Detecting a mouse click

[Nshark]

I'm trying to set up a timer that counts up to ten and starts/resets when the left mouse button is clicked (anywhere on the screen even when the application is in the background). I'm struggling to find a code that suggests it is possible and now I am starting to wonder even if it is possible in VB? Any help would be much appriciated. Thank you.

[Unhnd_Exception]

You need to set up a low level mouse hook. It will do exactly what you want.

Search Low Level Mouse hook on the Msdn website.

Take a look at this.
http://www.daniweb.com/software-development/vbnet/threads/359374

That sets up a low level keyboard hook. It might not make much since but as you find more info on the mouse hook you will see it has all the pieces you need.

I will try to dig up some code tomorrow if this is not answered by someone else.

[Nshark]

I'm using Visual Basic 2010 and started learning about 3 or 4 days ago. I'm slowly getting the hang of it but I haven't had to import anything before now.

[vishalrane]

See weather this helps you or not....

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=358556

[Unhnd_Exception]

The only way to do it is with the hook.

Here is some code. You should still read up on it. And you will need to go to project / properties / Debug and uncheck enable the visual studio hosting process checkbox.

This code will count all your left and right mouse clicks anywhere on the screen while the form is running.

For the Form you want it in:

Public Class Form1

    Private WithEvents MouseDetector As MouseDetector

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        MouseDetector = New MouseDetector
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Disposed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Disposed
        RemoveHandler MouseDetector.MouseLeftButtonClick, AddressOf MouseDetector_MouseLeftButtonClick
        RemoveHandler MouseDetector.MouseRightButtonClick, AddressOf MouseDetector_MouseRightButtonClick
        MouseDetector.Dispose()
    End Sub

    Private Sub MouseDetector_MouseLeftButtonClick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles MouseDetector.MouseLeftButtonClick
        If IsNumeric(LabelLeft.Text) Then
            LabelLeft.Text = CInt(LabelLeft.Text) + 1
        Else
            LabelLeft.Text = 1
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub MouseDetector_MouseRightButtonClick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles MouseDetector.MouseRightButtonClick
        If IsNumeric(LabelRight.Text) Then
            LabelRight.Text = CInt(LabelRight.Text) + 1
        Else
            LabelRight.Text = 1
        End If
    End Sub

End Class

Add a class to the project and name it MouseDetector and copy the following code into it.

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Public Class MouseDetector

    Public Event MouseLeftButtonClick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As MouseEventArgs)
    Public Event MouseRightButtonClick(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As MouseEventArgs)

    Private Delegate Function MouseHookCallback(ByVal nCode As Integer, ByVal wParam As Integer, ByVal lParam As IntPtr) As Integer

    Private MouseHookCallbackDelegate As MouseHookCallback
    Private MouseHookID As Integer

    Public Sub New()

        If MouseHookID = 0 Then

            MouseHookCallbackDelegate = AddressOf MouseHookProc
            MouseHookID = SetWindowsHookEx(CInt(14), MouseHookCallbackDelegate, Marshal.GetHINSTANCE(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly.GetModules()(0)), 0)

            If MouseHookID = 0 Then
                'error
            End If

        End If

    End Sub

    Public Sub Dispose()
        If Not MouseHookID = -1 Then
            UnhookWindowsHookEx(MouseHookID)
            MouseHookCallbackDelegate = Nothing
        End If
        MouseHookID = -1
    End Sub

    Private Enum MouseMessages
        WM_LeftButtonDown = 513
        WM_LeftButtonUp = 514
        WM_LeftDblClick = 515
        WM_RightButtonDown = 516
        WM_RightButtonUp = 517
        WM_RightDblClick = 518
    End Enum

    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)> _
    Private Structure Point
        Public x As Integer
        Public y As Integer
    End Structure

    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)> _
    Private Structure MouseHookStruct
        Public pt As Point
        Public hwnd As Integer
        Public wHitTestCode As Integer
        Public dwExtraInfo As Integer
    End Structure

    <DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
    Private Shared Function CallNextHookEx( _
         ByVal idHook As Integer, _
         ByVal nCode As Integer, _
         ByVal wParam As IntPtr, _
          ByVal lParam As IntPtr) As Integer

    End Function

    <DllImport("User32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall, SetLastError:=True)> _
     Private Shared Function SetWindowsHookEx _
          (ByVal idHook As Integer, ByVal HookProc As MouseHookCallback, _
           ByVal hInstance As IntPtr, ByVal wParam As Integer) As Integer
    End Function

    <DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall, SetLastError:=True)> _
    Private Shared Function UnhookWindowsHookEx(ByVal idHook As Integer) As Integer
    End Function

    Private Function MouseHookProc(ByVal nCode As Integer, ByVal wParam As Integer, ByVal lParam As IntPtr) As Integer

        If nCode < 0 Then
            Return CallNextHookEx(MouseHookID, nCode, wParam, lParam)
        End If

        Dim MouseData As MouseHookStruct = Marshal.PtrToStructure(lParam, GetType(MouseHookStruct))

        Select Case wParam
            Case MouseMessages.WM_LeftButtonUp
                RaiseEvent MouseLeftButtonClick(Nothing, New MouseEventArgs(MouseButtons.Left, 1, MouseData.pt.x, MouseData.pt.y, 0))

            Case MouseMessages.WM_RightButtonUp
                RaiseEvent MouseRightButtonClick(Nothing, New MouseEventArgs(MouseButtons.Right, 1, MouseData.pt.x, MouseData.pt.y, 0))
        End Select

        Return CallNextHookEx(MouseHookID, nCode, wParam, lParam)

    End Function

End Class

And Finally:

Mark your thread as solved.

[dionterry]

Awesome, thank you!