ACC: How to Determine If a Form Is Maximized or Minimized

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By using the Property Get and Property Let statements in Visual Basic for Applications, you can create custom form properties. You can use the Property Get statement to define and retrieve the value of a custom form property. You can use the Property Let statement to set the value of the custom property.

The following example demonstrates how you can use the IsZoomed() and IsIconic() Windows API functions to determine if a form is maximized or minimized and how you can use custom form properties to retrieve and set these values:

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb, create a module, and type the following lines in the Declarations section, if they are not already there:

        '=================================================================
         'Module Declarations section
         '=================================================================
   
         Option Compare Database
         Option Explicit
   
         Declare Function IsZoomed Lib "User32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As _
              Integer
         Declare Function IsIconic Lib "User32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As _
              Integer
   						

2. Save and close the module.
3. Open the Customers form in Design view.
4. On the View menu, click Code, and type the following code in the form module:

         '===================================================================
         'Property Maximized
         '
         'This procedure uses the Property Get statement to define the custom
         'form property 'Maximized' by calling the IsZoomed() function.
         '
         'Return Value:
         '    True(-1) - The form is maximized.
         '    False(0) - The form is not maximized.
         '
         '====================================================================
   
         Public Property Get Maximized() As Integer
              Maximized = IsZoomed(Me.hWnd) * -1
         End Property
   
         '====================================================================
         'Property Minimized
         '
         'This procedure uses the Property Get statement to define the custom
         'form property 'Minimized' by calling the IsIconic() function.
         '
         'Return Value:
         '    True(-1) - The form is minimized.
         '    False(0) - The form is not minimized.
         '
         '====================================================================
   
         Public Property Get Minimized() As Integer
              Minimized = IsIconic(Me.hWnd) * -1
         End Property
   
         '===================================================================
         'Property Maximized
         '
         'This procedure uses the Property Let statement to set the value of
         'the custom form property 'Maximized'. The IsMax argument must be
         'defined as the same data type returned by the corresponding Property
         'Get procedure for the same custom property.
         '
         '====================================================================
   
         Public Property Let Maximized(IsMax As Integer)
              If IsMax Then
                  Me.SetFocus
                  DoCmd.Maximize
              Else
                  Me.SetFocus
                  DoCmd.Restore
              End If
         End Property
   
         '====================================================================
         'Property Minimized
         '
         'This procedure uses the Property Let statement to set the value of
         'the custom form property 'Minimized'. The IsMin argument must be
         'defined as the same data type returned by the corresponding Property
         'Get procedure for the same custom property.
         '
         '====================================================================
   
         Public Property Let Minimized(IsMin As Integer)
              If IsMin Then
                  Me.SetFocus
                  DoCmd.Minimize
              Else
                  Me.SetFocus
                  DoCmd.Restore
              End If
         End Property

5. Open the Customers form in Form view. Maximize the form.
   
   NOTE: To test the Maximized property in the Debug window in Microsoft Access 97, before opening the Debug window, be sure to set the "Debug Window on Top" option. This option is set on the Tools menu by clicking Options and then clicking the Modules tab. This option must be set to get the expected results in step 8.
6. Type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

   ?Forms!Customers.Maximized

   Note that you receive a True(-1) value, indicating the form is maximized.
7. Minimize the form and repeat step 6. Note that you receive a False(0) value, indicating the form is minimized.
8. Type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

   Type Forms!Customers.Maximized=True

   Note that the form is immediately maximized.
9. Type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

   Forms!Customers.Minimized=True

   Note that the form is immediately minimized.