Programmatically enable / disable multitouch finger input?

Question

I have a multitoch-enabled tablet PC running Windows 7.

However, when using the stylus and moving away from the display, I often accidentally hit it with my fingers, which causes unwanted mouse clicks.

The solution is to go to the "Control Panel - Pen- and Finger Input - Finger Input" and disable the "Use your finger as an input device" checkbox (all names are translated, so they may differ in English windows).

Now I am wondering if I can do this also programmatically so that I can write a small application in the tray for this.

I tried using Process Monitor to find registry keys, however I did not find one that really shows the same effect as the checkbox.

Does anyone know how to access this property (without using UI-Automation)?

Answer 1

This can be done by manipulating the flag set MICROSOFT_TABLETPENSERVICE_PROPERTY.

#include <tpcshrd.h>  

BOOL InitInstance(HINSTANCE hInstance, int nCmdShow)  {   
    const DWORD_PTR dwHwndTabletProperty =  
        TABLET_DISABLE_PRESSANDHOLD | // disables press and hold (right-click) gesture  
        TABLET_DISABLE_PENTAPFEEDBACK | // disables UI feedback on pen up (waves)  
        TABLET_DISABLE_PENBARRELFEEDBACK | // disables UI feedback on pen button down  
        TABLET_DISABLE_FLICKS; // disables pen flicks (back, forward, drag down, drag up)   
    ATOM atom = GlobalAddAtom(MICROSOFT_TABLETPENSERVICE_PROPERTY);   
    SetProp(hWnd, MICROSOFT_TABLETPENSERVICE_PROPERTY, reinterpret_cast (dwHwndTabletProperty));  
    GlobalDeleteAtom(atom); 
}

(I do not take loans for this, soure )

An important parameter is the hWnd handle, which you pass to SetProp. GetDesktopWindow returns a handle to the desktop window. Setting this for the desktop should deactivate it for all windows on the desktop and on the desktop. Please note, however, that this will not be a permanent change (a reboot will cancel it).

Possible values ​​you can use:

#define TABLET_DISABLE_PRESSANDHOLD        0x00000001
#define TABLET_DISABLE_PENTAPFEEDBACK      0x00000008
#define TABLET_DISABLE_PENBARRELFEEDBACK   0x00000010
#define TABLET_DISABLE_TOUCHUIFORCEON      0x00000100
#define TABLET_DISABLE_TOUCHUIFORCEOFF     0x00000200
#define TABLET_DISABLE_TOUCHSWITCH         0x00008000
#define TABLET_DISABLE_FLICKS              0x00010000
#define TABLET_ENABLE_FLICKSONCONTEXT      0x00020000
#define TABLET_ENABLE_FLICKLEARNINGMODE    0x00040000
#define TABLET_DISABLE_SMOOTHSCROLLING     0x00080000
#define TABLET_DISABLE_FLICKFALLBACKKEYS   0x00100000
#define TABLET_ENABLE_MULTITOUCHDATA       0x01000000

(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb969148%28VS.85%29.aspx)