My First GUI Program

[rar]

Hello

I'm working with Dev-C++ and I'm trying to create a program in C with a GUI. Being as I've never done this before, I start with their pre-made Windows application so that I can start with an idea of what code needs to be present for a program to have a GUI. Here is the code they give:

code:

#include <windows.h> /*  Declare Windows procedure  */ LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProcedure (HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM); /*  Make the class name into a global variable  */ char szClassName[ ] = "WindowsApp"; int WINAPI WinMain (HINSTANCE hThisInstance,                     HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,                     LPSTR lpszArgument,                     int nFunsterStil) {     HWND hwnd;               /* This is the handle for our window */     MSG messages;            /* Here messages to the application are saved */     WNDCLASSEX wincl;        /* Data structure for the windowclass */     /* The Window structure */     wincl.hInstance = hThisInstance;     wincl.lpszClassName = szClassName;     wincl.lpfnWndProc = WindowProcedure;      /* This function is called by windows */     wincl.style = CS_DBLCLKS;                 /* Catch double-clicks */     wincl.cbSize = sizeof (WNDCLASSEX);     /* Use default icon and mouse-pointer */     wincl.hIcon = LoadIcon (NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);     wincl.hIconSm = LoadIcon (NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);     wincl.hCursor = LoadCursor (NULL, IDC_ARROW);     wincl.lpszMenuName = NULL;                 /* No menu */     wincl.cbClsExtra = 0;                      /* No extra bytes after the window class */     wincl.cbWndExtra = 0;                      /* structure or the window instance */     /* Use Windows's default color as the background of the window */     wincl.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH) COLOR_BACKGROUND;     /* Register the window class, and if it fails quit the program */     if (!RegisterClassEx (&wincl))         return 0;     /* The class is registered, let's create the program*/     hwnd = CreateWindowEx (            0,                   /* Extended possibilites for variation */            szClassName,         /* Classname */            "Windows App title bar message/title",       /* Title Text */            WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, /* default window */            CW_USEDEFAULT,       /* Windows decides the position */            CW_USEDEFAULT,       /* where the window ends up on the screen */            500,                 /* The programs width */            500,                 /* and height in pixels */            HWND_DESKTOP,        /* The window is a child-window to desktop */            NULL,                /* No menu */            hThisInstance,       /* Program Instance handler */            NULL                 /* No Window Creation data */            );     /* Make the window visible on the screen */     ShowWindow (hwnd, nFunsterStil);     /* Run the message loop. It will run until GetMessage() returns 0 */     while (GetMessage (&messages, NULL, 0, 0))     {         /* Translate virtual-key messages into character messages */         TranslateMessage(&messages);         /* Send message to WindowProcedure */         DispatchMessage(&messages);     }     /* The program return-value is 0 - The value that PostQuitMessage() gave */     return messages.wParam; } /*  This function is called by the Windows function DispatchMessage()  */ LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProcedure (HWND hwnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {     switch (message)                  /* handle the messages */     {         case WM_DESTROY:             PostQuitMessage (0);       /* send a WM_QUIT to the message queue */             break;         default:                      /* for messages that we don't deal with */             return DefWindowProc (hwnd, message, wParam, lParam);     }     return 0; }

My first question, although probably not at all important at this stage, is
How do you enable a File menu (meaning the menu at the top that has File, Edit, Help, etc.)? I see code that says:

code:

NULL,                /* No menu */

Based on the comment, I'm assuming that NULL can be replaced in order to enable a menu, somehow. I'm just not sure what to replace it with.
This will be the best way for me to learn in the time that I have (being as I will soon be required to make a program with a GUI by a side job I'm working at) and I would like to learn from the code already given from Dev. So if anyone could help me out, it'd be much appreciated!!

[Tony]

Look up the .h file that has CreateWindowEx defined. Those have documentation... sometimes.

[rar]

This is what I found for windows.h in the files that came with Dev.

code:

/*         windows.h - main header file for the Win32 API         Written by Anders Norlander <anorland@hem2.passagen.se>         This file is part of a free library for the Win32 API.         This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,         but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of         MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. */ #ifndef _WINDOWS_H #define _WINDOWS_H #if __GNUC__ >=3 #pragma GCC system_header #endif /* translate GCC target defines to MS equivalents. Keep this synchronized    with winnt.h. */ #if defined(__i686__) && !defined(_M_IX86) #define _M_IX86 600 #elif defined(__i586__) && !defined(_M_IX86) #define _M_IX86 500 #elif defined(__i486__) && !defined(_M_IX86) #define _M_IX86 400 #elif defined(__i386__) && !defined(_M_IX86) #define _M_IX86 300 #endif #if defined(_M_IX86) && !defined(_X86_) #define _X86_ #elif defined(_M_ALPHA) && !defined(_ALPHA_) #define _ALPHA_ #elif defined(_M_PPC) && !defined(_PPC_) #define _PPC_ #elif defined(_M_MRX000) && !defined(_MIPS_) #define _MIPS_ #elif defined(_M_M68K) && !defined(_68K_) #define _68K_ #endif #ifdef RC_INVOKED /* winresrc.h includes the necessary headers */ #include <winresrc.h> #else #include <stdarg.h> #include <windef.h> #include <wincon.h> #include <winbase.h> #if !(defined NOGDI || defined  _WINGDI_H) #include <wingdi.h> #endif #ifndef _WINUSER_H #include <winuser.h> #endif #ifndef _WINNLS_H #include <winnls.h> #endif #ifndef _WINVER_H #include <winver.h> #endif #ifndef _WINNETWK_H #include <winnetwk.h> #endif #ifndef _WINREG_H #include <winreg.h> #endif #ifndef _WINSVC_H #include <winsvc.h> #endif #ifndef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN #include <cderr.h> #include <dde.h> #include <ddeml.h> #include <dlgs.h> #include <imm.h> #include <lzexpand.h> #include <mmsystem.h> #include <nb30.h> #include <rpc.h> #include <shellapi.h> #include <winperf.h> #ifndef NOGDI #include <commdlg.h> #include <winspool.h> #endif #if defined(Win32_Winsock) #warning "The  Win32_Winsock macro name is deprecated.\     Please use __USE_W32_SOCKETS instead" #ifndef __USE_W32_SOCKETS #define __USE_W32_SOCKETS #endif #endif #if defined(__USE_W32_SOCKETS) || !(defined(__CYGWIN__) || defined(__MSYS__) || defined(_UWIN)) #if (_WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0400) #include <winsock2.h> /*  * MS likes to include mswsock.h here as well,  * but that can cause undefined symbols if  * winsock2.h is included before windows.h  */ #else #include <winsock.h> #endif /*  (_WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0400) */ #endif #ifndef NOGDI #if !defined (__OBJC__) #if (__GNUC__ >= 3) || defined (__WATCOMC__) #include <ole2.h> #endif #endif /* __OBJC__ */ #endif #endif /* WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN */ #endif /* RC_INVOKED */ #ifdef __OBJC__ /* FIXME: Not undefining BOOL here causes all BOOLs to be WINBOOL (int),    but undefining it causes trouble as well if a file is included after    windows.h */ #undef BOOL #endif #endif

[rar]

With Google, however, I found this link:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms632679(VS.85).aspx

Which seems to explain the syntax for the function in question.

[BigBear]

Since your using dev C++ and want to start learning graphics I would suggest going to

Tools -> Check for Updates/Packages...

Then select devpacks.org and Check for Updates

then select Allegro and install it.

Once it is installed go to new -> Project then select the multimedia tab and allegro.

and you can start using the allegro graphics library

documentation found here

http://www.allegro.cc/manual/

[TerranceN]

I agree with BigBear, use Allegro or SDL or SOMETHING other than the Win32 API if you can. Win32 is pointlessly confusing, but if you insist here is a tutorial on adding menus.