FAVORITE ARTICLES - Plus a chance for a CodeGuru Visual C++ Goodies book -

I have always felt indebted to the article API Hooking Revealed (http://dev-archive.com/system/apihook.html) by Ivo Ivanov, as it was one of the original articles that allowed me to begin to understand API hooking, and has benefitted my company immensely. I think without the direction that this article gave me, I would not be aware that such techniques were even possible. It led me to read Pietrek and Richter and the MSJ/MSDN magazines, which made me a much better Windows programmer. The code is structured nicely, somewhat OO, which is rare in the low-level programming community that the article represents. And it includes many more tools that the name would reveal, including process and module explorers which abstract out the OS dependencies.

Winners will be determined in less than 24 hours...

My favorite article is http://dev-archive.earthweb.com/listview/subedit.html . Because it is the first one I read here and it is the reason I come back. Though the author doesn't go into detail his comments are enough for me to understand the process. That article showed me how to do something in 20 minutes I had spent a week trying to figure out. Now two months later, I have a better understanding of MFC and C++ thanks to many good dev-archive's articles.

Interview with Xeon:

Xeon's alter ego: Good day, Xeon. As you know, there's only 2 hours left to you to win the Sacred Book of the Ages : The dev-archive Visual C++ Goodies Relic. So, let's start. What is your favorite article in the entire dev-archive site?

Xeon: Good morning, Xeon... Need I say more?!(tm) :D There's this really high-quality and easy to use article with full source code in dev-archive about color picker buttons you see in the Windows Properties dialog box.(the one where you change the color of message boxes and such)
This God-given control can be found at: http://www.dev-archive.com/buttonctrl/button_color_picker2.shtml by Luis Ortega.

From Xeon's alter ego: But what is so interesting about this control? It can be found in those 3rd party commercial toolkits and stuff.

From Xeon: That's the point, Xeon! Usually, these 3rd party toolkits are hard to install and requires so much configuration. Besides, you wouldn't want to spend US$200 and beyond for just a control like this.
Plus, this control is rare in terms of programming web sites. There's several other color-picker button controls found all over the Net, but this one is in a class of it's own : it's the first, after the original Windows color picker button in the Properties dialog box.

Free, easy to integrate, easy to install...plus the code is so easy to understand and this way, you can adjust it to fit your needs. This was exactly what happened to me. Plus, there's no obvious bugs after all the "service packs" posted by helpful members who read that article. Very cool. I tested it on Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME and XP and it works correctly. I hereby nominate Luis Ortega for a free book too. :cool:

From Xeon's alter ego: Why, thank you, Xeon! Very nice! :) So, do you have anything else to say to dev-archive?

From Xeon: Yes, of course! Although I wasn't listed in the book, I am still a darn loyal member of dev-archive, and that will never change or fade in the centuries to come.

From Xeon's alter ego: I agree. We need loyal members like you.

From Xeon: Yes, true. Great minds think alike, Xeon's alter ego! :)
When I first joined dev-archive in 7/7/2000, I realised that I've found what my heart truly seeks all my life. Whether in war or in peace, I will always put dev-archive above self. My country can die, the world can rot. But dev-archive must never end up in such fate. In dev-archive...I trust.

From Xeon's alter ego: Very touching indeed. It must all be true. Just curious...will you buy the book if there's no chance for you to win it?

From Xeon: I would! Really! But as you can see, I've no credit card or access to telephone lines in the USA to purchase this Sacred Relic. If I really am gonna buy this book, it would be probably a couple of years from now where I'm richer and can afford a credit card or the like to purchase and import this book from overseas.

From Xeon's alter ego: What if you didn't win it?

From Xeon: My heart has already served dev-archive all my life, including it's members. It's Destiny's game if I didn't win it, but if I win it, I would need to purchase lots of insurance cos' I might get a heart attack of overly, total excitiment.
Believe it or not, none of my family members or me have ever won any sweepstakes or grand prizes in contests.(except lottery, of course)

From Xeon's alter ego: The drawing will take place in less than 2 hours time from now. Are you nervous?

From Xeon:

If I say I'm not nervous, I must be the worst liar on earth. So, yes. I'm very thrilled and excited. In particular, I really wish to offer my utmost gratitude, thanks, blessings and wishes to those who informed me of this thread even at the last hour. If he didn't bother to do that, I would never even know of this thread!

This is the kind of moderator we all love, and no. This is not sucking up or anything. If you get banned by him quite often, you'll realise that he has a sympathetic, understanding heart and a mind which is open to all sorts of possibilities. This is the kind of guy most people love to work with.

Anyway, I better hit the Submit button now or it's gonna be too late!

From Xeon's alter ego: Well then! Good luck and see you, Xeon!

From Xeon: See you, Xeon! :)

The winner is announced in today's dev-archive eNewsletter!

Can someone tell me who the winner is? Yves or PIM? Or Galathaea or Andreas? Or Bob?

I accidentally deleted the dev-archive newsletter away! :eek::eek::D:D

I'd subscribe, but my email 'rules' dictate that everything sent to my inbox is deleted...cuts down on my junk mail :) But could we change the winners criteria (and no I don't need a book but I might buy it outta spite :) ) ? I mean come on, posting a article would be take too much time ;) And articles as mentioned are only useful in the eyes of the 'needy' I could post how to hook the native system services but who would read it, not many, unless your into filter drivers and such (and its' already been posted google loves hooking)...it's all relative...how about how many chicken chop qoutes you have...now there's a standard...can you change my name to _ or _*^#$$&& ;)

Heh, kudos to all that Won...I'm certainly not diminishing your efforts...be nice to have a link to the articles they wrote...ok so that's my main comment, link the articles...I'd like to read them...ok call me lazy :)

Great :) Or shall I rather say, thank you very much Gabriel ? ;)

Xeon - Gabriel did not play tricks.

Brad!