Taskbar location

Question

How can i detect where the taskbar is located? I need to know for displaying my notification in the right corner. Thanks

Edit: Thank you Hans Passant. I used that with this to get location. I hope is ok.

GetTaskbarLocation(TaskbarPosition.GetTaskbarPosition());

private void GetTaskbarLocation(Rectangle rc)
{
    if (rc.X == rc.Y)
    {
        if (rc.Right < rc.Bottom)
            taskbarLocation = TaskbarLocation.Left;
        if (rc.Right > rc.Bottom)
            taskbarLocation = TaskbarLocation.Top;
    }
    if (rc.X > rc.Y)
        taskbarLocation = TaskbarLocation.Right;
    if (rc.X < rc.Y)
        taskbarLocation = TaskbarLocation.Bottom;
}

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 09 '10 at 14:04

6

    public static Rectangle GetTaskbarPosition() {
        var data = new APPBARDATA();
        data.cbSize = System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.SizeOf(data);
        IntPtr retval = SHAppBarMessage(ABM_GETTASKBARPOS, ref data);
        if (retval == IntPtr.Zero) throw new Win32Exception("Please re-install Windows");
        return new Rectangle(data.rc.left, data.rc.top,
            data.rc.right - data.rc.left, data.rc.bottom - data.rc.top);

    }

    // P/Invoke goo:
    private const int ABM_GETTASKBARPOS = 5;
    [System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("shell32.dll")]
    private static extern IntPtr SHAppBarMessage(int msg, ref APPBARDATA data);
    private struct APPBARDATA {
        public int cbSize;
        public IntPtr hWnd;
        public int uCallbackMessage;
        public int uEdge;
        public RECT rc;
        public IntPtr lParam;
    }
    private struct RECT {
        public int left, top, right, bottom;
    }

answered Sep 09 '10 at 14:04

Hans Passant

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I'm not sure this code is complete. [MSDN has the following in the documentation for `ABM_GETTASKBARPOS`](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb787949%28v=vs.85%29.aspx): *You must specify the cbSize **and hWnd** when sending this message;* [This](http://www.pinvoke.net/default.aspx/shell32.shappbarmessage) and [this](http://edn.embarcadero.com/article/26977) both look for a window called `Shell_TrayWnd` to use as the `hWnd`. – ta.speot.is Nov 30 '13 at 10:22
@HansPassant I thought it was redundant but on Win8 you can have more than one task bar. [And this guy seems to be having some problems](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/20298740/issue-with-shappbarmessage-for-taskbar-position-on-windows-server-2008r2/20298931#20298931) with very similar code. Which is how I came across this answer. – ta.speot.is Nov 30 '13 at 11:58
Has taskbar looks strange, 2008R2 should have the round Start button orb. The exception message might be appropriate. – Hans Passant Nov 30 '13 at 12:08

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 09 '10 at 13:58

1

SHAppBarMessage(ABM_GETTASKBARPOS)

See the SHAppBarMessage Function and the ABM_GETTASKBARPOS Message for more info and the pinvoke page for SHAppBarMessage has a VB.Net sample that shouldn't be too difficult to translate.

answered Sep 09 '10 at 13:58

Hans Olsson

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 09 '10 at 13:59

The SHAppBarMessage function will return you information about the taskbar if you pass in the ABM_GETTASKBARPOS message. It has an out parameter which is a pointer to APPBARDATA that contains the screen cooridinates of the task bar. You can use to work out where on screen it is.

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 09 '10 at 14:02

1

It's probably best to use the available API: NotifyIcon.ShowBalloonTip:

void Form1_DoubleClick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    notifyIcon1.Visible = true;
    notifyIcon1.ShowBalloonTip(20000, "Information", "This is the text",
        ToolTipIcon.Info );
}

answered Sep 09 '10 at 14:02

Dirk Vollmar

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for notification I'm using a form :) i should mention that. thanks – andySF Sep 09 '10 at 16:17

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 24 '20 at 16:57

In Java, using JNA (adapted from other C# solutions above)

public static Rectangle getTaskbarPosition() throws Exception {
    APPBARDATA data = new APPBARDATA();
    data.cbSize = new WinDef.DWORD(data.size());
    WinDef.UINT_PTR retval = Shell32.INSTANCE.SHAppBarMessage(ABM_GETTASKBARPOS, data);
    if (retval == null) {
        throw new Exception("Please re-install Windows");
    }

    return new Rectangle(data.rc.left, data.rc.top, data.rc.right - data.rc.left, data.rc.bottom - data.rc.top);
}

Taskbar location

5 Answers5

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