How to do a TRS program in Qb64?

[TempodiBasic]

Hi guys
Please tell me
If I want/need to do a program that stay in memory waiting for data/event from another program to work indipendently ( not an hidden program) how must I do?
In old DOS time you can use the related Call Interrupt.  In actual OSes  how can It be done?

[FellippeHeitor]

Sounds like just a hidden program.

[bplus]

I think you mean a TSR program
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminate_and_stay_resident_program

Such programs were perfect ingredient for a virus as I recall.

[TempodiBasic]

Hi
I try to be clearer...

TSRs have now almost disappeared, as multitasking operating systems such as Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X, and Linux provide the facilities for multiple programs and device drivers to run simultaneously without the need for special programming tricks, and the modern notion of protected memory makes the kernel and its modules exclusively responsible for modifying an interrupt table.

lets make some examples...
-a clock that rings at a set time
-a screencapture that acts when is triggered the set key
-a control center for scanner/printer
-a program that sincronize the output of two programs toward a port
-a launcher of programs/games
....so I ask

In actual OSes  how can It be done?

Theorically I have imagined that
1. the two program (the TSR program plus the related program) can use HDD by files to communicate data and/or events
2. TSR program can use Memory reading to get these informations to activate its work
by in the facts how can be done it?

Thanks

[SMcNeill]

http://qb64.org/wiki/Windows_Libraries#Hot_Keys_.28maximize.29  --- This demo will help you with the hot keys concept for the screen capture idea, providing you're running in Windows.

[Pete]

That program from the WIKI does not restore or minimize on my Windows 10. If it is manually minimized and Shift + A is pressed, you have to manually restore it to see it registered the key press.

AHA! I had some time to fool with it this morning and it turns out it needs a _DELAY after _TITLE to grab that initial windows state handle...

So this does work...

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. DECLARE DYNAMIC LIBRARY "user32"
2.     FUNCTION FindWindowA%& (BYVAL ClassName AS _OFFSET, WindowName$) 'find process handle by title
3.     FUNCTION GetKeyState% (BYVAL nVirtKey AS LONG) 'Windows virtual key presses
4.     FUNCTION ShowWindow& (BYVAL hwnd AS _OFFSET, BYVAL nCmdShow AS LONG) 'maximize process
5.     FUNCTION GetForegroundWindow%& 'find currently focused process handle
6.     FUNCTION SetForegroundWindow& (BYVAL hwnd AS _OFFSET) 'set foreground window process(focus)
7. END DECLARE
8.  
9. title$ = "Cheapo Hotkey (Shift+A)" 'title of program window
10. _TITLE title$ 'set program title
11.  
12. _DELAY .1 ' I found this delay is needed to get the _TITLE function to catch up and be read by the API function.
13.  
14. hwnd%& = FindWindowA(0, title$ + CHR$(0)) 'find this program's process handle
15.  
16. PRINT "Minimize window, click another then Press Shift+A to bring it back up."
17.  
18. '=== below minimizes it for you
19. _DELAY 4
20. x& = ShowWindow&(hwnd%&, 2)
21. '===========================
22.  
23. DO
24.     IF GetKeyState(16) < 0 AND GetKeyState(ASC("A")) < 0 THEN '<==== Shift+A
25.         FGwin%& = GetForegroundWindow%& 'get current process in focus
26.         PRINT "Program Handle:"; hwnd%&; "Focus handle:"; FGwin%&
27.  
28.         y& = ShowWindow&(hwnd%&, 1) 'maximize minimized program
29.  
30.         IF FGwin%& <> hwnd%& THEN z& = SetForegroundWindow&(hwnd%&) 'set focus when necessary
31.  
32.         PRINT "That is all. Return values:"; x&; y&; z&
33.  
34.         _DELAY 5: END 'delay allows user to not minimize the window
35.     END IF
36.  
37.     _LIMIT 30 'save CPU usage while waiting for key press
38.  
39. LOOP

Pete

[TempodiBasic]

@Thanks Pete

you have solved a my bad experience with windows calling of some time ago.
So I'll find time to go on with my DLL windows calling...


@Thanks Steve
your answer let me understand that each kind of program can be developed with a different kind of tecnique

DLL calling for minimize and send a specific hotkey for the program
a second program running with a first to syncronize the output to the driver of printer/scanner
a second program running with a first to manage program/game launched
an indipendent program for clock alarm or for mange landscape or screensaver to lock to system functions

Thank again

[Fifi]

Hi,

If I may say, TSR were an excellent way to create utilities for DOS that would come over other applications like wordprocessor or spreadsheet using a DOS "bug" of an undocumented interupt calls when pressing a specific keystroke combination.

Back in the late 80ies, one of the most known TSR was Sidekick (from Borland) providing a notepad when pressing Left Shift + Right Shift.

In 1990, I developped with Turbo Pascal for my company (ISS) another worldwide used TSR "à la Sidkick" named TurboDesk that was usable when pressing Ctrl+Alt+Home and providing an editor with 3 text windows, an ASCII table, a Calendar, a Screen Cut function, an interface with the Clipboard and a programmable calculator that could replay macros from a "tape".

Bellow is a screen shot of my TurboDesk menu over QuickBasic (running in a DOS 6.3 VM).

http://www.as2.com/pictures/jpg/td.jpg

That was really a funy time when we could make money from our work.

Cheers.
Fifi

[TempodiBasic]

Yes DOS Time
when in the deep dark screen, making a window interface gave depth to your application...with mouse implementation...

How is strange that now, after years of windowOses, I am uncomfortable in the black Linux console...

lazyness to learn the new console ?!?

[Fifi]

Hi TempodiBasic,

How is strange that now, after years of windowOses, I am uncomfortable in the black Linux console...

Change it to white. ;)
Just teazing.

BTW, did you check the accuracy of my Italian messages?

You can get the last release of my install script on my dedicated web page : http://www.as2.com

TIA for your time.
Fifi

[TempodiBasic]

@Fifi
here there is attached the file of script with modifications of some affirmation to get a better italian speech.