Borderless GUI without WS_POPUP, with Drag, Resize and working AeroSnap

[BBs19]

So i needed a way of creating borderless resizable, dragable GUIs while maintaining the AeroSnap(or whatever it is called now) functionality of Windows.

The problem was that creating $WS_POPUP GUIs killed the AeroSnap functionality of Windows, it also caused @SW_Maximize to go fullscreen instead of just maximizing. I found some examples of borderless GUIs for C++, the solution was really easy: WM_NCCALCSIZE

I have collected some other examples of resizing and dragging borderless GUIs, tweaked them a and wrote a simple to use UDF with easy usage with just one line: _GUI_EnableDragAndResize($Form1)

 

Example with UDF:

 

expandcollapse popup

#include <Windowsconstants.au3>
#include <WinAPIGdi.au3>
Global $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI, $Win_Min_ResizeX = 145, $Win_Min_ResizeY = 45

#region Example
$Form1 = GUICreate("Example GUI", 300, 150, -1, -1, BitOR($WS_SIZEBOX, $WS_MINIMIZEBOX, $WS_MAXIMIZEBOX))
GUISetBkColor(0x282828, $Form1)

_GUI_EnableDragAndResize($Form1,300, 150)

$Button1 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Exit", 90, 60, 120, 30)
GUICtrlSetResizing(-1, 768 + 8 + 128)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)


While 1
    $Msg = GUIGetMsg()
    Switch $Msg
         Case -3, $Button1
            Exit
    EndSwitch
    #cs uncomment this if you have a very large listview or any other control that is very close to the gui borders, this makes sure the resize cursor gets reset properly.
        If WinActive($Form1) Then
        Local $mgetinfo = MouseGetCursor(), $aMouseInfo = GUIGetCursorInfo($Form1)
        If ($mgetinfo = 12) Or ($mgetinfo = 11) Or ($mgetinfo = 10) Or ($mgetinfo = 13) Then
        If Not ($aMouseInfo[4] = 0) Then GUISetCursor(2, 1)
        EndIf
        EndIf
    #ce
WEnd
#endregion Example


; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name ..........: _GUI_EnableDragAndResize
; Compatibility .: Windows 7 and above. Not tested on XP.
; Description ...: Removes the Borders of a GUI, allows drag and resize while keeping the AeroSnap features of Windows still working with the GUI
; Warning .......: Can only be called for one GUI, if you call if for a second GUI, you have to call _GUI_DragAndResizeUpdate($Form1) it for the first GUI after closing the second GUI.
; Syntax ........: _GUI_EnableDragAndResize($mGUI, $GUI_WIDTH, $GUI_HEIGHT [, $Min_ResizeX = $Win_Min_ResizeX[, $Min_ResizeY = $Win_Min_ResizeY[,
;                  $AddShadowEffect = True]]])
; Parameters ....: $mGUI                - Handle to your GUI.
;                  $GUI_WIDTH           - The width of the GUI. (Required to fix the wrong size after removing borders)
;                  $GUI_HEIGHT          - The height of the GUI. (Required to fix the wrong size after removing borders)
;                  $Min_ResizeX         - [optional] Min size of the GUI. Default is 145
;                  $Min_ResizeY         - [optional] Max size of the GUI. Default is 45
;                  $$AddShadowEffect    - [optional] Adds shadow effect that looks like a thin border. Works only with Aero-Effects enabled. Default is False
; Author ........: BB_19
; Credits .......: https://www.autoitscript.com/wiki/Moving_and_Resizing_PopUp_GUIs
; Example .......: _GUI_EnableDragAndResize($Form1,300,200)
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _GUI_EnableDragAndResize($mGUI, $GUI_WIDTH, $GUI_HEIGHT, $Min_ResizeX = $Win_Min_ResizeX, $Min_ResizeY = $Win_Min_ResizeY, $AddShadowEffect = False)
    Global $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI = $mGUI, $Win_Min_ResizeX = $Min_ResizeX, $Win_Min_ResizeY = $Min_ResizeY
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0024, "INTERNAL_WM_GETMINMAXINFO") ; For GUI size limits
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0084, "INTERNAL_WM_NCHITTEST") ; For resizing and to allow doubleclick to maximize and drag on the upper GUI.
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0083, "INTERNAL_WM_NCCALCSIZE") ; To Prevent window border from drawing
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0201, "INTERNAL_WM_LBUTTONDOWN") ; For drag/GUI moving. Disable this if you want to only a specific the area for dragging.(By using labels with $GUI_WS_EX_PARENTDRAG)
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0005, "INTERNAL_WM_SIZING") ; Fixing the maxmized position (otherwise we have a -7px margin on all sides due to the missing border)
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0086, "INTERNAL_WM_NCACTIVATE") ; Prevent Windowframe from redrawing when window goes inactive
    If $AddShadowEffect = True Then
        Local $tMargs = DllStructCreate("int cxLeftWidth;int cxRightWidth;int cyTopHeight;int cyBottomHeight")
        DllStructSetData($tMargs, 1, 1)
        DllStructSetData($tMargs, 2, 1)
        DllStructSetData($tMargs, 3, 1)
        DllStructSetData($tMargs, 4, 1)
        DllCall("dwmapi.dll", "int", "DwmExtendFrameIntoClientArea", "hwnd", $mGUI, "ptr", DllStructGetPtr($tMargs))
    EndIf
    WinMove($mGUI, "", Default, Default, $GUI_WIDTH, $GUI_HEIGHT);Update Size and
EndFunc   ;==>_GUI_EnableDragAndResize

;Update drag and resize for your first GUI after using _GUI_EnableDragAndResize on a second GUI.
Func _GUI_DragAndResizeUpdate($mGUI, $Min_ResizeX = $Win_Min_ResizeX, $Min_ResizeY = $Win_Min_ResizeY)
    Global $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI = $mGUI, $Win_Min_ResizeX = $Min_ResizeX, $Win_Min_ResizeY = $Min_ResizeY
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0024, "INTERNAL_WM_GETMINMAXINFO")
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0084, "INTERNAL_WM_NCHITTEST")
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0083, "INTERNAL_WM_NCCALCSIZE")
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0201, "INTERNAL_WM_LBUTTONDOWN")
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0005, "INTERNAL_WM_SIZING")
    GUIRegisterMsg(0x0086, "INTERNAL_WM_NCACTIVATE")
EndFunc   ;==>_GUI_EnableDragAndResizeUpdate

;Prevent Borders from redrawing when window goes inactive
Func INTERNAL_WM_NCACTIVATE($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam)
    If ($hWnd = $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) Then Return -1
EndFunc   ;==>INTERNAL_WM_NCACTIVATE

;Fix maximized position
Func INTERNAL_WM_SIZING($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam)
    If ($hWnd = $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) Then
        If (WinGetState($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) = 47) Then
            Local $WorkingSize = _GetDesktopWorkArea($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI)
            Local $aWinPos = WinGetPos($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI)
            _WinAPI_SetWindowPos($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI, $HWND_TOP, $aWinPos[0] - 1, $aWinPos[1] - 1, $WorkingSize[2], $WorkingSize[3], $SWP_NOREDRAW)
        EndIf
    EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>INTERNAL_WM_SIZING

; Set min and max GUI sizes
Func INTERNAL_WM_GETMINMAXINFO($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam)
    $tMinMaxInfo = DllStructCreate("int;int;int;int;int;int;int;int;int;dword", $lParam)
    Local $WorkingSize = _GetDesktopWorkArea($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI)
    ;Prevent Windows from misplacing the GUI when maximized, due to missing borders.
    DllStructSetData($tMinMaxInfo, 3, $WorkingSize[2])
    DllStructSetData($tMinMaxInfo, 4, $WorkingSize[3])
    DllStructSetData($tMinMaxInfo, 5, $WorkingSize[0] + 1)
    DllStructSetData($tMinMaxInfo, 6, $WorkingSize[1] + 1)
    ;Min Size limits
    DllStructSetData($tMinMaxInfo, 7, $Win_Min_ResizeX)
    DllStructSetData($tMinMaxInfo, 8, $Win_Min_ResizeY)
    Return 0
EndFunc   ;==>INTERNAL_WM_GETMINMAXINFO

;Stop drawing GUI Borders
Func INTERNAL_WM_NCCALCSIZE($hWnd, $Msg, $wParam, $lParam)
    If $hWnd = $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI Then
        Return 0
    EndIf
    Return 'GUI_RUNDEFMSG'
EndFunc   ;==>INTERNAL_WM_NCCALCSIZE

;Set mouse cursor for resizing etc. / Allow the upper GUI (40 pixel from top) to act as a control bar (doubleclick to maximize, move gui around..)
Func INTERNAL_WM_NCHITTEST($hWnd, $uMsg, $wParam, $lParam)
    If ($hWnd = $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) Then
        Local $iSide = 0, $iTopBot = 0, $CurSorInfo

        Local $mPos = MouseGetPos()
        Local $aWinPos = WinGetPos($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI)
        Local $aCurInfo = GUIGetCursorInfo($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI)
        
        ;Check if Mouse is over Border, Margin = 5
        If Not @error Then
            If $aCurInfo[0] < 5 Then $iSide = 1
            If $aCurInfo[0] > $aWinPos[2] - 5 Then $iSide = 2
            If $aCurInfo[1] < 5 Then $iTopBot = 3
            If $aCurInfo[1] > $aWinPos[3] - 5 Then $iTopBot = 6
            $CurSorInfo = $iSide + $iTopBot
        Else
            $CurSorInfo = 0
        EndIf

        ;Set position for drag and doubleclick to maximize
        $xMIN = $aWinPos[0] + 4
        $xMAX = $aWinPos[0] + $aWinPos[2] - 4
        $yMIN = $aWinPos[1] + 4
        $yMAX = $aWinPos[1] + 40
        
        If ($mPos[0] >= $xMIN) And ($mPos[0] <= $xMAX) And ($mPos[1] >= $yMIN) And ($mPos[1] <= $yMAX) Then
            GUISetCursor(2, 1)
            Return 2; Return $HTCAPTION if mouse is within the position for drag + doubleclick to maximize
        EndIf
        If Not (WinGetState($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) = 47) Then
            ;Set resize cursor and return the correct $HT for gui resizing
            If ($aCurInfo[4] = 0) Then
                Local $Return_HT = 2, $Set_Cursor = 2
                Switch $CurSorInfo
                    Case 1
                        $Set_Cursor = 13
                        $Return_HT = 10
                    Case 2
                        $Set_Cursor = 13
                        $Return_HT = 11
                    Case 3
                        $Set_Cursor = 11
                        $Return_HT = 12
                    Case 4
                        $Set_Cursor = 12
                        $Return_HT = 13
                    Case 5
                        $Set_Cursor = 10
                        $Return_HT = 14
                    Case 6
                        $Set_Cursor = 11
                        $Return_HT = 15
                    Case 7
                        $Set_Cursor = 10
                        $Return_HT = 16
                    Case 8
                        $Set_Cursor = 12
                        $Return_HT = 17
                EndSwitch
                GUISetCursor($Set_Cursor, 1)
                If Not ($Return_HT = 2) Then Return $Return_HT
            EndIf
        EndIf
    EndIf
    Return 'GUI_RUNDEFMSG'
EndFunc   ;==>INTERNAL_WM_NCHITTEST

; Allow drag with mouse left button down
Func INTERNAL_WM_LBUTTONDOWN($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam)
    If ($hWnd = $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) Then
        If Not (WinGetState($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI) = 47) Then
            Local $aCurInfo = GUIGetCursorInfo($GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI)
            If ($aCurInfo[4] = 0) Then ; Mouse not over a control
                DllCall("user32.dll", "int", "ReleaseCapture")
                DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $GLOBAL_MAIN_GUI, "int", 0x00A1, "int", 2, "int", 0)
            EndIf
        EndIf
    EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>INTERNAL_WM_LBUTTONDOWN


; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name ..........: _GetDesktopWorkArea
; Description ...: Calculate the desktop workarea for a specific window to maximize it. Supports multi display and taskbar detection.
; Syntax ........: _GetDesktopWorkArea($hWnd)
; Parameters ....: $hWnd                - Handle to the window.
; Return values .: Array in following format:
;                : [0] = X-Pos for maximizing
;                : [1] = Y-Pos for maximizing
;                : [2] = Max. Width
;                : [3] = Max. Height
; Author ........: BB_19
; Note ..........: The x/y position is not the real position of the window if you have multi display. It is just for setting the maximize info for WM_GETMINMAXINFO
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _GetDesktopWorkArea($hWnd)
    
    Local $MonitorSizePos[4], $MonitorNumber = 1
    $MonitorSizePos[0] = 0
    $MonitorSizePos[1] = 0
    $MonitorSizePos[2] = @DesktopWidth
    $MonitorSizePos[3] = @DesktopHeight

    ;Get Monitors
    Local $aPos, $MonitorList = _WinAPI_EnumDisplayMonitors()
    If @error Then Return $MonitorSizePos

    If IsArray($MonitorList) Then
        ReDim $MonitorList[$MonitorList[0][0] + 1][5]
        For $i = 1 To $MonitorList[0][0]
            $aPos = _WinAPI_GetPosFromRect($MonitorList[$i][1])
            For $j = 0 To 3
                $MonitorList[$i][$j + 1] = $aPos[$j]
            Next
        Next
    EndIf

    ;Check on which monitor our window is
    Local $GUI_Monitor = _WinAPI_MonitorFromWindow($hWnd)

    ;Check on which monitor the taskbar is
    Local $Taskbar_Monitor = _WinAPI_MonitorFromWindow(WinGetHandle("[CLASS:Shell_TrayWnd]"))

    ;Write the width and height info of the correct monitor into an array
    For $iM = 1 To $MonitorList[0][0] Step +1
        If $MonitorList[$iM][0] = $GUI_Monitor Then
            $MonitorSizePos[0] = 0
            $MonitorSizePos[1] = 0
            $MonitorSizePos[2] = $MonitorList[$iM][3]
            $MonitorSizePos[3] = $MonitorList[$iM][4]
            $MonitorNumber = $iM
        EndIf
    Next

    ;Check if Taskbar autohide is enabled, if so then we will remove 1px from the correct side so that the taskbar will reapear when moving mouse to the side
    Local $TaskBarAutoHide = DllCall("shell32.dll", "int", "SHAppBarMessage", "int", 0x00000004, "ptr*", 0)
    If Not @error Then
        $TaskBarAutoHide = $TaskBarAutoHide[0]
    Else
        $TaskBarAutoHide = 0
    EndIf
    

    ;Check if Taskbar is on this Monitor, if so, then recalculate the position, max. width and height of the WorkArea
    If $Taskbar_Monitor = $GUI_Monitor Then
        $TaskBarPos = WinGetPos("[CLASS:Shell_TrayWnd]")
        If @error Then Return $MonitorSizePos

        ;Win 7 classic theme compatibility
        If ($TaskBarPos[0] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][1] - 2) Or ($TaskBarPos[1] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][2] - 2) Then
            $TaskBarPos[0] = $TaskBarPos[0] + 2
            $TaskBarPos[1] = $TaskBarPos[1] + 2
            $TaskBarPos[2] = $TaskBarPos[2] - 4
            $TaskBarPos[3] = $TaskBarPos[3] - 4
        EndIf
        If ($TaskBarPos[0] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][1] - 2) Or ($TaskBarPos[1] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][2] - 2) Then
            $TaskBarPos[0] = $TaskBarPos[0] + 2
            $TaskBarPos[1] = $TaskBarPos[1] + 2
            $TaskBarPos[2] = $TaskBarPos[2] - 4
            $TaskBarPos[3] = $TaskBarPos[3] - 4
        EndIf


        ;Recalc width/height and pos
        If $TaskBarPos[2] = $MonitorSizePos[2] Then
            If $TaskBarAutoHide = 1 Then
                If ($TaskBarPos[1] > 0) Then
                    $MonitorSizePos[3] -= 1
                Else
                    $MonitorSizePos[1] += 1
                    $MonitorSizePos[3] -= 1
                EndIf
                Return $MonitorSizePos
            EndIf
            $MonitorSizePos[3] = $MonitorSizePos[3] - $TaskBarPos[3]
            If ($TaskBarPos[0] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][1]) And ($TaskBarPos[1] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][2]) Then $MonitorSizePos[1] = $TaskBarPos[3]
        Else
            If $TaskBarAutoHide = 1 Then
                If ($TaskBarPos[0] > 0) Then
                    $MonitorSizePos[2] -= 1
                Else
                    $MonitorSizePos[0] += 1
                    $MonitorSizePos[2] -= 1
                EndIf
                Return $MonitorSizePos
            EndIf
            $MonitorSizePos[2] = $MonitorSizePos[2] - $TaskBarPos[2]
            If ($TaskBarPos[0] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][1]) And ($TaskBarPos[1] = $MonitorList[$MonitorNumber][2]) Then $MonitorSizePos[0] = $TaskBarPos[2]
        EndIf
    EndIf
    Return $MonitorSizePos
EndFunc   ;==>_GetDesktopWorkArea

 

Download UDF with seperate example:

 

BorderLessWinUDF.zip

 

EDIT: Newest versions of this UDF with bugfixes can be downloaded from the MetroGUI project:

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2016 by BBs19
Updated Link

[nend]

Thanks, nice code.

I was looking for this for a project of my own.

[TheSaint]

Thanks for sharing.

Seemed appropriate to add this to the AutoIt GUI Creators (Designers) sticky, second post.

[legend]

Thank's for this great borderless gui example.

Could you please tell me what I would have to change, so it can't be resized?

[BBs19]

I have updated the script #1 Post. Now also supports Windows 7 classic theme and multi display, while maintaining Aero-Snap.

 

Thank's for this great borderless gui example.

Could you please tell me what I would have to change, so it can't be resized?

If u just want a borderless window with only drag for moving window around, then you won't need this UDF for that  A simple WS_POPUP will do it:

 

#include <Windowsconstants.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$Form1 = GUICreate("Example GUI", 300, 150, -1, -1, $WS_POPUP)
GUISetBkColor(0x282828, $Form1)

$Button1 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Exit", 90, 60, 120, 30)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)


While 1
    $Msg = GUIGetMsg()

    Switch $Msg
        Case $GUI_EVENT_PRIMARYDOWN;For Drag/moving gui around
            Local $aCurInfo = GUIGetCursorInfo($Form1)
            If ($aCurInfo[4] = 0) Then ; Mouse not over a control
                DllCall("user32.dll", "int", "ReleaseCapture")
                DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Form1, "int", 0x00A1, "int", 2, "int", 0)
            EndIf
            
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE, $Button1
            Exit
    EndSwitch
WEnd

 

 

Edited October 12, 2015 by BBs19

[edumanilha]

I just need to say, THANK YOU! Wonderfull job! Really amazing, It really helped me a LOT!

Edited February 16, 2020 by Melba23
Removed masive double posted quote