Get the Start Button Handle

• Download demo project - 9.62 Kb

The code

First you must get the handle of the Windows Taskbar, then you can capture the Start button that is a child of the taskbar window. You can change the style of it or send message you wish! You can use EnableWindow() function for disabling or enabling the start button, or GetDC() and other Device Context Functions to draw on the button, plus many more things.

The code CWnd* m_Window = CWnd::FindWindow("Shell_TrayWnd","") gets the taskbar window handle and GetTopWindow() returns start button as CWnd pointer.

CWnd* m_Window = CWnd::FindWindow("Shell_TrayWnd","");
m_Window->GetTopWindow()->SendMessage(WM_LBUTTONDOWN,MK_LBUTTON);