Docking Windows on desktop programmatically from .net core 5

Question

Hi,

I have a main wpf window that spawns off a ekstra tool window. I use the windows button and arrows to place them maximized to the left and right respectively on desktop. Like the xaml WindowsState="Maximized", is there a way programmatically to dock the windows to the left and right of the desktop.

Thanks.
Z

Answer 1

A way is to simulate the Windows Key

For example, with Left Arrow => (tested on Windows 10 1909, WPF .NET 5.0)

keybd_event(VK_LWIN, 0, KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY, 0);
keybd_event(VK_LEFT, 0, 0, 0);
keybd_event(VK_LEFT, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0);
keybd_event(VK_LWIN, 0, KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY | KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0);

Declarations :

[DllImport("User32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
public static extern void keybd_event(byte bVk, byte bScan, uint dwFlags, int dwExtraInfo);

public const int KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY = 0x0001;
public const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x0002;

public const int VK_LWIN = 0x5B;
public const int VK_LEFT = 0x25;
public const int VK_UP = 0x26;
public const int VK_RIGHT = 0x27;
public const int VK_DOWN = 0x28;

Answer 2

You can install Extended.Wpf.Toolkit in your Nuget package manager and add xmlns:avalon="http://schemas.xceed.com/wpf/xaml/avalondock" to your xaml. Then you can use it like below:

<Grid>  
        <avalon:DockingManager>  
            <avalon:DockingManager.Theme>  
                <avalon:MetroTheme></avalon:MetroTheme>  
            </avalon:DockingManager.Theme>  
            <avalon:LayoutRoot>  
                <avalon:LayoutPanel Orientation="Horizontal">  
                    <avalon:LayoutPanel Orientation="Vertical">  
                        <avalon:LayoutAnchorablePaneGroup DockMinHeight="180" FloatingHeight="180">  
                            <avalon:LayoutAnchorablePane x:Name="panelBottom">  
                                <avalon:LayoutAnchorable Title="Bottom1"></avalon:LayoutAnchorable>  
                                <avalon:LayoutAnchorable Title="Bottom2"></avalon:LayoutAnchorable>  
                                <avalon:LayoutAnchorable Title="Bottom3"></avalon:LayoutAnchorable>  
                            </avalon:LayoutAnchorablePane>  
                        </avalon:LayoutAnchorablePaneGroup>  
                    </avalon:LayoutPanel>  
                </avalon:LayoutPanel>  
            </avalon:LayoutRoot>  
        </avalon:DockingManager>  
    </Grid>  

And the result picture is:

Is it what you want to implement? If it is not, could you give me more description about your question?

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