Postmessage API seem to success but do nothing

Juncheng Zhang

I am developing an application that call another application in the same machine, I use Windows API
PostMessage() method,
the code seems return true, but the receive application has no response. Anyone can help, I really appreciated.
the following is the code:
public void CallPPICApp()
{
try
{
#region try block
IntPtr hwnd_main = new IntPtr(0);
IntPtr hwnd_btn = new IntPtr(0);
const int BtnClick = 0x00F5;
string btnHandl = "WindowsForms10.BUTTON.app.0.378734a";
bool bwinFound = false;
hwnd_main = FindWindow("WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.378734a", "PPICApp");
if (!hwnd_main.Equals(IntPtr.Zero))
{
bwinFound = true;
}
if (bwinFound) //window found
{
hwnd_btn = FindWindowEx(hwnd_main, (IntPtr)0, btnHandl, "HidenZoomTo");
if (!hwnd_btn.Equals(IntPtr.Zero))
{
try
{
//MessageBox.Show("Zoom To button Found"); //this will pops up
Message msg = Message.Create(hwnd_btn, BtnClick, new IntPtr(0), new IntPtr(0));
IntPtr bSucc = PostMessage(msg.HWnd, msg.Msg, msg.WParam, msg.LParam);
MessageBox.Show("bSucc = " + bSucc);

//another try
bSucc = PostMessage(hwnd_btn, BtnClick, (IntPtr)0, (IntPtr)0);
MessageBox.Show("bSucc? = " + bSucc);
//In both calls to PostMessage the return value are 1. but there is no response to PPICApp
}
catch (Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Office Add-in fails to fire button click event"); }
}
}
#endregion
}
catch (Exception e) { MessageBox.Show("Err: " + e.Message, "PPIC Office Add in"); }
}

Regards.
Dave

3 Replies

Know the answer? Post it — somebody with the same question will find it here.

Sam Hobbs16y ago
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Search/en-US?query=bn_clicked&ac=3
Juncheng Zhang16y ago
Thank you for your reply, I do use SPy++ the string "WindowsForms10.BUTTON.app.0.378734a" and "WindowsForms10.Window.8.app.0.378734a" are string values I get from the spy++, as you mentioned in your reply, I may ignored something in the documentation, I tried to find those specifications but I cannot find them, can you tell me the link to the specification for BN_CLICK and BN_CLICKED notification, I have trouble finding them. Thank you for your help.

Juncheng.
Sam Hobbs16y ago
Use Spy++ to verify that the window you are sending the message to is getting it. Also look at the documentation of the BM_CLICK Message; it says the message might not work and it says what to do to enure it works. I suggest that instead of using the BM_CLICK Message, send a BN_CLICKED Notification to the button's parent window. Note that you will need the button's control identifier but you can usually use Spy++ to get that and hard-code the control identifier in your program.