title: How to combine GUI applications in Windows
body: <p>I have a Windows GUI application that's using the Qt framework (currently version 3.3.5, might change to Qt4).</p>
  
  <p>I want to combine other Windows GUI applications in the main application. I can't use the widgets directly in the main application due to several constrains which I can't control. The final layout should look like this:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/RlK7T.png" alt="http://i.stack.imgur.com/RlK7T.png" title="Application layout"></p>
  
  <p>Currently I'm using the method outlined in a <a href="http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dialog/exeHosting.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hosting .exe applications into a dialog</a>. In order to pass the <code>HWND</code> of the child applications I'm using my own IPC between the processes. Then, I need to forward resize events using Qt <code>resizeEvent</code> that calls <code>::MoveWindow</code> on the child windows.</p>
  
  <p>Is there a better or more generic mechanism for doing this? Some suggested that I use ActiveX, but I'm not familiar enough with this technology.</p>