how to SendMessage to menu?

[huahsin68]

Hi all!

I don know how to send a message to menu where the menu is locate outside of my application.. It is totally out of my control... So I decide to use SendMessage() to control that menu...

So I am having trouble in the syntax, what should I pass in for the 3rd and 4th parameter? I have done the SendMessage() in this way:

SendMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, x, y)

Am I doing the right way? Please inform me if the above code is not correct..

THank YOu @!

[Alin]

Originally posted by huahsin68
Hi all!

I don know how to send a message to menu where the menu is locate outside of my application.. It is totally out of my control... So I decide to use SendMessage() to control that menu...

So I am having trouble in the syntax, what should I pass in for the 3rd and 4th parameter? I have done the SendMessage() in this way:

SendMessage(hWnd, WM_COMMAND, x, y)

Am I doing the right way? Please inform me if the above code is not correct..

THank YOu @!

see attached. 2 solution are explained there:
1. using PostMessage
2. using EnableMenuItem

[VictorN]

It is not clear, what you want to do with this menu which "is locate outside of your application"....
Please, be more precisely!

[huahsin68]

Thanks to Alin!!

Your code really make me feel suprise... THank YOu!! But why don you use SendMessage()? Hmm~ Basically I want to select or click on the menu, not make it gray... And have a question, your code is to make the "NEW" menu become gray, and then when I run the exe, it make the "NEW" and "OPEN" menu become gray? Can you explain why this happen? THank YOu @!

To VictorN:

Hmm~ For example here, I have a VB program with menu, and then I have a C++ program with button... And from C++ program, I click on the C++ program's button, it will then hit on the VB's menu... just that the way... Can I do that using SendMessage()?

Or do you think Alin's idea is good? I mean he is using PostMessage() instead of SendMessage()... Which 1 better?

THank YOu @!

[VictorN]

do you think Alin's idea is good? I mean he is using PostMessage() instead of SendMessage()... Which 1 better?

It is very dangerous to SendMessage to other application/other thread: you could get into a serious deadlock situation! Your app will wait for the reply from another one and nobody knows how long it can last

[Alin]

Your code really make me feel suprise... THank YOu!! But why don you use SendMessage()? Hmm~ Basically I want to select or click on the menu, not make it gray... And have a question, your code is to make the "NEW" menu become gray, and then when I run the exe, it make the "NEW" and "OPEN" menu become gray? Can you explain why this happen? THank YOu @!

as i alreadytold you i provided you with 2 different methods to gray/check a menu item. you're the on to decide which one fits you best.

About ::SendMessage, what VictorN said makes perfect sense.

[huahsin68]

as i alreadytold you i provided you with 2 different methods to gray/check a menu item. you're the on to decide which one fits you best.

yup! I just notice yesterday... sorry..

It is very dangerous to SendMessage to other application/other thread: you could get into a serious deadlock situation! Your app will wait for the reply from another one and nobody knows how long it can last

OIC ... now I understand... Hmmm~ Does this the only case that not suitable for SendMessage()?

And then this haven solve my problem, how to make it click on the menu..?

THank YOu @!

[wuyh]

to avoid deadlock you can use SendMessageTimeout()

[huahsin68]

But how to make it click on the menu?

Or may be I should said that how to click on the menu in programming way?

THank YOu @!

[huahsin68]

I think I solve the problem... I do like this:

HWND g_hWnd=NULL;
int nMenuID;

EnumWindows(EnumBFEWindows, MYWINDOW); // this will return the my window's handle to g_hWnd..

hMenu = GetMenu(g_hWnd); // from the hWnd I get the menu handle...
nMenuID = GetMenuItemID(hMenu, 6); // get the menu id from the menu handle.. 6 is the position of the menu which I use to click on...

SendMessage(hwndWinView, WM_COMMAND, nMenuID, NULL); // hit the menu...

Thats all I done...

But how can I SendMessage() to hit the button?

THank YOu @!