How to Bring the Front Panel in Front of All Desktop Windows in LabVIEW? -User32.dll Method

Issue Details

Solution

If you use the functions FindWindowA and SetForegroundWindow in the User32.dll located in C:\Windows\System32, the Front Panel is set in front of all desktop windows. The attached VI is bringing up the desired Front Panel on top of all other applications windows every three seconds. See the following steps to understand the functionality of the VI:

1. Download the attached VI.
2. Open the Block Diagram.
3. Observe the Call Library Function Nodes, we are using this node to call the functions from the User32.dll.
4. We are using a Property Node to programmatically return the name of the Front Panel.
5. We are using the Front Panel's name as an input to the FindWindow function which returns a handle to the window of the Front Panel.
6. Based on this handle, the SetForegroundWindows function can bring the window in front of all desktop windows.
7. Run the VI.
8. Open non-LabVIEW applications such as web browsers, File Explorers, etc. Observe every 3 seconds the selected LabVIEW Front Panel pops up above any application.

The Block Diagram of the attached VI:

Additional Information

Important note: In some systems users have reported the following glitch when using this method: the Front Panel is not popping up above all desktop windows, only the icon is flashing on the taskbar. If you are experiencing this issue, please navigate to the following article to achieve the same goal with a different method: How to Bring the Front Panel in Front of All Desktop Windows? - Batch File Method