win32 api controls

[xoxos]

(i just lost my post when recieving 'forum posting' message!

i intend to release some standard win32 form apps with VC++ 2008 express.

i've been programming for 3 decades, c++ (borland FCLT) for several years and haven't managed to make it into the win32 environment. admittedly my copy of petzold is on another continent at present, though examining the online files seems like standard controls aren't covered in the first 1,000 pages..!

my question is how is one expected to learn the win32 environment?? what does microsoft want me to do? i hardly expect that the standard edition has better documentation, and it probably focuses on MFC and .NET. forgershut and relisoft tutorials are difficult to relate to forms generated by the VC++ 2008 wizard.

at present, i'm stuck on how to put a simple button on an application window instead of a dialog box (does one have to describe the app window as a dialog box in the .rc file?). i've aspired to do this many times over the last decade. i am utterly mystified and have certainly spent solid weeks of my life googling for a method by which to create standard forms.

thank you for your win api videos! they're a start, at least i can make a game. if you have time to do a series on standard controls before the release of 2010 is standardised, i can guarantee you a viewer.

best wishes,
http://www.xoxos.net

[xoxos]

if anyone ese is looking for a solution to this, you're probably going about it in the same manner as i was. here's how i did it:

1) resource.h needs a #define for the button
2) myapp.cpp needs a HWND mybuttonname; statement
3) the button creation code doesn't go in WM_CREATE like most references say, it goes in InitInstance.

after i *finally* made a button, i realised why i couldn't find *any* references to this technique. i emigrated to VC++ from borland FCLT, where resorce files are avoided.

4) no one in the entire universe makes buttons like this. use the resource file method of creating gui controls from forgershut. forget all that long api preset code stuff.

because noone seems to want to clue anyone in to that.

[xoxos]

sometimes life hurts..

i was searching all over msdn and microsoft.com for reference, from the VC interface and using any resources i could. there was no reference link under 'for beginners..'

..so why it took me so long to find *the library* is anyone's guess, but pls. be nice, i could be coding your apps some day..

anyway... now that i've found them, here's *the* links you need..

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee663300(v=VS.85).aspx
to here..
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383743.aspx

for a quick, downloadable tutorial, try zetcode.com -

http://www.zetcode.com/tutorials/winapi/


i don't know.. it took me so long to find these elementary links.. g/l

[Nathan.something]

Thank you very much for posting your shpeel. It was a very big help!!!