Good Programmers Needed Here...

I'm trying to release my new version of iTunes plugin but have run into some problems.. It's a problem that wouldn't be a problem with any other standard windows application but iTunes is a little punk and has the wierdest and stupidest way of handling event.. Anyhow, enough with the rant.. Let me explain..

I created a plugin for iTunes.. This plug-in allows a few things..

1. Always on Top

2. Minimize to SysTray

3. Set Alpha Transparency of Mini Mode Window

4. Display Current Playing Song info in ToolTip of systray Icon..

i currently have all this working just fine and its awesome.. What i want to do, is modify the systray's right click menu and add items to it to add extended functionality to it.. For example a Plugin Option's menu.. Now, if you are into Win32 programming, we all know a windows menu can be retreived with the API call GetMenu(hwnd); this will return the handle to the MAIN Menu.. from there, u can get the submenu with GetSubMenu(hwnd, intPos); ..

If i attempt to use GetMenu(hwnd); with iTunes main window, a menu handle is returned, but using GetSubMenu, I cannot retrieve anything.. iTunes loads up multiple windows that handle differnet events for menus and things.. If you use EnumWindows and check for the classname "iTunes" you will recieve 3 windows.. One with the caption "iTunes" then one with "Equalizer" then one that has a random caption.. This window handles the systray icon messages and Menu.. Unfortunatley, i cannot seem to retrieve any submenu handles for anything..

I was thinking i could simply replace the menu with my own, which i did and allowed for Play, Next, Previous options to be there, but unfortutanley could not emiulate the Repeat functions and shuffle functions.. I emulated the play, next and previous by using PostMessage and sending the associated hotkey.. but the repeat and shuffle functions do not contain an associated hotkey..

Any Ideas ????

- Evolution

#73319

Wow, this is the third time I am suggesting this site this week. http://www.planetsourcecode.com They have a whole community of programmers that submit bits of code. They even have a forums so you can get help. These people also really know their stuff. As always, the note, you need to become a member after viewing 5 pieces of code, hey, it's free.

#73339

Originally posted by wizard@Nov 4 2003, 01:24 PM

Wow, this is the third time I am suggesting this site this week. http://www.planetsourcecode.com They have a whole community of programmers that submit bits of code. They even have a forums so you can get help. These people also really know their stuff. As always, the note, you need to become a member after viewing 5 pieces of code, hey, it's free.

But you make it look so sexy! That is an awesome site.

#73364

sounds sweet, unfortuantaly i cant help you with coding.

#73405

well, GetMenu() doesn't retrieve the whole menu ? including sub menus? I think it does.

Second, if the iTunes coders coded it well, the menus are implemented as messages, not as a return value (TrackPopupMenu() can do that). So there a WM_MENU* (i think) message for every option in the menu.

Run Spy++ and spy the WM_MENU* messages of the window that handle messages.

Look over lParam and wParam

Then, you simply send similar messages to this window

Hope you'll suceed

#73479

www.sourceforge.net has a few iTunes plugins (I know I use the OGG one).

So check that out,for all your open source needs.

#73493

Originally posted by siwu@Nov 4 2003, 08:53 PM

well, GetMenu() doesn't retrieve the whole menu ? including sub menus? I think it does.

Second, if the iTunes coders coded it well, the menus are implemented as messages, not as a return value (TrackPopupMenu() can do that). So there a WM_MENU* (i think) message for every option in the menu.

Run Spy++ and spy the WM_MENU* messages of the window that handle messages.

Look over lParam and wParam

Then, you simply send similar messages to this window

Hope you'll suceed

No, GetMenu retrieves the handle to then MENU associated with that window.. then from there, you can retrieve submenus using GetSubMenu.. I have used SPY ++ and the menus are created dynamically.. As soon as lets say a WM_RBUTTONDOWN message is received at the systray, the menu is created and then displayed.. I know this, because the menu handle that is recieved by WM_MENUSELECT is different each time and when you use a static menu, your Handle doesn't change, the problem is, there is no WM_INITMENUPOPUP message being sent when this occurs.. There is a WM_MENUSELECT message but that only occurs, well, when you hover over a menu item..

Then there is the WM_ENTERIDLE message which is activated when a menu or something of that nature is displayed.. It does return a handle to the the menu's containing window, but it doesn't seem that its a valid handle..

- Evolution

#73520