How to make ShellExecute not take focus?

[foster74]

When I use ShellExecute to run a program hidden, it always takes focus away from the current application. Is there anyway around this? Thank you very much.

[MrMitchell]

You could run:

$windows = WinList() ;Get list of windows

ShellExecute(...)

WinActivate([$windows[1][0]) ;Activate the first window in the list

May or may not work, but worth a shot anyway...

Edited April 22, 2009 by MrMitchell

[WideBoyDixon]

$hActive = WinGetHandle("[ACTIVE]")
ShellExecute(....)
WinActivate($hActive)

[youknowwho4eva]

If you ran in with the minimize flag, would that make it so it doesn't get focus?

[WideBoyDixon]

Actually, take a look here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb762153(VS.85).aspx

I guess the AutoIt ShellExecute simply calls the underlying Windows API. In which case, you can use 7 as the last parameter for SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE. Then I guess you'd need to find the window and hide it. Try it:

ShellExecute("notepad.exe", "", "", "", 7)

WBD