Visual C++ and MFC Programming 2nd Edition

Chapter 12: Dialog-Based Windows Visual C++ and MFC Fundamentals

10.1.5..Frame Display Options.......................................................................

The nCmdShow argument of the WinMain() function specifies whether and how you

want to display the window when the user attempts to open it. This is a constant value

that is actually passed to a function that is in charge of displaying the window.

Its possible values are:

Value Description

SW_SHOW Displays a window and makes it visible

SW_SHOWNORMAL Displays the window in its regular size. In most

circumstances, the operating system keeps track of the

last location and size a window such as Internet

Explorer or My Computer had the last time it was

displaying. This value allows the OS to restore it.

SW_SHOWMINIMIZED Opens the window in its minimized state, representing

it as a button on the taskbar

SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED Opens the window in its maximized state

SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE Opens the window but displays only its icon. It does

not make it active

SW_SHOWNA As previous

SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE Retrieves the window's previous size and location and

displays it accordingly

SW_HIDE Used to hide a window

SW_MINIMIZE Shrinks the window and reduces it to a button on the

taskbar

SW_MAXIMIZE Maximizes the window to occupy the whole screen

area

SW_RESTORE If the window was minimized or maximized, it would

be restored to its previous location and size

One of the ways you can use this value is to pass it to the WinExec() Win32 function

which can be used to open an application. The syntax of this function is:

UINT WinExec(LPCSTR lpCmdLine, UINT nCmdShow);

The lpCmdLine argument is a null-terminated string that specifies either the name of the

application or its complete path.

In the following example, the SW_MAXIMIZE nCmdShow value is passed to the

WinExec() function to open Solitaire maximized:

void CWindowDlg::OnOpenSolitaire()

{

WinExec("SOL.EXE", SW_MAXIMIZE);

}

10.1.6..Window Class Initialization..............................................................

A win32 application is built using either the WNDCLASS or the WNDCLASSEX

classes.

The WNDCLASS class is defined as follows:

typedef struct _WNDCLASS {

UINT style;