Introduction

This manual, Microsoft Windows Programmer's Reference, Volume 1, describes different interface functions and extension libraries supported by the MicrosoftÒ WindowsÔ operating system. It also includes application notes describing special Windows features for applications. The appendix provides a listing of module and library names for Windows functions.

Part 1, “Windows Management, Graphics, and Systems Services,” presents functions that relate to window management, graphics output, and system services. Window manager functions process messages; create, move, or alter a window; or create system output. Graphics device interface (GDI) functions perform device-independent graphics operations, such as the creation of line, text, and bitmap output on different output devices. System services functions perform operations such as accessing code and data in modules, allocating and managing memory, translating strings, and creating and opening files.

Part 2, “Extension Libraries,” describes the libraries that support many of the
features new to Windows version 3.1. These new features include common dia-log boxes; management functions that simplify dynamic data exchange (DDE);
object linking and embedding (OLE); such shell enhancements as the registration database and the drag-drop feature; tool helper functions that streamline the creation of Windows-hosted tools; data decompression functions; a stress-testing facility that artificially consumes system resources and can be used when debugging applications; file installation functions; functions that allow an application to make use of the 32-bit memory-addressing capabilities of 80386 and 80486 processors; floating-point emulation; and the screen saver that is built into Control Panel.

Part 3, “Application Notes,” describes techniques an application should use to
implement some Windows features and enhancements. This part of the manual
explains how to create a Control Panel application, how to create and install
extensions for File Manager, how to use the dynamic-data exchange interface of Program Manager, how to make applications country- and language-independent, how to write network applications, how to integrate Windows applications with Microsoft MS-DOSÒ functions, how to write a compiler that generates Windows prolog and epilog code, how to initialize and start Windows applications, how to improve the video performance of Windows applications, how to write self-loading Windows applications, and how to interact with installable drivers.

The appendix lists the module and library for each Windows function.