Disable ALT key commands

I'm using Charles Petzold's Programming Windows books and he suggests adding this code to your windows procedure to disable the ALT key commands:

Code:

---

case WM_SYSKEYDOWN:
case WM_SYSKEYUP:
case WM_SYSCHAR:
        return (0);

---

I added the code and tried it on Windows XP and it has no effect!? I also tried it on Windows 98 and it has no effect there either?! In each case I made certain that my program had the focus (and I even closed all other windows to make sure).

Does anyone know how to disable the ALT key commands (CTRL-ALT-DEL, ALT-TAB, etc) using the Win API?

Someone told me that the ALT key commands are at a lower level than the Win API in Windows XP, so there was no effective way to disable them. However, I would think that you'd at least be able to disable them in Windows 98!

Also, what's the point in having a Win API if it prevents you from doing certain things? This isn't Bill's Windows, this is MY Windows!

mw

http://www.codeproject.com/win32/AntonioWinLock.asp

Wow...

That is just too beautiful for words.

Thank you.

mw

Ok, my smart aleck partner found a way to get around disabled ALT keys by using the Windows key.

Is there any way to disable ALL keys except for:

letters
number keys (and/or number pad)
space bar
enter key
shift keys
tab key
cursor keys

mw

Out of curiousity, why do you need to do all of this?

We're creating a game and I wanted to prevent the player from leaving the window during gameplay. I've seen this in games I've played before but I didn't realize I would have to hack the darn computer to get it to work.

Do you know how to disable all keys except the ones I listed?

mw

> I wanted to prevent the player from leaving the window during gameplay
How presumptious of you!.
Like it's your right to take away control of my machine from me.
Games like that find their way into the bit bucket in double-quick time.

So I take it you don't know how to do this?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lionmane

Is there any way to disable ALL keys except for:

letters
number keys (and/or number pad)
space bar
enter key
shift keys
tab key
cursor keys

---

mw

PS: I'll forward your input to my boss.

Ok I just ripped this straight from some of my code .. it should help get you going. Preventing users from switching is sort of frown upon, however there are times when it is needed and the programmer should use at their own discretion. In my case this is from a child's game (my 2 year old) and I absolutely didn't want him exiting out, however there was a convient way to exit that couldn't be done accidently built in.

Code:

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//set keyboardhook
    hKeyboardHook = SetWindowsHookEx( WH_KEYBOARD_LL,  LowLevelKeyboardProc, GetModuleHandle(NULL), 0 );

...

// keyboard hook proc
LRESULT CALLBACK LowLevelKeyboardProc( int nCode, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam )
{
    if (nCode < 0 || nCode != HC_ACTION ) return CallNextHookEx( hKeyboardHook, nCode, wParam, lParam);
       
        KBDLLHOOKSTRUCT* p = (KBDLLHOOKSTRUCT*)lParam;

    if(p->vkCode==VK_TAB && p->flags & LLKHF_ALTDOWN) return 1; //disable alt-tab
        if((p->vkCode == VK_LWIN) || (p->vkCode == VK_RWIN)) return 1;//disable windows keys
        if (p->vkCode == VK_ESCAPE && p->flags & LLKHF_ALTDOWN) return 1;//disable alt-escape
        BOOL bControlKeyDown = GetAsyncKeyState (VK_CONTROL) >> ((sizeof(SHORT) * 8) - 1);//checks ctrl key pressed
        if (p->vkCode == VK_ESCAPE && bControlKeyDown) return 1; //disable ctrl-escape
       
        return CallNextHookEx( hKeyboardHook, nCode, wParam, lParam );
}

...
// cleanup
    UnhookWindowsHookEx( hKeyboardHook );

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You return 1 (TRUE) from the keyboardhook proc for any key press/combination you want disabled or CallNestHookEx() for the ones you want to allow

Ok, thanks!

mw