3

In Windows 7, does Alt+Tab now only display windows that have a taskbar button? Windows without a taskbar button are not showing up in the Alt+Tab list.

This is somewhat annoying to say the least. Visible dialogs without a taskbar button obviously cannot be selected via the taskbar, and they can't be selected via Alt+Tab either?

The application in question is a legacy (pre-Vista) app that creates a simple window without a taskbar button. Windows XP displays it in the task switcher. Windows 7 does not.

4

1 Answer 1

3

Windows allows any program to NOT include itself in the taskbar and thus not include itself in the Alt Tab list.

And there is no public API to change the Task Switcher (God help us if third party programs were allowed to!).

So essentially the problem boils down to, "Program A does not show up in the Task Switcher. How do I make Program A show up in the Task Switcher?"

2
  • > And there is no public API to change the Task Switcher (God help us if third party programs were allowed to!). Do you means specifically in Windows 7? XP certainly had the option, both officially and third-party, and they work in Windows 7.
    – Synetech
    Dec 18, 2011 at 1:50
  • 1
    @Synetechinc.: I have no idea how the Alt-Tab power toy worked. But from I can tell, the only way to replace the Task Switcher is to install a global hook and intercept the keyboard call. In otherwords, it's not an API. There are Win32 calls to reorder the windows and such . . .
    – surfasb
    Dec 18, 2011 at 2:18

You must log in to answer this question.