PRB: Activating Full-Screen DOS App from Icon in Enhanced Mode

ID Number: Q69895

3.00

WINDOWS

Summary:

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Windows enhanced mode, when an application calls the

OpenIcon or ShowWindows functions to activate a full-screen MS-DOS

application from an icon, the activation fails. These functions

perform as documented in real and standard mode.

RESOLUTION

To avoid this problem, simulate the result of an ALT+TAB key

combination on the MS-DOS application icon: Send a WM_ACTIVATE

message to the MS-DOS application, and then specify its handle in a

call to ShowWindow function. For example:

SendMessage(hDOSApp, WM_ACTIVATE, 1, MAKELONG(hDOSApp, TRUE));

ShowWindow(hDOSApp, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

When the application sends the WM_ACTIVATE message, wParam is set

to 1 because the application is being invoked by simulating the

keyboard. The high-order word of lParam is set to TRUE (non-zero)

because the MS-DOS application is represented by an icon.

The method works in all three Windows modes for windowed and full-

screen MS-DOS applications.

Additional reference words: 3.00 MICS3 R1.3