This uses the inbuilt compilers in Windows 10 - there are three VB.NET compilers and three C# compilers - just copy each text file into the same folder and double click the batch file to make the program.
Window Manipulation Posts
Windows that are normal, a titlebar with a system menu, appear on the taskbar. Windows that want to appear on the taskbar but don't meet the requirements can set an extended window's style of an AppWindow. To remove a window from the taskbar requires the window to be hidden, the AppWindow extended style forcing it onto the taskbar to be removed and the extended style of a tool palette window applied. Then show the window. The new window won't have a titlebar icon.
This does not work with UWP apps, only Win32 applications and consoles.
If you run this on a minimised window there is no way of activating the window. See Assigns a hotkey to a window if you need to. If you run this on a non-minimised program then minimise the program a Windows 3.11 minimised desktop icon appears.
@Echo Off
Echo HideTaskbarBtn.bat
Echo This file compiles HideTaskbarBtn.vb to HideTaskbarBtn.exe
Echo HideTaskbarBtn.exe hides or shows a window'a button on the taskbar
Echo To use
Echo HideTaskbarBtn Hide ^<Window Title^>
Echo HideTaskbarBtn Show ^<Window Title^>
Echo E.G.
Echo HideTaskbarBtn Hide Untitled - Notepad
Echo HideTaskbarBtn Show Untitled - Notepad
Echo -----------------------------------------------------
"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\vbc.exe" /target:winexe /out:"%~dp0\HideTaskbarBtn.exe" "%~dp0\HideTaskbarBtn.vb"
pause
'HideTaskbarBtn.vb
Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports Microsoft.Win32
Public Module TopMost
Public Declare UNICODE Function FindWindowW Lib "user32" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As IntPtr
Public Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Integer, ByVal x As Integer, ByVal y As Integer, ByVal cx As Integer, ByVal cy As Integer, ByVal wFlags As Integer) As Integer
Public Declare Function SetWindowLongPtrW Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal Index As Integer, ByVal NewValue As Integer) As Integer
Public Declare Function GetWindowLongPtrW Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal Index As Integer) As Integer
Public Declare Function GetParent Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hwnd As Intptr) As IntPtr
Public Const WS_EX_APPWINDOW = &h40000
Public Const WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW = &h80
Public Const WS_MINIMIZEBOX = &h20000
Public Const GWL_EXSTYLE = -20
Public Const GWL_STYLE = -16
Public Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1
Public Const HWND_NOTOPMOST = -2
Public Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Public Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Public Const SWP_SHOWWINDOW = &H40
Public Const SWP_HIDEWINDOW = &H80
Public Const SWP_NOOWNERZORDER = &H200 ' Don't do owner Z ordering
Public Const SWP_NOREDRAW = &H8
Public Const SWP_NOREPOSITION = &H200
Public Const SWP_NOZORDER = &H4
Sub Main()
On Error Resume Next
Dim hWindows as IntPtr
Dim CmdLine as String
Dim Ret as Integer
Dim ExStyle as Integer
Dim Style as Integer
CmdLine = Mid(Command(),6)
hwindows = FindWindowW(vbNullString, CmdLine)
If hwindows = 0 then
Msgbox(Cmdline & " cannot be found.")
Else
If LCase(Left(Command(), 4)) = LCase("Hide") then
Ret = GetWindowLongPtrW(hWindows, GWL_EXSTYLE)
ExStyle = Ret
'Test AppWindow is set and if so remove it
If (ExStyle And WS_EX_APPWINDOW) = WS_EX_APPWINDOW then ExStyle = ExStyle - WS_EX_APPWINDOW
If (ExStyle And WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW) <> WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW then ExStyle = ExStyle + WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW
Ret = SetWindowPos(hwindows, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE + SWP_NOSIZE + SWP_NOZORDER + SWP_HIDEWINDOW)
Ret = GetWindowLongPtrW(hWindows, GWL_EXSTYLE)
'SetWindowLongPtr does not clear GetLastError if sucessful.
err.clear
Ret = SetWindowLongPtrW(hWindows, GWL_EXSTYLE, ExStyle)
If (Ret = 0 And err.LastDLLError <> 0) Then MsgBox("SetWindowLongPtrW is " & Err.LastDllError)
err.clear
' Ret = SetWindowLongPtrW(hWindows, GWL_STYLE, Style)
' If (Ret = 0 And err.LastDLLError <> 0) Then MsgBox("SetWindowLongPtrW is " & Err.LastDllError)
Ret = SetWindowPos(hwindows, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE + SWP_NOSIZE + SWP_NOZORDER + SWP_SHOWWINDOW)
If Ret = 0 Then MsgBox("Set Pos Error is " & Err.LastDllError)
ElseIf LCase(Left(Command(), 4)) = LCase("Show") then
Ret = GetWindowLongPtrW(hWindows, GWL_EXSTYLE)
'Test AppWindow is set and if so remove it
ExStyle = Ret
If (ExStyle And WS_EX_APPWINDOW) <> WS_EX_APPWINDOW then ExStyle = ExStyle + WS_EX_APPWINDOW
If (ExStyle And WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW) = WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW then ExStyle = ExStyle - WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW
Ret = SetWindowPos(hwindows, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE + SWP_NOSIZE + SWP_NOZORDER + SWP_HIDEWINDOW)
If Ret = 0 Then MsgBox("Set Pos Error is " & Err.LastDllError)
err.clear
Ret = SetWindowLongPtrW(hWindows, GWL_EXSTYLE, ExStyle)
If (Ret = 0 And err.LastDLLError <> 0) Then MsgBox("SetWindowLongPtrW is " & Err.LastDllError)
Ret = SetWindowPos(hwindows, HWND_NOTOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE + SWP_NOSIZE + SWP_NOZORDER + SWP_SHOWWINDOW)
If Ret = 0 Then MsgBox("Set Pos Error is " & Err.LastDllError)
Else
Msgbox("Command line not recognised")
End If
End If
End Sub
End Module
