Skip Focus Check

[loller0078]

Dear hackers,
I am investigating on how to keep the game running when the game is not in running in foreground.
I have detoured a few WINAPI functions like:
user32 GetForegroundWindow,
user32 GetFocus and
user32 GetActiveWindow to always return HWND eflc = FindWindowA(0, "EFLC");

example:

HWND WINAPI hGetForegroundWindow(void)
{
	HWND window = oGetForegroundWindow();
	Log->Write("hGetForegroundWindow %i", window);

	HWND eflc = FindWindowA(0, "EFLC");
	Log->Write("EFLC %i", eflc);
	
	return eflc;
}

Tho this does not have the desired result, the game is still frozen when not in foreground.

Would you have some suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[Konker131]

would this blog be helpful?

devblog.lcpdfr(dot)com/2013/12/multiplayer-mode-taking-a-look-at-disconnects-scripting-problems/

[loller0078]

Thanks for that link. The information there confirms what i was thinking on where to look.
I managed to kind of reach my goal, but am far from pleased with the results.
I will share with you my results.

Note: All the following information has been tested with windowed mode. This can be achieved by having the -windowed argument in the gta4.exe launch path.

//The following hooks the windowmessages. Whenever things happen in a window, the window will send messages to this function.
WNDPROC	g_gameWndProc;

g_gameWndProc = ( WNDPROC )SetWindowLongA( GAME_HWND, GWL_WNDPROC, ( LONG )WindowProc );

//The following line will unhook the windowproc(), it should go into your unhook function.
SetWindowLongA( GAME_HWND, GWL_WNDPROC, ( LONG )g_gameWndProc );

//Now in our hooked function we check for the message WM_NCACTIVATE and block it.
//You will see I will pass WM_KILLFOCUS, but you could just have returned NULL for the same result.

LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProc( HWND hWnd, UINT Msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam )
{
	if(Msg == WM_NCACTIVATE && wParam == 0)
	{
		Log->Write("WM_NCACTIVATE for hWnd %i wParam %i lParam %i", hWnd, wParam, lParam);
		
		return CallWindowProc( g_gameWndProc, hWnd, WM_KILLFOCUS, wParam, lParam );
	}

	return CallWindowProc( g_gameWndProc, hWnd, Msg, wParam, lParam );
}

After doing that, congratulations, after ALT+TAB the window stays active.
Tho there is one problem, the window holds the mouse focus and you cannot leave.
I did found the following workaround:

-If you want to keep the game running and want full interaction with another window (like your webbrowser) you should minimize GTA4 with the use of shortcut "WINDOWS KEY + KEY DOWN".
-Then it will minimize into your taskbar.
-Click GTA4 in your taskbar to show the window. The GTA4 window now has focus
-Now ALT+TAB and perform a mouseclick.

You now have GTA4 running while not interacting with the window.

[loller0078]

I just happened to find a method that doesnt require hacking the game at all lol.
To keep GTA4 active (I tested this with EFLC in windowed mode) do the following.
-Get ingame
-Press WINDOWS KEY (now your startmenu opens and your mouse pointer is invisible)
-Quickly move your mouse down to your taskbar and click a running task while moving the mouse. (you might need to retry a few times)

I know this is not the most comfortable method but it doesnt involve any code changes.

[stichbash]

cool shit here