batch file that emulates key shortcut Home + D

Question

is there anyway i can emulate pressing Home + D with a batch file?

I need it to minimize a IE window that is in full screen without loosing the full screen attribute.

Thanks

Answer 1

There is another way to do the trick with vb script c:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe //H:CScript yourscript.vbs the script file consist of two commands only

set objShell = CreateObject("shell.application")

objShell.ToggleDesktop

And also other way is to invoke AutoHotkey.exe winD.ahk the script file WinD.ahk consist of one row

Send, #d

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ahk forum: minimize windows

msdn: IShellDispatch4.ToggleDesktop method

Answer 2

It appears that you mean +D. WshShell.SendKeys can emulate keypresses. Unfortunately, SendKeys can't send the key. However, you can try to send Alt+Space, then N to minimize the active window. You'll need a slight pause between Alt+Space and N to give the titlebar icon menu a chance to render -- otherwise, N will be sent to the main window and not to the menu.

Save this as a .bat file and run it for a demonstration.

@if (@a==@b) @end   /* JScript multiline comment

:: begin batch portion

@echo off
setlocal

for /f "tokens=2" %%I in ('tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq iexplore.exe" ^| find "Internet Explorer"') do set "PID=%%I"
if defined PID goto minimize

:: apparently IE is not running.  Launch, then wait for it to appear.
start "" "%programfiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"
:ie 
ping -n 2 0.0.0.0 >NUL
for /f "tokens=2" %%I in ('tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq iexplore.exe" ^| find "Internet Explorer"') do set "PID=%%I"
if not defined PID goto ie

:minimize
cscript /nologo /e:Jscript "%~f0" "%PID%"

goto :EOF

:: end batch portion / begin JScript */

var oShell = WSH.CreateObject('wscript.shell');
WSH.Echo('Activating window with PID ' + WSH.Arguments(0));
oShell.AppActivate(WSH.Arguments(0));
WSH.Sleep(100);
WSH.Echo('Making full screen');
oShell.SendKeys('{F11}');
WSH.Sleep(1000);
WSH.Echo('Activating titlebar icon menu');
oShell.SendKeys('% ');
WSH.Sleep(100);
WSH.Echo('Minimizing');
oShell.SendKeys('n');
WSH.Sleep(100);

Edit: For what it's worth, Alt+Esc will also minimize most windows. It doesn't work with F11-mode IE though. Fullscreen IE gets pushed to the back of all windows rather than being minimized. But anyone else coming across this answer from a Google Search, try sending Alt+Esc. This is especially useful for minimizing a cmd window, as Alt+Space doesn't work on those.

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Edit 2: To have your script minimize its own window, then minimize IE, then re-launch itself, try the following modifications:

@if (@a==@b) @end   /* JScript multiline comment

:: begin batch portion

@echo off
setlocal

for /f "tokens=2" %%I in ('tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq iexplore.exe" ^| find "Internet Explorer"') do set "PID=%%I"
if defined PID goto minimize

:: apparently IE is not running.  Launch, then wait for it to appear.
start "" "%programfiles%\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"
:ie 
ping -n 2 0.0.0.0 >NUL
for /f "tokens=2" %%I in ('tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq iexplore.exe" ^| find "Internet Explorer"') do set "PID=%%I"
if not defined PID goto ie

:minimize
cscript /nologo /e:Jscript "%~f0" "%PID%"

goto :EOF

:: end batch portion / begin JScript */

var oShell = WSH.CreateObject('wscript.shell');
if (WSH.Arguments.length == 1) {
    WSH.Echo('Activating window with PID ' + WSH.Arguments(0));
    oShell.SendKeys('%{ESC}')
    oShell.AppActivate(WSH.Arguments(0));
    WSH.Sleep(100);
    WSH.Echo('Making full screen');
    oShell.SendKeys('{F11}');
    WSH.Sleep(1000);
    WSH.Echo('Minimizing');
    oShell.SendKeys('% ');
    WSH.Sleep(100)
    oShell.SendKeys('n');
    oShell.Run('cscript /nologo /e:JScript ' + WSH.ScriptFullName + ' ' + WSH.Arguments(0) + ' ' + '1', 1, false);
    WSH.Sleep(100);
    WSH.Quit(0);
}
else {
    WSH.Echo('Done.  Hit ENTER to exit.');
    WSH.StdIn.ReadLine();
}