How to enter Windows Flip 3D mode on Windows Vista and above? - windows

Question

Is it possible to trigger the Flip 3D mode on Windows Vista above systems programmatically?
It is the same as if you manually press CTRL + WIN + TAB

Answer 1

The Shell object has the WindowSwitcher method which can invoke this mode.
Here is the Delphi code example:
uses
ComObj;
procedure EnterWindowSwitcherMode;
var
Shell: OleVariant;
begin
try
Shell := CreateOleObject('Shell.Application');
Shell.WindowSwitcher;
finally
Shell := Unassigned;
end;
end;
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
if Win32MajorVersion >= 6 then // are we at least on Windows Vista ?
begin
try
EnterWindowSwitcherMode;
except
on E: Exception do
ShowMessage(E.ClassName + ': ' + E.Message);
end;
end;
end;
Update:
Or as Norbert Willhelm mentioned here, there is also IShellDispatch5 object interface which in fact introduces the WindowSwitcher method. So here's another version of the same...
The following piece of code requires the Shell32_TLB.pas unit, which you can in Delphi create this way (note, that you must have at least Windows Vista where the IShellDispatch5 interface was used the first time):
go to menu Component / Import Component
continue with selected Import a Type Library
select Microsoft Shell Controls And Automation and finish the wizard
And the code:
uses
Shell32_TLB;
procedure EnterWindowSwitcherMode;
var
// on Windows Vista and Windows 7 (at this time :)
// is Shell declared as IShellDispatch5 object interface
AShell: Shell;
begin
try
AShell := CoShell.Create;
AShell.WindowSwitcher;
finally
AShell := nil;
end;
end;