Alt Tab overlay Win32 identificator

Question

I'm mapping events coming from an external sensor (e.g. a keypad) to keyboard shortcuts and I would like to switch applications using the Fast switch overlay window ( i.e. Alt-Tab menu"), but I want to keep showing the switch menu until an application is chosen.

Basically, what am I doing is this :

if(notInSwitchMenu) 
{   // Alt-Tab keystroke, but Alt remains pressed : the menu is still visible
    Press(VK_MENU); 
    Press(VK_TAB); 
    Release(VK_TAB);
}
else
{

    if(event1) //Tab keystroke : next app
    {
        Press(VK_TAB);
        Release(VK_TAB) ;
    } 
    else if(event2) //Shift-Tab keystroke  : previous app
    { 
        Press(VK_SHIFT); 
        Press(VK_TAB);
        Release(VK_TAB);
        Release(VK_SHIFT) 
    }
    else if(event3) // we get out of the menu : the selected app has the focus.
    {
        Release(VK_MENU);
    } 
}

The Press and Release simply call SendInput with the right properties.

My problem is that I don't know a robust method to determine if the user is currently in the Alt-Tab program list. Do anyone know how to identify the Alt-Tab overlay menu with the Win32 API ?

Do you know, that using `Ctrl+Alt+Tab` once will force the list to stay opened until you choose an application? — Christian Ivicevic, Oct 12 '12 at 15:53
The `EVENT_SYSTEM_SWITCHSTART`/`EVENT_SYSTEM_SWITCHEND` events tell you when the `Alt`+`Tab` window appears and disappears. — Raymond Chen, Oct 12 '12 at 16:21
In your particular case, you know when you press the alt key, just keep a flag in there to knwo when your app is still holding down the alt key. — Deanna, Oct 15 '12 at 14:19

score 9 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 28 '18 at 05:50

9

The EVENT_SYSTEM_SWITCHSTART/EVENT_SYSTEM_SWITCHEND events tell you when the Alt+Tab window appears and disappears.

edited Sep 28 '18 at 05:50

NIMISHAN

1,265
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answered Oct 12 '12 at 18:57

Raymond Chen

44,448
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To elaborate, use [SetWinEventHook](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd373640.aspx) to receive these events. – Remy Lebeau Oct 13 '12 at 03:19
Can anyone attach an example? – yonni May 16 '22 at 14:18
@yonni as far as I know EVENT_SYSTEM_SWITCHSTART/EVENT_SYSTEM_SWITCHEND does not work correctly since Windows 10. You can try this solution instead https://stackoverflow.com/a/49597746/511801 – mattsson Dec 15 '22 at 11:03

Alt Tab overlay Win32 identificator

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