Detect if user has any application running in fullscreen [duplicate]

Question

I did a notifier app in C# that sits on the taskbar and display a balloon when I get something from it, similar to Google Talk when you receive a new email but at the momment it ignores if I am running an application on fullscreen or not and just do it is job.

How can I detect and make sure an application is in fullscreen mode? I don't mean maximized (as an app could be maximized on your screen but still not in fullscreen) mode but true fullscreen.

For example when you run a game most will run in fullscreen mode.

Initially GetForegroundWindow() and GetWindowRect() came to my mind but even so I could make a window go larger then my screen if I am not on fullscreen which wouldn't help me so I am wondering if there are other flags or ways to approach this?

Tumble

While I don't know the exact answer, what you're describing seems like Fullscreen Exclusive Mode. – Schwitzer

is Fullscreen Exclusive Mode the term used for this for sure ? i am not quiet sure of what the term would be ... – Tumble

Answer 1

For PowerPoint, see this MS KB article here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913045

Screen Saver: Windows API: FindWindow("WindowsScreenSaverClass"). (For more details see this web article: http://bobmoore.mvps.org/Win32/w32tip22.htm - it has a more detailsd way to do it, but I think FindWindow will work ok for you)

For detecting if a full screen game is in use: IDirect3DDevice9::TestCooperativeLevel http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb174472(VS.85).aspx

Otherwise, I think you are on the right path with GetForegroundWindow, GetWindowRect, and other window positioning api.

Things get complicated with you have more than one monitor - so don't forget that scenario as it relates to your app.

Olimpia

Thanks i will check that but i was looking for a more gerenic lookup, having to actually go thru all these to check it would be sort of painfull. – Tumble