Changes in Store

As the function count for the Windows API Guide reaches the 200 mark (at least as writing this July 19, 1999), I have decided to make multiple changes to the site to improve its usefulness and completeness. This revision will slowly progress over time, since I can't possibly revise 230+ files in a week or two. Instead, I will steadily revise existing pages during each update, gradually giving the site a facelift. But don't worry; I will continue to add new function listings to the API Guide alongside the revised pages, and the updates will of course be in the "new" format.

So what can you expect from the "new" Windows API Guide? The following list should encompass all of the changes which will take place during the revision:

• Platform Information Updates -- While the guide currently identifies if each listed function is available on three Windows platforms (Windows 32s, Windows 95/98, and Windows NT), this approach is increasingly simplistic and outdated. The guide will no longer identify Windows 32s support (as it is rather outdated). It will identify Windows 95 and Windows 98 support independently; although the two platforms are 97% identical, there are some differences which haven't been noted satisfactorily. Also, Windows CE (for handheld devices) will also appear. And even though as of writing this Windows 2000 is still in beta testing only and has yet to be officially released, I will include its support of each function as well. Differences between platform implementations of a single function will also be more clearly noted.
• Increased Clarity of Function Descriptions -- The guide currently uses a single paragraph to explain the function's purpose, its usage, its return value, and any Visual Basic-specific issues. This format hurts prevents more complicated functions from being readily understood. The paragraph will now be split into three main sections: its purpose and usage, the significance of its return value (if it returns a value), and any Visual Basic-specific issues. An additional benefit of this breakup will be to allow non-Visual Basic users to benefit from the site without concerning themselves with Visual Basic quirks which have no importance to them and only threaten to increase confusion.
• Elimination of Alternate Declares -- Currently, the guide sometimes uses "alternate declares" for some functions in order to work around some quirks usually resulting from Visual Basic's API implementation. Revised pages will make more liberal usage of the Any keyword, eliminating the need for the strict data type declaration in the Declares. Unfortunately, this will have a side effect of requiring a deeper explanation of Visual Basic-related issues, but the above reform should adequately compensate.
• Expanded Definition List -- Sadly, the current "definition list" is almost a joke, explaining pitifully few terms. This feature will be completely reworked, providing definitions for a wide variety of terms used throughout the guide. Also, whenever these words appear in the function pages (or at least the first time on each page), a link will be provided to jump directly to that term's definition. This reform should remove the inconsistency of quasi-defining a term on some function pages and not on others.
• Separate Index Pages -- Currently, the alphabetical and categorical function listings reside on the same page. This will be split, placing the categorical list on a separate page. This change will significantly reduce the time it takes to load the main index page. (During the period where the revisions are not yet completed, the categorical list will appear both on the main index and as a separate page, preventing non-revised function pages from developing broken links.)
• Stand-Alone Declaration Viewer -- Visual Basic ships with a utility called the "API Text Viewer", which allows the Visual Basic user to quickly copy pertinent API declarations, types, and constants into his or her code. The site will provide this viewer for download along with Microsoft's text document listing the calls. But because Microsoft's information is inaccurate (there are incorrect declarations, and some functions, structures, and constants are mysteriously not listed), I will also provide my own document listing all of the things covered in this guide. This will greatly help those of you who use many functions from this guide but suffer the time-consuming task of copying and pasting from multiple pages. Unfortunately, my API list will not be available until the revision is complete (as I will be adding the pertinent declarations and such as I revise the pages, and it won't be complete before then).
• Better Introduction -- I hope to expand the site introduction to multiple pages. There will be separate pages dealing with the API in general, Visual Basic's implementation of the API, how to use the site for other programming languages, and other useful information which will greatly help everyone understand the site. This may surface at any time during the revision process.
• Modification Dates -- Currently, I only have the date on which the guide was last updated. During the revision process, I will being to place the date on which I created or last edited each individual page. Of course these dates will usually not coincide with site update dates (since I work on the site in some way at least one every few days, while I upload the files weekly at best).
• Copyright Information -- A while ago I found multiple sites which were pirating copies of the entire API Guide without any authorization. (The only two legitimate sites were the old AOL site and this current FortuneCity site.) I will now include copyright information on every page on the guide to make it explicitly clear that these pages are my own work and that any unauthorized mirroring will be persecuted under United States as well as international copyright law. I wish it wouldn't be necessary to do this, but I still get e-mail at my old address who have been visiting these pirate sites and are stuck with an inferior and outdated version of the site (most of the pirates only have less than half of the information now contained on the site!). And if this continues, I may have no choice but to remove the zip archive of the site. Again, I hope it doesn't have to come to that, but I'm willing to do it to protect my work.
• Links -- Although few API information sites that aren't mere carbon-copies of Microsoft's informative but technical API information (which is geared toward Visual C++ users instead) are hard to find, I will make an effort to include any good links I can find on my site. Although I will continue to work to make this site as complete as possible, I obviously can't cover everything myself.
• Internal Changes -- You the visitor won't likely notice any changes resulting from this. Some of the HTML code making up this site will be fine-tuned to better describe what it is doing. This will really only benefit me, but this big revision seems a good time to do this maintainance.
• Update Notification (Possible) -- For a time, I had an e-mail list which I used to notify guide users whenever I added new functions. Unfortunately, it was too successful; the large list became two bulky to handle and I had no choice but to drop it. I am considering using NetMind to handle a notification service for the site, but I am still undecided about using it and it may appear (if at all) at any time during the revision process.

Until the revision process is complete, you may notice that different function pages seem to be in different formats. You'll have to put up with it until the revision is complete. If you're interested, I'll be revising the functions alphabetically. Thank you for your patronage and you patience. As always, feel free to e-mail me about anything relating to the Windows API or to the site.

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