Get HWND of Application (No Window)

The program doesn't have a window. It just calls WinMain and runs the code.

int APIENTRY WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance,HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,LPSTR lpCmdLine,int nCmdShow)
{
// Code here
}

etc

So to send messages to an application, the application has to have a window?? In that case, what is the easiest way to create an invisible window, I'm using just Win32 C++. Should I use CreateWindow()?

So to send messages to an application, the application has to have a window?? In that case, what is the easiest way to create an invisible window, I'm using just Win32 C++. Should I use CreateWindow()?

If you want to use ::SendMessage()/::PostMessage() then yes you must have a window for that.

You can use other IPC mechanism that doesnt use hwnd. For more info look here: Interprocess Communications (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/ipc/base/interprocess_communications.asp).

Cheers

Why does the following code not give me a HWND, I used Spy++ and searched for the name of my program "Big Brother" in both the Caption and Class Name, but I found nothing.

/* OTHER DECLARATIONS HERE */
TCHAR *szTitle = "Big Brother";
TCHAR *szWindowClass = "Big Brother";
BOOL InitInstance(HINSTANCE hInstance, int nCmdShow);

int APIENTRY WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance,HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,LPSTR lpCmdLine,int nCmdShow)
{
InitInstance(hInstance, nCmdShow);
/* OTHER CODE HERE */
}

BOOL InitInstance(HINSTANCE hInstance, int nCmdShow)
{
HWND hWnd;

hInst = hInstance; // Store instance handle in our global variable

hWnd = CreateWindow(szWindowClass, szTitle, WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
CW_USEDEFAULT, 0, CW_USEDEFAULT, 0, NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL);

if (!hWnd)
{
return FALSE;
}

return TRUE;
}

BOOL CALLBACK DialogProc (HWND hwnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{

switch (message)
{
case WM_INITDIALOG:
return TRUE;

case WM_COMMAND:
switch (LOWORD(wParam))
{

}
return TRUE;

case WM_DESTROY:
PostQuitMessage(0);
return TRUE;

case WM_CLOSE:
PostQuitMessage(0);
return TRUE;
case WM_TIMER:
TimerCall();
return TRUE;
}

return FALSE;
}

You have to register the window class ( http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/ms633586.aspx) before CreateWindow.

I should probably also use ShowWindow I just realised, because at the moment all I have is a handle, I havn't shown it. "ShowWindow(hWnd,SW_HIDE)"??

But It's a Message Only window, you can still see the Title and Class using SW_HIDE can't you, it doesn't need to be shown? (It's a message only window keep in mind)

use "STATIC" in the window class

I'm sorry, I don't understand, is that a reply to my question or something else? Can you please be more specific, I don't know where to put "STATIC".

I'm not new to Windows Programming in general, I'm just used to using lanuages like VB and C# where most of the low level stuff is done for you, I've also never had a need to create a Message Only window until now. Although you are correct in saying I'm new to Windows Programming for C++, I'll be sure to check out that book.