncan Jones
Merrion Computing Ltd

vbbeg6-Jan-07 0:53

vbbeg

6-Jan-07 0:53

Thanks Duncan. im going to check that out and get back to u if thats ok .

Re: DUNCAN PLS READ WYSIWIG PRINTING PROBLEM PLS READ

vbbeg6-Jan-07 5:28

vbbeg

6-Jan-07 5:28

Hi Duncan.

I was able to reset page number and lines filled counts but now it falls into a loop where the page number keep counting continously when PRINT PREVIEW OPENS and its goes into GENERATING PREVIEWS DIALOG PRINT PREVIEW.
we are so close .. I hope you can kindly tell me what it is im overseeing.

Kind Regards

Robbo

Re: DUNCAN PLS READ WYSIWIG PRINTING PROBLEM PLS READ

Duncan Edwards Jones6-Jan-07 9:05