Show windows side by side

[Fred-o]

Hello. I have this script that is supposed to "Show windows side by side". I use it when I  have 2 Explorer windows open and need them to snap to sides of the screen. Sometimes it works but sometimes not as it's "supposed" to. Maybe it's lacking commands.

 

$objShell = ObjCreate("Shell.Application")
$objShell.TileVertically

 

I discovered this other script that runs 2 instances of Windows Explorer side by side that works as it should.

 

Local $hRun1 = _Run('Explorer.exe', 0, 0, @DesktopWidth/2, @DesktopHeight - 50)
Local $hRun2 = _Run('Explorer.exe', @DesktopWidth/2, 0, @DesktopWidth/2, @DesktopHeight - 50)

Func _Run($sRunCommand, $iX, $iY, $iW, $iH)
    Local $aWinList_Before = WinList("[CLASS:CabinetWClass]")
    Run($sRunCommand)
    Do
        $aWinList_After = WinList("[CLASS:CabinetWClass]")
    Until $aWinList_After[0][0] > $aWinList_Before[0][0]
    Local $hWnd = $aWinList_After[1][1]
    Sleep(1000)
    WinMove($hWnd, "", $iX, $iY, $iW, $iH)
EndFunc

 

I have very little knowledge of AutoIt scripting so I don't know how to apply the 2nd script to the 1st script so it behaves the same way. Would really appreciate your help. Thanks 😀

 

 

[JLogan3o13]

In the explorer script, you would simply change "explorer.exe" to the name of your application. Then inside the function, change the class name to the class of the window you're after (Use the AutoIt Window Info Tool, in the same directory where you installed AutoIt, to find this information). For example, this works with Notepad:

 

Local $hRun1 = _Run('notepad.exe', 0, 0, @DesktopWidth/2, @DesktopHeight - 50)
Local $hRun2 = _Run('notepad.exe', @DesktopWidth/2, 0, @DesktopWidth/2, @DesktopHeight - 50)

Func _Run($sRunCommand, $iX, $iY, $iW, $iH)
    Local $aWinList_Before = WinList("[CLASS:Notepad]")
    Run($sRunCommand)
    Do
        $aWinList_After = WinList("[CLASS:Notepad]")
    Until $aWinList_After[0][0] > $aWinList_Before[0][0]
    Local $hWnd = $aWinList_After[1][1]
    Sleep(1000)
    WinMove($hWnd, "", $iX, $iY, $iW, $iH)
EndFunc

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by JLogan3o13

[Exit]

Windows key + Left arrow or Right arrow: Snap selected window to the left or right half of the screen.

Then select another window to fit the opposite half.

 

 

[Fred-o]

  On 3/26/2020 at 7:10 PM, JLogan3o13 said:

In the explorer script, you would simply change "explorer.exe" to the name of your application. Then inside the function, change the class name to the class of the window you're after (Use the AutoIt Window Info Tool, in the same directory where you installed AutoIt, to find this information). For example, this works with Notepad:

 

Local $hRun1 = _Run('notepad.exe', 0, 0, @DesktopWidth/2, @DesktopHeight - 50)
Local $hRun2 = _Run('notepad.exe', @DesktopWidth/2, 0, @DesktopWidth/2, @DesktopHeight - 50)

Func _Run($sRunCommand, $iX, $iY, $iW, $iH)
    Local $aWinList_Before = WinList("[CLASS:Notepad]")
    Run($sRunCommand)
    Do
        $aWinList_After = WinList("[CLASS:Notepad]")
    Until $aWinList_After[0][0] > $aWinList_Before[0][0]
    Local $hWnd = $aWinList_After[1][1]
    Sleep(1000)
    WinMove($hWnd, "", $iX, $iY, $iW, $iH)
EndFunc

 

Expand  

 

Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear. The script I am trying to achieve is just to move 2 Explorer windows side by side. Supposedly I already have 2 Explorer windows open. I just want to snap them both to the side of the screen.

 

[Fred-o]

  On 3/27/2020 at 2:05 AM, Exit said:

Windows key + Left arrow or Right arrow: Snap selected window to the left or right half of the screen.

Then select another window to fit the opposite half.

 

 

Expand  

 

Thanks I am familiar with this keyboard shortcut. But I want to automate this with this AutoIt script and add it to my right click context menu.

[Fred-o]

I also tried this but it's still lacking... the 2nd window does not snap. 😯

 

$objShell = ObjCreate("Shell.Application")
$objShell.TileVertically
Send("#{LEFT}",0)
Send("#{RIGHT}",0)

 

[Dionysis]

@Fred-o How do you select which two windows to tile? Do you only have two explorer windows every time you want to run this?

 

Because with

$objShell = ObjCreate("Shell.Application")
$objShell.TileVertically
Send("#{LEFT}",0)
Send("#{RIGHT}",0)

you send both to the (same) active window.

Edited March 27, 2020 by Dionysis

[Nine]

  On 3/27/2020 at 2:13 AM, Fred-o said:

The script I am trying to achieve is just to move 2 Explorer windows side by side. Supposedly I already have 2 Explorer windows open. I just want to snap them both to the side of the screen.

Expand  

#include <Constants.au3>

SnapExplorer ()
If @error Then MsgBox ($MB_SYSTEMMODAL,"Error",@error)

Func SnapExplorer ()
  Local $aWin = WinList ("[CLASS:CabinetWClass]")
  If $aWin[0][0] <> 2 Then Return SetError (1)
  $iW = int(@DesktopWidth / $aWin[0][0])
  $iH = @DesktopHeight - 40
  For $i = 1 to $aWin[0][0]
    WinActivate ($aWin[$i][1])
    WinMove ($aWin[$i][1],"", ($i-1)*$iW, 0,$iW, $iH, 1)
  Next
EndFunc

Try this

[Fred-o]

  On 3/27/2020 at 9:57 AM, Dionysis said:

@Fred-o How do you select which two windows to tile? Do you only have two explorer windows every time you want to run this?

 

Because with

$objShell = ObjCreate("Shell.Application")
$objShell.TileVertically
Send("#{LEFT}",0)
Send("#{RIGHT}",0)

you send both to the (same) active window.

Expand  

 

What's the correct command?

[Fred-o]

  On 3/27/2020 at 11:49 AM, Nine said:

#include <Constants.au3>

SnapExplorer ()
If @error Then MsgBox ($MB_SYSTEMMODAL,"Error",@error)

Func SnapExplorer ()
  Local $aWin = WinList ("[CLASS:CabinetWClass]")
  If $aWin[0][0] <> 2 Then Return SetError (1)
  $iW = int(@DesktopWidth / $aWin[0][0])
  $iH = @DesktopHeight - 40
  For $i = 1 to $aWin[0][0]
    WinActivate ($aWin[$i][1])
    WinMove ($aWin[$i][1],"", ($i-1)*$iW, 0,$iW, $iH, 1)
  Next
EndFunc

Try this

Expand  

 

Always returns an error.

 

[Nine]

Which is ?

[Fred-o]

[Nine]

It is because you do not have 2 explorer started.  That was your assumption :

  On 3/27/2020 at 2:13 AM, Fred-o said:

Supposedly I already have 2 Explorer windows open.

Expand  

 

[Exit]

  On 3/27/2020 at 3:00 AM, Fred-o said:

I also tried this but it's still lacking... the 2nd window does not snap. 😯

 

$objShell = ObjCreate("Shell.Application")
$objShell.TileVertically
Send("#{LEFT}",0)
Send("#{RIGHT}",0)

 

Expand  

Let it snap in:

Send("#{LEFT}")
Sleep(100)
Send("{Enter}")

 

[Fred-o]

  On 3/27/2020 at 4:36 PM, Nine said:

It is because you do not have 2 explorer started.  That was your assumption :

 

Expand  

 

My bad. All this time, I was testing the script with a Explorer window and a Firefox window open (thinking it will work with any 2 Windows open).

You are right. IT WORKS! 😋 Thank you!

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by Fred-o

[Fred-o]

  On 3/27/2020 at 4:56 PM, Exit said:

Let it snap in:

Send("#{LEFT}")
Sleep(100)
Send("{Enter}")

 

Expand  

 

Sorry. First window snaps OK but the 2nd window covers just 1/3 of the monitor. It's OK though @Nine 's script works as it's supposed to.

Thank you all for your help. 😄

 

[Fred-o]

My context menu

[Fred-o]

I thought I'd post an update of changes I made to @Nine's script that I am currently using. 

I also renamed the script to "Show Explorer windows side by side"

 

#include <Constants.au3>

SnapExplorer ()

Func SnapExplorer ()
  Local $aWin = WinList ("[CLASS:CabinetWClass]")
  If $aWin[0][0] <> 2 Then Exit MsgBox (16, "Error", "Open 2 instances of Explorer only")
  $iW = int(@DesktopWidth / $aWin[0][0])
  $iH = @DesktopHeight - 40
  For $i = 1 to $aWin[0][0]
    WinActivate ($aWin[$i][1])
    WinMove ($aWin[$i][1],"", ($i-1)*$iW, 0,$iW, $iH, 1)
  Next
EndFunc