Start chromium browser in minimized state (Win32/WinAPI) - c++

Question

I want to start browser in minimized state, however in this list there's no option for minimizing. So I thought of using ShowWindow() but some issues arise. I don't know how to use EnumWindows() or its derivatives. Only alternative I know is GetWindow() but I'm not sure of the position of window at Z-order. This is my solution:
HWND hwnd,hwnd2; //hwnd is my application's top level window
char t[128];
std::string t2;
for(int i=0; i<128&&t2!="found"; i++)
{
if(!i||i==64) hwnd2=hwnd; //turn direction
hwnd2=GetWindow(hwnd2,i<64?2:3); //loop backwards and forwards
GetWindowText(hwnd2,t,GetWindowTextLength(hwnd2)+1);
t2=t; if(t2.find("New")!=-1) t2="Found"; //Default title is "New Tab..."
}
ShowWindow(hwnd2,SW_MINIMIZE);
Assuming there won't be more than 128 windows, it works fine but since a window takes ~2 seconds to open, at the time ShowWindow() occurs, the window is not yet ready. So I used a timer for it.
SetTimer(hwnd,1,2000,0);
and
case WM_TIMER:
KillTimer(hwnd,1);
ShowWindow(hwnd2,SW_MINIMIZE);
break;
But it's impossible to know the exact time so the window gets minimized after it's shown for some milliseconds. I tried setting multiple timers in an interval of 50ms.
for(int i=0; i<50; i++) SetTimer(hwnd,1+i,i*50,0);
and
case WM_TIMER:
KillTimer(hwnd,wParam);
ShowWindow(hwnd2,SW_MINIMIZE);
break;
It usually minimizes window before it's shown, not always though. Also it changes the cursor to busy state every 50ms. Is there a way to stop this when the minimizing successfully performed once? It's not possible to determine this from the return value of ShowWindow() so is there a way? How can minimizing window before it's shown be guaranteed? Can I somehow make it wait till browser window is ready then sending ShowWindow() on the right time at once? How can I improve my solution into an easier one?

Answer 1

WinExec gives you very little control over spawned process.
Use CreateProcess, and set LPSTARTUPINFOA lpStartupInfo's WORD wShowWindow; to SW_MINIMIZE
Make sure that dwFlags contains STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW
Here is how to use it:
#include <windows.h>
int main()
{
PROCESS_INFORMATION processInformation = { 0 };
STARTUPINFO startupInfo = { sizeof STARTUPINFO };
startupInfo.dwFlags = STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
startupInfo.wShowWindow = SW_MINIMIZE;
wchar_t cmd[] = L"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe";
// Create the process
BOOL result = CreateProcess(NULL,
cmd, // command line
NULL, // process security attributes
NULL, // primary thread security attributes
FALSE, // handles are not inherited
NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS |
CREATE_NO_WINDOW, // creation flags
NULL, // use parent's environment
NULL, // use parent's current directory
&startupInfo, // STARTUPINFO pointer
&processInformation); // receives PROCESS_INFORMATION
}
UPDATE
In the referenced doc, they state:
the wShowWindow member is used if the nCmdShow parameter of ShowWindow is set to SW_SHOWDEFAULT.
There is similar comment on the position and size field.
Apparently, some application do NOT use the defaults. For example, chrome and calc open their window at the position it was closed previously.
You can find that stored location in the Registry and update it.
More info
Google Chrome default opening position and size suggests to edit Preferences file. It looks like this:
"window_placement":{"bottom":1363,"left":406,"maximized":false,"right":1356,"top":217,"visible":false,"work_area_bottom":1400,"work_area_left":0,"work_area_right":2560,"work_area_top":0}
I've tried to invent keys like minimized, hidden, visible - no luck :)
You could shift the window off-screen; I have partial success - chrome moves it back in so at least a few pixels show...