The simplest way to scroll the content of a client area is to erase and then redraw it. This is the method an application is likely to use with SB_PAGEUP, SB_PAGEDOWN, and SB_TOP notification messages, which typically require completely new content.
For some notification messages, such as SB_LINEUP and SB_LINEDOWN, not all the content need be erased, because some remains visible after scrolling occurs. The ScrollWindowEx function preserves a portion of the client area's content, move the preserved portion a specified amount, and then prepares the rest of the client area for painting new information. ScrollWindowEx uses the BitBlt function to move a specific part of the data object to a new location within the client area. Any uncovered part of the client area (anything not preserved) is invalidated, erased, and painted when the next WM_PAINT message occurs.
The ScrollWindowEx function can be used to exclude a portion of the client area from the scrolling operation. This keeps items with fixed positions, such as child windows, from moving within the client area. It automatically invalidates the portion of the client area that is to receive the new information, so the application does not have to compute its own clipping regions. For more information on clipping, see Clipping.
Usually an application scrolls the content of a window in the direction opposite that indicated by the scroll bar. For example, when the user clicks the shaft in the area below the scroll box, an application scrolls the object in the window upward to reveal a portion of the object that is below the visible portion.
You can also scroll a rectangular region using the ScrollDC function.