Showing status in system tray - how to?

[Richard Dixson]

Hi - I'm looking to write application that runs in the background to monitor
the number of records in a database table.

That seems easy enough. However I want to display these results in the
bottom right hand corner on XP, right next to the clock. Is this possible?

I know that I can write an app that sits in the system tray and that shows
an icon in there. But I'm looking to actually have a bit more space and be
able to display numbers that are updated in real time.

Put another way, let's say I wanted to write an application just like the
default Windows XP clock. How would I do this? For example, the clock sits
down there in the tray, is always visible and displays numbers and text
"9:00 PM" in realtime. I want my application to work the same exact way in
this respect. Is that possible, or is there something extra special about
the XP clock that another application cannot mimic in terms of how its
integrates into the system tray area.

I'd appreciate any tips, clues or names of classes etc that I need to pursue
in other to pull this off, as I really don't have any idea how to go about
this or if it is even possible.

Thanks!

 

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Hi - I'm looking to write application that runs in the background to monitor
the number of records in a database table.

That seems easy enough. However I want to display these results in the
bottom right hand corner on XP, right next to the clock. Is this possible?

I know that I can write an app that sits in the system tray and that shows
an icon in there. But I'm looking to actually have a bit more space and be
able to display numbers that are updated in real time.

Put another way, let's say I wanted to write an application just like the
default Windows XP clock. How would I do this? For example, the clock sits
down there in the tray, is always visible and displays numbers and text
"9:00 PM" in realtime. I want my application to work the same exact way in
this respect. Is that possible, or is there something extra special about
the XP clock that another application cannot mimic in terms of how its
integrates into the system tray area.

I wouldn't do that. The size of the notification area is very small and
on Windows XP parts of the tray will be hidden automatically. Instead,
I would create a borderless and semi-transparent form which is shown
"always on top".

 

[Flare]

I wouldn't do that. The size of the notification area is very small and

on Windows XP parts of the tray will be hidden automatically. Instead,
I would create a borderless and semi-transparent form which is shown
"always on top".

Better yet. Write a bandobject enabled form. This would allow you to attach
a real Form app just beside your system tray.

Have a look at this:
http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/dotnetbandobjects.asp?target=band

I think it would be perfect for you.

Regards
Anders Jacobsen, Denmark

 

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Better yet. Write a bandobject enabled form. This would allow you to attach
a real Form app just beside your system tray.

Have a look at this:
http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/dotnetbandobjects.asp?target=band

I think it would be perfect for you.

ACK. Looks very good.

 

[Dennis Patterson]

Thanks - looks very interesting. However I was a bit confused about what
properties or methods I should set to attach it just beside the system tray.
For example that demo shows how to make the application part of the IE bar
at the top, but how do I specifically tell it to attach just beside the
system tray?