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Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to the Win32 API
$47.99 [Print]

Table of Contents

Part I: The Windows API

1. DLL's and API's

• Moving from DOS to Windows
• Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL's)
• Application Programmer's Interfaces (API's)
• The Different Flavors of Windows
• A Universe of extension libraries.
• The Different Flavors of Visual Basic (VBA)

2. Getting a Handle on Windows

• Relating Visual Basic to Windows
• Inside Windows
• Graphic Output in Windows
• A Handle for Every Object
• The Next Step

3. The Visual Basic - Windows Interface

• The Declare Statement
• Unicode, ANSI and Aliases
• DLL Parameters
• How API/DLL Calls Work

4. Real World API Programming

• Programming Techniques
• Translating API Documentation to Visual Basic (Part 1 - Functions)
• Writing programs for 16 & 32 bit platforms.
• Porting existing 16 bit code
• Translating API Documentation to Visual Basic (Part 2 - Files & Structures)
• Debugging API code
• 10 Commandments for API Programming (revised)

Part II: Windows API Functions

5. Windows Control and Information Functions

• Rectangle and Point Functions
• Window Control and Information Functions
• Window Style Reference
• Function Reference

6. Hardware and System Functions

• Mouse, Cursor and Caret Functions
• Keyboard and other Input Functions
• Time Functions
• System Information and Control Functions
• The SysInfo Example
• Simulating Keystrokes and Mouse Events
• Function Reference

7. Device Contexts

• Introduction to Device Contexts
• Device Context Information Functions
• Scaling and Coordinate Systems
• Clipping, Regions and Other Device Context Functions
• Function Reference

8. Drawing Functions

• Overview of Graphic Output
• GDI Drawing Objects
• Drawing Attributes
• Drawing Functions
• Paths
• Bringing it all together: Learning through examples.
• Metafiles
• Bringing it all together II: Additional examples.
• Function Reference

9. Bitmaps , Icons and Raster Operations

• Bitmaps
• Device Dependent Bitmaps
• Device Independent Bitmaps
• Icons and Cursors
• Raster Operations
• Examples
• Function Reference

10. Working with Menus

• Inside the menuing System
• Using the Menu API Functions with VB
• Examples
• Function Reference

11. Text and Fonts

• Using Fonts
• Drawing Text
• Examples
• Function Reference

12. Printing

• Printing in Windows
• Printing and Visual Basic
• Printer Settings and the DEVMODE Structure
• Controlling the Print Spooler
• Examples
• Functions Reference

13. File Functions

• Initialization Files
• The System Registry
• File and Directory Operations
• File Mappings (Is it file, or is it memory?)
• VersionStamping
• Examples
• Function Reference

14. Processes and Threads

• Processes, Threads and Instances
• System and Synchronization Objects
• Launching Applications
• InterProcess Communication
• Function Reference

15. Strings, Structures , Memory and Resources Management

• Memory and Strings
• The Visual Basic - Windows Interface: The hardcore version
• Resources
• Atoms and Properties
• Function Reference

Part III: Windows Messages

 16. General Windows Messages

• Message Handling
• Messages That are Useful with Visual Basic
• Message Reference

17. Edit Control Messages

• The Text Control
• Notification Messages
• Edit Control Messages

18. Listbox and Combobox Messages

• The List Control
• The Combo Box Control
• Button Controls
• Notification Messages
• Edit Control Messages
• Combo Box Messages
• List Box Control Messages
• Button Control Messages

Part IV: Real World API Programming Revisited

 19. Using API Calls From VB: A Tradeoff in Software Design

• Using the Windows API To Improve Performance
• Power versus Safety when using the Windows API
• Design Choices
• Learning through Experimentation

20. Building an API Class Library

• Class Library Implementation
• Using The Class Library

Bonus Chapters (CD-ROM only)

Chapter 21 Serial Communications

Chapter 22 Network API Functions

Chapter 23 Building an API Type Library

Appendices

• A - Using APIGID32.DLL, DWCBK32D.OCX and DWSBC32D.OCX.
• B - Windows Data Structures (CD-ROM)
• C - Windows File Formats
• D - Visual Basic to DLL Calling Conventions: A Technical Review
• E - Raster Operation Table (CD-ROM)

CD-ROM includes the following:

• All sample code shown in the book, plus additional samples not included in the text. Most samples are provided in both VB4 and VB5 versions.
• Bonus chapters 21-23 .
• A full text searchable electronic edition of the book.
• Back issues of the Desaware Visual Basic Bulletin
• Past articles by the author from Pinnacle's Visual Basic Developer newsletter and the Visual Basic Programmer's Journal.
• The Desaware API Toolkit including an API database and add-in program
• The Desaware API Class Library.
• Desaware's online catalog including demonstration controls and programs.