Windows 10
A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.
11,195 questions
Prevent Auto Switching of Virtual Desktop
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JChild
21
Reputation points
I have an application that I would like to run on a second desktop. I interact with that application in such a way that the application occasionally steals focus and Windows automatically switches to the second desktop. I don't have any way to change the application as it is a third party application. Is there a way to prevent Windows from automatically switching to the second virtual desktop? Or if not, is there a way to prevent an application from taking focus?
Windows 10
Windows API - Win32
Windows API - Win32
A core set of Windows application programming interfaces (APIs) for desktop and server applications. Previously known as Win32 API.
2,523 questions
C++
C++
A high-level, general-purpose programming language, created as an extension of the C programming language, that has object-oriented, generic, and functional features in addition to facilities for low-level memory manipulation.
3,636 questions
{count} votes
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Xiaopo Yang - MSFT 12,231 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor2022-04-19T01:46:04.187+00:00 Perhaps you have the same requirement as the question which sets the SHELLDLL_DefView window as parent but It may be unsafe. And there is an IVirtualDesktopManager interface which can enable an application to interact with groups of windows that form virtual workspaces.
Finally, I suppose there is no way to do this. -
RLWA32 43,306 Reputation points2022-04-19T13:44:29.973+00:00 I interact with that application in such a way that the application occasionally steals focus and Windows automatically switches to the second desktop.
Can you explain what this means?
Give LockSetForegroundWindow function a try for your own applications.
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JChild 21 Reputation points
2022-04-19T16:57:59.857+00:00 The application I want to run on a second desktop is a WPF application with multiple pages. I can change the pages by sending a UDP message to the application. When I change pages, the application grabs focus and Windows automatically switches to the second desktop.
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JChild 21 Reputation points
2022-04-19T16:59:10.823+00:00 The LockSetForegroundWindow function doesn't appear to prevent another window from stealing the foreground. I'm not sure that it actually changes anything.
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David Lowndes 4,711 Reputation points2022-04-19T23:08:53.917+00:00 Presumably using that would only work from the application that was currently the foreground window, which begs the question what is the foreground window when the operation you perform causes the other application to switch page (and then steal focus)?
Has there been no recent UI interaction with the foreground window?
What operation is performed in your WPF application when it changes page - is it intentionally trying to become the foreground window?
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