Home
Windows Registry Tweaks
Index Page
Hardware
Disk Drives
Mice and Keyboards
Modems and Communications
Printers and Plotters
Processor and Motherboard
Video and Graphics
Network
Clients
Internet and Remote Access
Protocols
TCP/IP
WINS
Servers
Security
Active Desktop
Control Panel
Display
Network
Passwords
Printers
System
Desktop and Explorer
Login and Authentication
Network
Privacy
Remote Access
Start Menu and Taskbar
Documents and Folders
System
Software
Internet Explorer
Appearance
Network and Connections
Search Features
Security
Media Player
Microsoft Office
Outlook
Netmeeting
Outlook Express
pcAnywhere
Windows CE
Windows Messenger
Tips and Tricks
Configuration Files
AUTOEXEC.BAT
BOOT.INI
CONFIG.SYS
MSDOS.SYS
SYSTEM.INI
Customization
Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows
Accessories
Command Processor
Dr Watson
Registry Editor
Task Scheduler
Windows Installer
Appearance and Display
Icons and Fonts
Menus And Windows
Desktop
Explorer
File System
Caching and Memory
Files and Shortcuts
Maintenance
Login and Authentication
Start Menu and Taskbar
Documents and Folders
Taskbar
Startup and Shutdown
System
Scripts
Services
Windows File Checker
Troubleshooting
Crash Control
Logging
Repair
Registry FAQ
Dreamage
Book List
Downloads
Support Forums
Newsletter
Download Updates
Subscribe
Registry Guide for Windows Registry Guide for Windows
Part of the Dreamage Network
Dreamage Network and Software
Registry tweaks, tricks & hacks to optimize, enhance and secure Microsoft Windows.

Active Window Tracking (All Windows)
Category: Home > Hardware > Mice and Keyboards

Download this tweak with Tweak Manager!This tweak can be easily applied using Dreamage Tweak Manager.
Download a free trial now!

This tweak allows you to bring running programs to the foreground just by moving you mouse of the application window. This is similar to the X-Mouse feature found on UNIX operating systems.

Open your registry and find the key below.

Active window tracking is controlled by the existing binary value called "UserPreferencemask" for Windows 95/98/Me or "UserPreferencesMask" for Windows 2000/XP.

To enable Active Window Tracking you need to add "0x1" hex to the existing value, to force the window to also come to the foreground you need to add "0x41" hex.

If the current value is "be, 3e, 00, 00" using a calculator add "be" (hex) and "41" (hex), the total equals "ff" (hex). Therefore change the value "be" to "ff" and it now becomes "ff, 3e, 00 00".

You can also create an additional DWORD value called "ActiveWndTrkTimeout" under [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse] which specifies the time (in milliseconds) that the mouse needs to remain over a window before the window is activated.

Restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Windows NT

Open your registry and find the key [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]

Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, named 'ActiveWindowTracking' and set it to equal '1' for enabled or '0' for disabled.

Registry Editor Example
|NameTypeData|
|(Default)REG_SZ(value not set)|
|ActiveWindowTrackingREG_DWORD0x00000001 (1)|
|ActiveWndTrkTimeoutREG_DWORD0x000003e8 (1000)|
|UserPreferencemaskREG_BINARYff,3e,00,00|
-
|HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop|
-

Settings:
User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
Name: UserPreferencemask, UserPreferencesMask, ActiveWindowTracking, ActiveWndTrkTimeout, Focus
Value: (0=disable, 1=enable)

Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

Last Modified: October 10, 2002

 Return to Index Copyright © 1998-2003. All Rights Reserved.  License