How to get active window name based on mouse clicks in c#

Question

I am trying to make an application get the mouse click location and titles(names ) of the windows on which the user clicks. For Ex. If i click on outlook which is open in task bar, then i need to store application name as "Microsoft Outlook" in database.

Thanks in advance....

There are commercial tools available to spy on your users. If you want to create one for your own, begin by reading the WinApi manual. You can start at [`WindowFromPoint()`](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms633558(v=vs.85).aspx). This question is too broad. — CodeCaster, Sep 23 '14 at 11:39

C4d · Answer 1 · 2014-09-23T11:49:56.203

Check this code: How to get active window handle and title

Namespaces:

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;

Methods:

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
private static extern IntPtr GetForegroundWindow();

[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
private static extern int GetWindowText(IntPtr hWnd, StringBuilder lpString, int nMaxCount);

The Call:

// get handle
IntPtr handle = GetForegroundWindow();

// get title
const int count = 512;
var text = new StringBuilder(count);

if (GetWindowText(handle, text, count) > 0)
{
    MessageBox.Show(text.ToString());
}

I used this code a few times. Really easy to use. You could set up an timer which fires up every 10ms. Save up 2 variables. One with the active window and one with the last window that was focused. In pseudo-code said: If newWindow != oldWindow -> listView.Add(Window).

Could look like this:

public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        // DECLARE GLOBALS //
        [DllImport("user32.dll")]
        private static extern IntPtr GetForegroundWindow();

        [DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
        private static extern int GetWindowText(IntPtr hWnd, StringBuilder lpString, int nMaxCount);

        public static string oldWindow = "";
        public static string currentWindow = "";

        // TIMER EVENT //
        private void timerCheckFocus_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // get handle
            IntPtr handle = GetForegroundWindow();

            // get title
            const int count = 512;
            var currentWindow = new StringBuilder(count);

            if (currentWindow.ToString() != oldWindow)
            {
                // add your window to a listView //
                oldWindow = currentWindow.ToString();
            }
        }

my code same as above, I get application text but not getting its name. EX. for Visual studio i get "ApplicationMonitoring (Running) - Microsoft Visual Studio" but i need only "Microsoft Visual Studio" — Datta Kawade, Sep 23 '14 at 12:59
You asked for the "window name". "ApplicationMonitoring (Running) - Microsoft Visual Studio" IS the window name. Looks like you are looking for the application name ;). — C4d, Oct 24 '14 at 10:06

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 23 '14 at 11:56

1

you could import the user32.dll

[DllImport("user32.dll", ExactSpelling = true, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern IntPtr GetForegroundWindow();

and then e.g. use a timer to look for the active application.
process.MainWindowTitle gives you the name of the current window/application.

private void dispatcherTimer_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    IntPtr activeWindow = GetForegroundWindow();
    List<String> strListProcesses = new List<string>();
    foreach (Process process in Process.GetProcesses())
    {
        try
        {
            if (activeWindow == process.MainWindowHandle)
            {
                newApplication = process.MainWindowTitle;
            }
        }
        catch (System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception ex)
        {

        }
    }
}

answered Sep 23 '14 at 11:56

gottsche

83
4

my code same as above, I get application text but not getting its name. EX. for Visual studio i get "ApplicationMonitoring (Running) - Microsoft Visual Studio" but i need only "Microsoft Visual Studio" – Datta Kawade Sep 23 '14 at 13:00
So you are NOT searching for the window name. What you are looking for is the application-name. Edit your question! – C4d Sep 23 '14 at 13:41
Im currently at work. Ill try out editing my code when Im at home later. Peace. – C4d Sep 23 '14 at 14:05

How to get active window name based on mouse clicks in c#

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