Visual Basic Application Startup Position on Desktop

Question

Hi Guys, I've created a small desktop utility application using Visual Basic 2017 to provide some basic information while I'm working on other stuff! the functionality is working as desired. However, I'm now trying to polish it up a bit and I'm stuck and need some help?

My Application auto starts and shuts down with Windows Startup/Shutdown.

I'd like it to Auto Position itself in the top right corner of the screen so that it doesn't cover any desktop Icons!
I can get a list of desktop icons using SpecialFolder.'CommonDesktopDirectory' & 'Desktop' to build a list of standard & user specific Icons, but the Icons don't contain any position data, or default spacing data?
As some users have Icons placed on the right of the desktop I can't use the Desktop.bounds as this causes the issue I have, I'm working on a function to detect if an icon is located on the right of the screen and limiting the x location to be lower than the icon value however Icon data doesn't contain location or padding data only size data is available?

Any Ideas?

Thanks in Advance.

Answer

Hi
I use My.Settings for things like this. For example, set up a setting (like):

My.Settings.Loc as Point

Saving current position in Form Closing) My.Settings.Loc = Location
in Form Load event, Location = My.Settings.Loc

then wherever you position the Form then close, will open again at same point.

Answer

I'm not repositioning anything except my Application and this is only for first run, if the user wants to move it to somewhere else they can put it wherever they want.
This is an in-house application so crowded desktops are a no no (1 get out of jail card!)
The Applications main purpose is to remove some default Icons from the global applications and put the links on a drop-down list Instead freeing up some desktop real estate!

Answer

Hi @Alan Barclay ,
You can set the form's StartPosition property to Manual, and then adjust the window's Location property to set its initial startup position.
Best Regards.
Jiachen Li

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Answer

A test to get Desktop icons positions, but I don't know if it is very useful... (a lot of P/Invoke declarations just for that) =>
(tested on Windows 10 21H1)

Add at beginning :

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

Add reference to "Microsoft Internet Controls" (for SHDocVw, to avoid declaration of IShellWindows)

Test code :

        Dim pShellWindows = New SHDocVw.ShellWindows()
        Dim hWndDesktop As IntPtr
        Dim oDispatch = pShellWindows.FindWindowSW(0, Nothing, SWC_DESKTOP, hWndDesktop, ShellWindowFindWindowOptions.SWFO_NEEDDISPATCH)
        Dim pDispatch = Marshal.GetIDispatchForObject(oDispatch)
        Dim pvOut As IntPtr = IntPtr.Zero
        Dim SID_STopLevelBrowser As Guid = New Guid("4C96BE40-915C-11CF-99D3-00AA004AE837")
        Dim IID_IShellBrowser As Guid = New Guid("000214E2-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")
        IUnknown_QueryService(pDispatch, SID_STopLevelBrowser, IID_IShellBrowser, pvOut)
        If (pvOut <> IntPtr.Zero) Then
            Dim psb As IShellBrowser = TryCast(Marshal.GetObjectForIUnknown(pvOut), IShellBrowser)
            If (psb IsNot Nothing) Then
                Dim psv As IShellView = Nothing
                Dim hr As HRESULT = psb.QueryActiveShellView(psv)
                If (hr = HRESULT.S_OK) Then
                    Dim pFolderView = TryCast(psv, IFolderView)
                    Dim pShellFolderPtr As IntPtr = IntPtr.Zero
                    hr = pFolderView.GetFolder(GetType(IShellFolder).GUID, pShellFolderPtr)
                    Dim psf As IShellFolder = TryCast(Marshal.GetObjectForIUnknown(pShellFolderPtr), IShellFolder)
                    Dim nItemCount As Integer = 0
                    hr = pFolderView.ItemCount(SVGIO.SVGIO_ALLVIEW, nItemCount)
                    If (hr = HRESULT.S_OK) Then
                        For i As Integer = 0 To nItemCount - 1
                            Dim pidlItem As IntPtr
                            hr = pFolderView.Item(i, pidlItem)
                            If (hr = HRESULT.S_OK) Then
                                Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Item n°{0}", (i + 1).ToString()))
                                Dim strretFolderName As STRRET
                                hr = psf.GetDisplayNameOf(pidlItem, SHGDNF.SHGDN_NORMAL, strretFolderName)
                                Dim sDisplayName As String = Nothing
                                If (hr = HRESULT.S_OK) Then
                                    Dim sbDisplayName As System.Text.StringBuilder
                                    sbDisplayName = New System.Text.StringBuilder(256)
                                    StrRetToBuf(strretFolderName, pidlItem, sbDisplayName, sbDisplayName.Capacity)
                                    sDisplayName = sbDisplayName.ToString
                                End If
                                Console.WriteLine(String.Format("{0}Name : {1}", vbTab, sDisplayName))
                            End If
                            Dim nPos As Point = Nothing
                            hr = pFolderView.GetItemPosition(pidlItem, nPos)
                            Console.WriteLine(String.Format("{0}Position : ({1},{2})", vbTab, nPos.X, nPos.Y))
                        Next
                    End If
                    Marshal.ReleaseComObject(psf)
                    Marshal.ReleaseComObject(psv)
                End If
                Marshal.ReleaseComObject(psb)
            End If
        End If

Declarations :

Public Enum HRESULT As Integer
    S_OK = 0
    S_FALSE = 1
    E_NOINTERFACE = &H80004002
    E_NOTIMPL = &H80004001
    E_FAIL = &H80004005
    E_UNEXPECTED = &H8000FFFF
    E_OUTOFMEMORY = &H8007000E
End Enum


Public Structure RECT
    Public left As Integer
    Public top As Integer
    Public right As Integer
    Public bottom As Integer
    Public Sub New(Left As Integer, Top As Integer, Right As Integer, Bottom As Integer)
        Left = Left
        Top = Top
        Right = Right
        Bottom = Bottom
    End Sub
End Structure

Public Const SWC_DESKTOP = &H8

Public Enum ShellWindowFindWindowOptions As Integer
    SWFO_NEEDDISPATCH = &H1
    SWFO_INCLUDEPENDING = &H2
    SWFO_COOKIEPASSED = &H4
End Enum


Public Shared Function IUnknown_QueryService(ByVal punk As IntPtr, ByRef guidService As Guid, ByRef riid As Guid,  ByRef ppvOut As IntPtr) As HRESULT
End Function




Interface IOleWindow
    Function GetWindow( ByRef phwnd As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function ContextSensitiveHelp(fEnterMode As Boolean) As HRESULT
End Interface




Interface IShellBrowser
    Inherits IOleWindow

    Overloads Function GetWindow( ByRef phwnd As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Overloads Function ContextSensitiveHelp(fEnterMode As Boolean) As HRESULT
    Function InsertMenusSB(IntPtrShared As IntPtr, ByRef lpMenuWidths As OLEMENUGROUPWIDTHS) As HRESULT
    Function SetMenuSB(IntPtrShared As IntPtr, holemenuRes As IntPtr, IntPtrActiveObject As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function RemoveMenusSB(IntPtrShared As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function SetStatusTextSB(pszStatusText As String) As HRESULT
    Function EnableModelessSB(fEnable As Boolean) As HRESULT
    Function TranslateAcceleratorSB(pmsg As MSG, wID As UInt16) As HRESULT
    Function BrowseObject(pidl As IntPtr, wFlags As UInteger) As HRESULT
    Function GetViewStateStream(grfMode As UInteger,  ByRef ppStrm As ComTypes.IStream) As HRESULT
    Function GetControlWindow(id As UInteger,  ByRef pIntPtr As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function SendControlMsg(id As UInteger, uMsg As UInteger, wParam As Integer, lParam As IntPtr,  ByRef pret As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function QueryActiveShellView( ByRef ppshv As IShellView) As HRESULT
    Function OnViewWindowActive(pshv As IShellView) As HRESULT
    Function SetToolbarItems(lpButtons As TBBUTTON, nButtons As UInteger, uFlags As UInteger) As HRESULT
End Interface




Interface IShellView
    Inherits IOleWindow

    Overloads Function GetWindow( ByRef phwnd As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Overloads Function ContextSensitiveHelp(fEnterMode As Boolean) As HRESULT
    Function TranslateAccelerator(pmsg As MSG) As HRESULT
    Function EnableModeless(fEnable As Boolean) As HRESULT
    Function UIActivate(uState As UInteger) As HRESULT
    Function Refresh() As HRESULT
    Function CreateViewWindow(psvPrevious As IShellView, pfs As FOLDERSETTINGS, psb As IShellBrowser, prcView As RECT,  ByRef pIntPtr As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function DestroyViewWindow() As HRESULT
    Function GetCurrentInfo( ByRef pfs As FOLDERSETTINGS) As HRESULT
    Function AddPropertySheetPages(dwReserved As Integer, pfn As IntPtr, lparam As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function SaveViewState() As HRESULT
    Function SelectItem(pidlItem As IntPtr, uFlags As SVSIF) As HRESULT
    Function GetItemObject(uItem As UInteger, ByRef riid As Guid,   ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
End Interface


Public Structure MSG
    Public hwnd As IntPtr
    Public message As UInteger
    Public wParam As Integer
    Public lParam As IntPtr
    Public time As Integer
    Public pt As Point
End Structure


Public Structure FOLDERSETTINGS
    Public ViewMode As UInteger
    Public fFlags As UInteger
End Structure

Public Enum SVSIF
    SVSI_DESELECT = 0
    SVSI_SELECT = &H1
    SVSI_EDIT = &H3
    SVSI_DESELECTOTHERS = &H4
    SVSI_ENSUREVISIBLE = &H8
    SVSI_FOCUSED = &H10
    SVSI_TRANSLATEPT = &H20
    SVSI_SELECTIONMARK = &H40
    SVSI_POSITIONITEM = &H80
    SVSI_CHECK = &H100
    SVSI_CHECK2 = &H200
    SVSI_KEYBOARDSELECT = &H401
    SVSI_NOTAKEFOCUS = &H40000000
End Enum


Public Structure TBBUTTON
    Public iBitmap As Integer
    Public idCommand As Integer
    Public fsState As Byte
    Public fsStyle As Byte
    Public bReserved0 As Byte
    Public bReserved1 As Byte
    Public dwData As Integer
    Public iString As IntPtr
End Structure


Public Structure OLEMENUGROUPWIDTHS
    
    Public width As Integer()
End Structure




Public Interface IFolderView
    Function GetCurrentViewMode(ByRef pViewMode As UInteger) As HRESULT
    Function SetCurrentViewMode(ViewMode As UInteger) As HRESULT
    Function GetFolder(ByRef riid As Guid, ByRef ppv As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function Item(iItemIndex As Integer, ByRef ppidl As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function ItemCount(uFlags As UInteger, ByRef pcItems As Integer) As HRESULT
    Function Items(uFlags As UInteger, ByRef riid As Guid, ByRef ppv As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function GetSelectionMarkedItem(ByRef piItem As Integer) As HRESULT
    Function GetFocusedItem(ByRef piItem As Integer) As HRESULT
    Function GetItemPosition(pidl As IntPtr, ByRef ppt As Point) As HRESULT
    Function GetSpacing(ByRef ppt As Point) As HRESULT
    Function GetDefaultSpacing(ByRef ppt As Point) As HRESULT
    Function GetAutoArrange() As HRESULT
    Function SelectItem(iItem As Integer, dwFlags As Integer) As HRESULT
    Function SelectAndPositionItems(cidl As UInteger, apidl As IntPtr, apt As Point, dwFlags As Integer) As HRESULT
End Interface

Public Enum SVGIO
    SVGIO_BACKGROUND = 0
    SVGIO_SELECTION = &H1
    SVGIO_ALLVIEW = &H2
    SVGIO_CHECKED = &H3
    SVGIO_TYPE_MASK = &HF
    SVGIO_FLAG_VIEWORDER = &H80000000
End Enum


Interface IShellFolder
    Function ParseDisplayName(hwnd As IntPtr, pbc As IntPtr,  pszDisplayName As String, <[In], Out> ByRef pchEaten As UInteger,  ByRef ppidl As IntPtr, <[In], Out> ByRef pdwAttributes As SFGAO) As HRESULT
    Function EnumObjects(hwnd As IntPtr, grfFlags As SHCONTF,  ByRef ppenumIDList As IEnumIDList) As HRESULT
    Function BindToObject(pidl As IntPtr, pbc As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid,   ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
    Function BindToStorage(pidl As IntPtr, pbc As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid,   ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
    Function CompareIDs(lParam As IntPtr, pidl1 As IntPtr, pidl2 As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function CreateViewObject(hwndOwner As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid,   ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
    Function GetAttributesOf(cidl As UInteger, apidl As IntPtr, <[In], Out> ByRef rgfInOut As SFGAO) As HRESULT
    Function GetUIObjectOf(hwndOwner As IntPtr, cidl As UInteger, ByRef apidl As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid, <[In], Out> ByRef rgfReserved As UInteger,  ByRef ppv As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    Function GetDisplayNameOf(pidl As IntPtr, uFlags As SHGDNF,  ByRef pName As STRRET) As HRESULT
    Function SetNameOf(hwnd As IntPtr, pidl As IntPtr,  pszName As String, uFlags As SHGDNF,  ByRef ppidlOut As IntPtr) As HRESULT
End Interface

Public Enum SHCONTF
    SHCONTF_CHECKING_FOR_CHILDREN = &H10
    SHCONTF_FOLDERS = &H20
    SHCONTF_NONFOLDERS = &H40
    SHCONTF_INCLUDEHIDDEN = &H80
    SHCONTF_INIT_ON_FIRST_NEXT = &H100
    SHCONTF_NETPRINTERSRCH = &H200
    SHCONTF_SHAREABLE = &H400
    SHCONTF_STORAGE = &H800
    SHCONTF_NAVIGATION_ENUM = &H1000
    SHCONTF_FASTITEMS = &H2000
    SHCONTF_FLATLIST = &H4000
    SHCONTF_ENABLE_ASYNC = &H8000
End Enum

Public Enum SFGAO
    CANCOPY = &H1
    CANMOVE = &H2
    CANLINK = &H4
    STORAGE = &H8
    CANRENAME = &H10
    CANDELETE = &H20
    HASPROPSHEET = &H40
    DROPTARGET = &H100
    CAPABILITYMASK = &H177
    ENCRYPTED = &H2000
    ISSLOW = &H4000
    GHOSTED = &H8000
    LINK = &H10000
    SHARE = &H20000
    [READONLY] = &H40000
    HIDDEN = &H80000
    DISPLAYATTRMASK = &HFC000
    STREAM = &H400000
    STORAGEANCESTOR = &H800000
    VALIDATE = &H1000000
    REMOVABLE = &H2000000
    COMPRESSED = &H4000000
    BROWSABLE = &H8000000
    FILESYSANCESTOR = &H10000000
    FOLDER = &H20000000
    FILESYSTEM = &H40000000
    HASSUBFOLDER = &H80000000
    CONTENTSMASK = &H80000000
    STORAGECAPMASK = &H70C50008
    PKEYSFGAOMASK = &H81044000
End Enum

Public Enum SHGDNF
    SHGDN_NORMAL = 0
    SHGDN_INFOLDER = &H1
    SHGDN_FOREDITING = &H1000
    SHGDN_FORADDRESSBAR = &H4000
    SHGDN_FORPARSING = &H8000
End Enum


Public Structure STRRET
    
    Public uType As UInteger
    
    Public pOleStr As IntPtr
    
    Public uOffset As UInteger
    
    Public cString As IntPtr
End Structure


Interface IEnumIDList
    
    Function [Next](celt As UInteger,  ByRef rgelt As IntPtr,  ByRef pceltFetched As Integer) As HRESULT
    
    Function Skip(celt As UInteger) As HRESULT
    Sub Reset()
    Function Clone() As IEnumIDList
End Interface


Public Shared Function StrRetToBuf(ByRef pstr As STRRET, ByVal pidl As IntPtr, ByVal pszBuf As System.Text.StringBuilder,  ByVal cchBuf As UInteger) As HRESULT
End Function

Answer

Something else to test that bit me. All of my apps remember where they were on the desktop and most if not all of the users have multiple displays.

So what happened was a user had a display that died that happened to have some apps positioned on it. When they started the apps you couldn't see the form even though the app was running.

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Visual Basic Application Startup Position on Desktop

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