Extended Window Styles

Description & Usage

The extended window styles identify additional features or styles which windows can take on. Most of the extended window styles only really take effect when they are specified at the time the window is created. The only reason why these are not included with the regular window styles is because all the flag bits for regular window styles are already in use.

Visual Basic-Specific Issues

None.

Extended Window Styles

WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES

The window accepts files via a drag-and-drop operation.

WS_EX_APPWINDOW

The window also appears on the taskbar whenever it is visible.

WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE

The window has a border with a sunken edge.

WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP

A context-help button appears on the title bar. This cannot be used with the WS_MAXIMIZEBOX or WS_MINIMIZEBOX regular window styles.

WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT

The window contains children which can be TABbed through.

WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME

The window has a modal dialog frame (a double border).

WS_EX_LAYERED

Windows 2000: The window is a layered window.

WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL

Windows 2000: The window's coordinate system places the horizontal origin on the right side, with increasing x values to the left and decreasing x values to the right.

WS_EX_LEFT

The window has generic left-aligned properties.

WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR

If the language supports reading order alignment, position the vertical scroll bar (if any) to the left of the client area.

WS_EX_LTRREADING

Display window text using left-to-right reading.

WS_EX_MDICHILD

The window is an MDI child window.

WS_EX_NOACTIVATE

Windows 2000: The window is never brought to the foreground as a result of direct user action.

WS_EX_NOINHERITLAYOUT

Windows 2000: Do not pass the window's layout to its child windows.

WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTRIFY

If the window is a child window, do not notify the parent window when the child window is created or destroyed.

WS_EX_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW

The window has the border of a typical overlapped window.

WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW

The window is a topmost toolbar window with a raised edge, normally used for a floating palette.

WS_EX_RIGHT

The window has generic right-aligned properties, if the language supports reading order alignment.

WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR

Display the vertical scroll bar (if any) to the right of the client area.

WS_EX_RTLREADING

Display window text using right-to-left reading, if the language supports reading order alignment.

WS_EX_STATICEDGE

The window has a three-dimensional border intended for items which do not accept user input.

WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW

The window is designed to be a floating toolbar window, having a small title bar area.

WS_EX_TOPMOST

The window appears above all non-topmost windows, even if it is not active.

WS_EX_TRANSPARENT

The window appears transparent because its sibling windows below it are drawn first.

WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE

The window has a border with a raised edge.

Constant Definitions

Const WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES = &H10
Const WS_EX_APPWINDOW = &H40000
Const WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE = &H200
Const WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP = &H400
Const WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT = &H10000
Const WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME = &H1
' Const WS_EX_LAYERED = ???
' Const WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL = ???
Const WS_EX_LEFT = &H0
Const WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR = &H4000
Const WS_EX_LTRREADING = &H0
Const WS_EX_MDICHILD = &H40
' Const WS_EX_NOACTIVATE = ???
' Const WS_EX_NOINHERITLAYOUT = ???
Const WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY = &H4
Const WS_EX_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW = &H300
Const WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW = &H188
Const WS_EX_RIGHT = &H1000
Const WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR = &H0
Const WS_EX_RTLREADING = &H2000
Const WS_EX_STATICEDGE = &H20000
Const WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW = &H80
Const WS_EX_TOPMOST = &H8
Const WS_EX_TRANSPARENT = &H20
Const WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE = &H100

Used By

GetWindowLong, SetWindowLong

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Last Modified: August 29, 1999
This page is copyright © 1999 Paul Kuliniewicz. Copyright Information