Control the Application Window

The ability to control the Application window allows developers the flexibility to create effective and intelligent applications. There will be times when it is appropriate for your application to minimize the AutoCAD window, perhaps while your code is performing work in another application such as Microsoft^® Excel^®. Additionally, you will often want to verify the state of the AutoCAD window before performing such tasks as prompting for input from the user.

Using methods and properties found on the Application object, you can change the position, size, and visibility of the Application window. You can also use the WindowState property to minimize, maximize, and check the current state of the Application window.

Position and size the Application window

This example uses the Location and Size properties to position the AutoCAD Application window in the upper-left corner of the screen and size it to 400 pixels wide by 400 pixels high.

NoteThe following examples require that the PresentationCore (PresentationCore.dll) library to be referenced to the project. Use the Add Reference dialog box and select PresentationCore from the .NET tab.

VB.NET

Imports System.Drawing

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

<CommandMethod("PositionApplicationWindow")> _

Public Sub PositionApplicationWindow()

  '' Set the position of the Application window

  Dim ptApp As Point = New Point(0, 0)

  Application.MainWindow.Location = ptApp

  '' Set the size of the Application window

  Dim szApp As Size = New Size(400, 400)

  Application.MainWindow.Size = szApp

End Sub

using System.Drawing;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

[CommandMethod("PositionApplicationWindow")]

public static void PositionApplicationWindow()

  // Set the position of the Application window

  Point ptApp = new Point(0, 0);

  Application.MainWindow.Location = ptApp;

  // Set the size of the Application window

  Size szApp = new Size(400, 400);

  Application.MainWindow.Size = szApp;

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference

Minimize and maximize the Application window

VB.NET

Imports System.Drawing

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows

<CommandMethod("MinMaxApplicationWindow")> _

Sub MinMaxApplicationWindow()

  '' Minimize the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.WindowState = Window.State.Minimized

  MsgBox("Minimized", MsgBoxStyle.SystemModal, "MinMax")

  '' Maximize the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.WindowState = Window.State.Maximized

  MsgBox("Maximized", MsgBoxStyle.SystemModal, "MinMax")

End Sub

using System.Drawing;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;

[CommandMethod("MinMaxApplicationWindow")]

public static void MinMaxApplicationWindow()

  // Minimize the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.WindowState = Window.State.Minimized;

  System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Minimized", "MinMax",

              System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons.OK,

              System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon.None,

              System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1,

              System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxOptions.ServiceNotification);

  // Maximize the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.WindowState = Window.State.Maximized;

  System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Maximized", "MinMax");

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference

Find the current state of the Application window

This example queries the state of the Application window and displays the state in a message box to the user.

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows

<CommandMethod("CurrentWindowState")> _

Public Sub CurrentWindowState()

  System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("The application window is " + _

                                       Application.MainWindow.WindowState.ToString(), _

                                       "Window State")

End Sub

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;

[CommandMethod("CurrentWindowState")]

public static void CurrentWindowState()

  System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("The application window is " +

                                       Application.MainWindow.WindowState.ToString(),

                                       "Window State");

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference

Make the Application window invisible and visible

The following code uses the Visible property to make the AutoCAD application invisible and then visible again.

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows

<CommandMethod("HideWindowState")> _

Public Sub HideWindowState()

  '' Hide the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.Visible = False

  MsgBox("Invisible", MsgBoxStyle.SystemModal, "Show/Hide")

  '' Show the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.Visible = True

  MsgBox("Visible", MsgBoxStyle.SystemModal, "Show/Hide")

End Sub

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;

[CommandMethod("HideWindowState")]

public static void HideWindowState()

  // Hide the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.Visible = false;

  System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Invisible", "Show/Hide");

  // Show the Application window

  Application.MainWindow.Visible = true;

  System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Visible", "Show/Hide");

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference