Question

I use the following code in the FormCreate event handler to create a system tray icon. When I run my program the system tray icon appears fine.

I set my application be started automatically on windows start up. When I restart the computer my application’s process is started but the system tray icon never appears.

I think it might be something to do with the timing of when the code is run, that perhaps the system tray isn’t ready to be populated.

I get my app to run at start up via it’s NSIS installer :
WriteRegStr HKLM “Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run” “MyApp” “$INSTDIR\ MyApp.exe”

Code to create system tray icon :

with TrayIconData do
  begin
    cbSize := SizeOf(TrayIconData);
    Wnd := Handle;
    uID := 0;
    uFlags := NIF_MESSAGE + NIF_ICON + NIF_TIP;
    uCallbackMessage := WM_ICONTRAY;
    hIcon := Application.Icon.Handle;
    StrPCopy(szTip, Application.Title);
  end;

  Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_ADD, @TrayIconData);

Answer 1

You’re attempting to create the icon before Explorer has fully started. You should handle errors gracefully (scroll down to “Handling Shell_NotifyIcon failure”).

You should also handle the TaskbarCreated notification — it enables you to recreate your icons after Explorer crashes and restarts.