VB.Net Hidden Program Hotkeys - vb.net

Question

Is there a way to register hotkeys to toggle a form from an invisible(hidden) program? I’ve tired normal methods and they only work when the form is either visible, or the active window. Thank you in advance for any help!
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Me.KeyPreview = True
Me.ShowInTaskbar = False
Me.ShowIcon = False
Me.Visible = False
End Sub
This is the code that hides the program.

Answer 1

You want to use Global Hotkeys. Just make sure you unregister when the program closes.
From a MSDN article that helped me in the past:
Firstly, you need to know the Virtual-Key Codes.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms927178.aspx You can then
P/Invoke RegisterHotKey/UnregisterHotKey APIs to register/Unregister
the hotkey. Code sample: Register multiple hotkeys such as Alt+D,
Alt+C, etc.
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Public Class Form1
Public Const MOD_ALT As Integer = &H1 'Alt key
Public Const WM_HOTKEY As Integer = &H312
<DllImport("User32.dll")> _
Public Shared Function RegisterHotKey(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, _
ByVal id As Integer, ByVal fsModifiers As Integer, _
ByVal vk As Integer) As Integer
End Function
<DllImport("User32.dll")> _
Public Shared Function UnregisterHotKey(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, _
ByVal id As Integer) As Integer
End Function
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
RegisterHotKey(Me.Handle, 100, MOD_ALT, Keys.D)
RegisterHotKey(Me.Handle, 200, MOD_ALT, Keys.C)
End Sub
Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As System.Windows.Forms.Message)
If m.Msg = WM_HOTKEY Then
Dim id As IntPtr = m.WParam
Select Case (id.ToString)
Case "100"
MessageBox.Show("You pressed ALT+D key combination")
Case "200"
MessageBox.Show("You pressed ALT+C key combination")
End Select
End If
MyBase.WndProc(m)
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.FormClosingEventArgs) _
Handles MyBase.FormClosing
UnregisterHotKey(Me.Handle, 100)
UnregisterHotKey(Me.Handle, 200)
End Sub
End Class