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- README.TXT
-
- Release Notes for
-
- Microsoft (R) Windows Programmer's Online Resource
-
- (C) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1992
-
-
-
- ===============================================================================
- Contents
- ===============================================================================
-
- Part Description
- ---- -----------
-
- 1 Contents of the Windows API Reference
-
- 2 Using APIXREF.HLP
-
- 3 Using WINAPI.TXT
-
- 4 Using WINSDK.HLP
-
-
-
- ===============================================================================
- Part 1: Contents of This Package
- ===============================================================================
-
- This package includes the following files:
-
- APIXREF.HLP Windows API Cross-Reference Help
- --------------------------------
- A Microsoft Windows Help file that provides a cross-reference
- to the functions and constants in the Microsoft Windows 3.0
- Applications Programming Interface (API).
-
- README.TXT The file you are now reading
- ----------------------------
-
- WINAPI.TXT Windows API Declarations and Constants
- --------------------------------------
- A plain ASCII text file containing the functions and constants
- in the Microsoft Windows 3.0 API, declared in the format used
- by Microsoft Visual Basic (TM).
-
-
- WINSDK.HLP Windows Software Development Kit API Help
- -----------------------------------------
- A Microsoft Windows Help file containing complete reference
- information for the functions, messages, and data structures
- in the Microsoft Windows API. This is the same file that is
- shipped with the Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit.
-
-
-
-
-
- ===============================================================================
- Part 2: Using APIXREF.HLP
- ===============================================================================
-
- APIXREF.HLP is a Microsoft Windows Help file. Open it by clicking
- on the WIN API X-REF Icon installed in the Professional Toolkit group in
- the Windows Program Manager.
-
-
- APIXREF.HLP includes:
- o Windows API routines listed alphabetically and grouped by first letter.
-
- o Windows API routines listed alphabetically and grouped by DLL.
-
- o Constants used by the Windows API, together with their values (as given
- in the WINDOWS.H file supplied with the Microsoft Windows 3.0 SDK) listed
- alphabetically and grouped by first letter.
-
-
-
- ===============================================================================
- Part 3: Using WINAPI.TXT
- ===============================================================================
-
- WINAPI.TXT is a text file that supplies declarations for Microsoft Visual Basic
- programmers who want to call Windows API routines.
-
- It includes:
- o External procedure declarations for all the Microsoft Windows API functions
- that can be called from Visual Basic.
-
- o Global constant declarations for all the constants used by the Microsoft
- Windows API.
-
- o Type declarations for the user-defined types (structures) used by the
- Microsoft Windows API.
-
- WINAPI.TXT is too large to be loaded directly into a Visual Basic module.
- Attempting to load it directly into Visual Basic will cause an "Out of Memory"
- error message.
-
- WINAPI.TXT is also too large for the Notepad editor supplied with Microsoft
- Windows, but it can be loaded by Microsoft Write. To use WINAPI.TXT, load it
- into an editor (such as Microsoft Write) that can handle large files. Copy
- the declarations you want and paste them into the global module in your Visual
- Basic application.
-
- NOTE: some of the Windows API declarations are very long. Some editors will
- wrap these onto a second line, and will copy them as multiple lines rather
- than a single line. Declarations in Visual Basic cannot span lines, so if
- you paste these as multiple lines Visual Basic will report an error.
- If this happens, you can either adjust the margins in the editor before
- copying, or remove the line break after pasting.
-
- The global module is the recommended place for the declarations that you copy
- from the WINAPI.TXT file. However, you can place the external procedure
- declarations in the Declarations section of any form or module. You can also
- place the constant declarations anywhere in any module or form code if you
- remove the Global keyword. Type declarations must be placed in the global
- module.
-
- Once you have pasted the declaration for a Windows API routine (as well as any
- associated constant and type declarations) into your application, you can call
- that routine as you would call any Visual Basic procedure.
-
- For more information about declaring and calling external procedures, see
- Chapter 23, "Extending Visual Basi,c" in the Visual Basic "Programmer's Guide."
-
- WARNING
- -------
- Visual Basic cannot verify the data you pass to Microsoft Windows API routines.
- Calling a Microsoft Windows API routine with an invalid argument can result
- in unpredictable behavior: your application, Visual Basic, or Windows could
- crash or hang. When experimenting with Windows API routines, save your work
- often.
-
-
-
- ===============================================================================
- Part 4: Using WINSDK.HLP
- ===============================================================================
-
- WINSDK.HLP is a Microsoft Windows Help file. Open it by double-clicking on
- the WIN SDK HELP icon in Professional Toolkit group in the Windows Program
- Manager.
-
- WINSDK.HLP provides detailed information about each of the functions, messages,
- and data structures in the Microsoft Windows API.
-