vbscript - How can I maximize, restore, or minimize a window with a vb script?

Question

I need to be able to make separte .vbs files that will (when triggered with a keyboard short-cut) will make the active window maximized, minimized, or restored.

How can I do this without downloading and installing (not allowed here) a separate package.

Answer 1

VBScript and Windows Script Host don't provide intrinsic functions for maximizing/minimizing/restoring a window. Without any third-party tools, your only option is to use SendKeys to simulate keyboard the shortcuts of the corresponding commands in a window's system menu.

• To maximixe the active window, you can simulate the Alt+SpaceBar, x shortcut:

  Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
  oShell.SendKeys "% x"
  

• To minimize the active window, use Alt+SpaceBar, n:

  Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
  oShell.SendKeys "% n"
  

• To restore the active window, use Alt+SpaceBar, r:

  Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
  oShell.SendKeys "% r"
  

(Note that this code won't work in non-English Windows versions, where the names of the Maximize/Minimize/Restore commands are localized and therefore have other shortcuts.)