WINDOW EXTENDED STYLES

This parameter can be one of the following values:

WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES Specifies that a window created with this style accepts drag-drop files.

WS_EX_APPWINDOW Forces a top-level window onto the taskbar when the window is minimized.

WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE Specifies that a window has a border with a sunken edge.

WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP Includes a question mark in the title bar of the window. When the user clicks the question mark, the cursor changes to a question mark with a pointer. If the user then clicks a child window, the child receives a WM_HELP message. The child window should pass the message to the parent window procedure, which should call the WinHelp function using the HELP_WM_HELP command. The Help application displays a pop-up window that typically contains help for the child window.

WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP cannot be used with the WS_MAXIMIZEBOX or WS_MINIMIZEBOX styles.

WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT Allows the user to navigate among the child windows of the window by using the TAB key.

WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME Creates a window that has a double border; the window can, optionally, be created with a title bar by specifying the WS_CAPTION style in the Style parameter.

WS_EX_LAYERED Windows 2000 or later: Creates a layered window. Note that this cannot be used for child windows. Also, this cannot be used if the window has a class style of either CS_OWNDC or CS_CLASSDC.

WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL Windows 2000 and the Arabic and Hebrew versions of Windows 98 and Windows Me: Creates a window whose horizontal origin is on the right edge. Increasing horizontal values advance to the left.

WS_EX_LEFT Window has generic "left-aligned" properties. This is the default.

WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR If the shell language is Hebrew, Arabic, or another language that supports reading order alignment, the vertical scroll bar (if present) is to the left of the client area. For other languages, the style is ignored and not treated as an error.

WS_EX_LTRREADING The window text is displayed using Left to Right reading-order properties. This is the default.

WS_EX_MDICHILD Creates an MDI child window.

WS_EX_NOACTIVATE Windows 2000 or later: A top-level window created with this style does not become the foreground window when the user clicks it. The system does not bring this window to the foreground when the user minimizes or closes the foreground window. To activate the window, use the SetActiveWindow or SetForegroundWindow function. The window does not appear on the taskbar by default. To force the window to appear on the taskbar, use the WS_EX_APPWINDOW style.

WS_EX_NOINHERITLAYOUT Windows 2000 or later: A window created with this style does not pass its window layout to its child windows.

WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY Specifies that a child window created with this style does not send the WM_PARENTNOTIFY message to its parent window when it is created or destroyed.

WS_EX_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW Combines the WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE and WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE styles.

WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW Combines the WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE, WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW, and WS_EX_TOPMOST styles.

WS_EX_RIGHT Window has generic "right-aligned" properties. This depends on the window class. This style has an effect only if the shell language is Hebrew, Arabic, or another language that supports reading order alignment; otherwise, the style is ignored and not treated as an error.

WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR Vertical scroll bar (if present) is to the right of the client area. This is the default.

WS_EX_RTLREADING If the shell language is Hebrew, Arabic, or another language that supports reading order alignment, the window text is displayed using Right to Left reading-order properties. For other languages, the style is ignored and not treated as an error.

WS_EX_STATICEDGE Creates a window with a three-dimensional border style intended to be used for items that do not accept user input.

WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW Creates a tool window; that is, a window intended to be used as a floating toolbar. A tool window has a title bar that is shorter than a normal title bar, and the window title is drawn using a smaller font. A tool window does not appear in the taskbar or in the dialog that appears when the user presses ALT+TAB.

WS_EX_TOPMOST Specifies that a window created with this style should be placed above all non-topmost windows and should stay above them, even when the window is deactivated. To add or remove this style, use the SetWindowPos function.

WS_EX_TRANSPARENT Specifies that a window created with this style is to be transparent. That is, any windows that are beneath the window are not obscured by the window. A window created with this style receives WM_PAINT messages only after all sibling windows beneath it have been updated.

WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE Specifies that a window has a border with a raised edge.

Using the WS_EX_RIGHT style for static or edit controls has the same effect as using the SS_RIGHT or ES_RIGHT style, respectively. Using this style with button controls has the same effect as using BS_RIGHT and BS_RIGHTBUTTON styles.