Anybody want to test a new portable app?

[dmg]

So, the other day I suggested an app called Nail It:
http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... hp?p=50461
But it had some issues. I liked the idea, and decided to create an app with similar capabilities, but hopefully without the issues. I have tentatively named it Stick-It!, in homage to that which inspired it.

I am hoping a few forum members will try it out on a few different OS, and let me know if they have any problems or ideas for improvement. This is just the core functionality, no bells or whistles. I intend to refine and polish it a lot more before a general release:
(obsolete link removed, see farther down for current version)
Things to look for in particular are reliability and any user rights issues.

Instructions:
Just run the exe. Select the Stick-It! menu option, or double click the tray icon, and the next window you click will be set as always on top. Repeat the steps to set the window back to normal.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

[guinness]

Tested: Portable

One addition would be to revert the 'ontop' state back upon Exit, as I closed the application and forgot to revert a window back.

[dmg]

One addition would be to revert the 'ontop' state back upon Exit, as I closed the application and forgot to revert a window back.

I can see two points of view on this:

1. This would be very nice, but from what I can tell at this point (all of 24 hours into the project) it might not be possible to implement in any reasonable way, but I am still learning.
2. This might be unwanted by users who would like to be able to have windows on top without having to keep the software running all the time, but this behavior could be determined by a setting so we will see.

I will keep it in mind.

[guinness]

One addition would be to revert the 'ontop' state back upon Exit, as I closed the application and forgot to revert a window back.

I can see two points of view on this:

1. This would be very nice, but from what I can tell at this point (all of 24 hours into the project) it might not be possible to implement in any reasonable way, but I am still learning.
2. This might be unwanted by users who would like to be able to have windows on top without having to keep the software running all the time, but this behavior could be determined by a setting so we will see.

I will keep it in mind.

It's possible!

1. Get the previous state of the window and store in a variable. How to do this is use API GetWindowLong and then check using BitAND whether or not the style WS_EX_TOPMOST in GWL_EXSTYLE is present. Search AutoIt for _IsOnTop.
2. Add an option to the tray menu to revert the state back upon exit, if a user selects this then it will be reverted.

[dmg]

Thank you! I tried to find out if there was any way to tell if a window was on top or not but did not really get anywhere in my search.

How to do this is use API GetWindowLong and then check using BitAND whether or not the style WS_EX_TOPMOST in GWL_EXSTYLE is present.

What does the "BitAND" part mean?

Edit:
Nevermind. It is probably math related, which means I would not be able to comprehend the answer anyway. I will read up and see if I can figure it out.

[guinness]

In AutoIt BitAND - Performs a bitwise AND operation, I found & - http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Variables.htm

[m^(2)]

I am hoping a few forum members will try it out on a few different OS

It's hard to do with a Windows executable.

[Midas]

Tested in XP Pro SP3: seems to work as expected. Maybe it could benefit from some usability enhancement -- e.g., flash window border while setting/unsetting, etc. Overall, simple and effective. Great job.

P.S.: Shouldn't this topic be moved to the development sub-forum?

[dmg]

It's hard to do with a Windows executable.

I meant test on several versions of windows.

Tested in XP Pro SP3: seems to work as expected. Maybe it could benefit from some usability enhancement -- e.g., flash window border while setting/unsetting, etc. Overall, simple and effective. Great job.

Thanks Midas. I agree and am working on it. So far I have a version where the whole window blinks, but it is glitchy on large windows.

P.S.: Shouldn't this topic be moved to the development sub-forum?

I can see your point, and I have no objection, but is it so out of place in chit chat? At this point it is just a user asking the forum for input, not really a formal development thread.

[dmg]

OK. This version has both visual and audio indicators for when a window has been 'stuck':
(obsolete link removed, see farther down for current version)
Any and all feedback is welcome.

[guinness]

Just tried it and I like the moving window but there appears to be two Exits in the traymenu.

[dmg]

Ummm... Yes.

I forgot to remove the standard menu items before I compiled the script. Since this is just a testing version I figured it did not hurt anything to just leave it for now.

I looked into GetWindowLong but had trouble with DLLCALL in general. When I asked for help on the AHk forum I was told the DLLCALL was unnecessary. It seems the built in command WinGet can get the extended window style.

By the way I searched the AutoIt help file and site for "_IsOnTop" and there were no results. ???

[guinness]

_IsOnTop can be found on the Forum >> _IsOnTop. If the function is natively inbuilt I will normally let you know that look in the Help file.

As you know I'm not familiar with AHK, but WinGet appears to be able to retrieve the WS_EX_TOPMOST style, so you're good to go then!

[dmg]

This version has a custom tray icon which changes based on the window under the cursor. Blue (the default) means the window is normal, while red means the window under the cursor is already TopMost.
(obsolete link removed, see farther down for current version)

I am not happy with how inefficient this code is. Even if this version is bug free I still need to optimize it, a lot!

Please let me know any bugs you notice or suggestions you may have. Thanks.

[guinness]

See you've add my first suggestion of detecting when the window is ontop. I have no other suggests apart from my second suggestion above.

Oh, and where do you get your sounds from for free?