WINDOWPLACEMENT

The WINDOWPLACEMENT structure contains information about the placement of a window on the screen.

typedef struct _WINDOWPLACEMENT { 
    UINT  length; 
    UINT  flags; 
    UINT  showCmd; 
    POINT ptMinPosition; 
    POINT ptMaxPosition; 
    RECT  rcNormalPosition; 
} WINDOWPLACEMENT; 
 

Members

length
Specifies the length, in bytes, of the structure. Before calling the GetWindowPlacement or SetWindowPlacement functions, set this member to sizeof(WINDOWPLACEMENT).

GetWindowPlacement and SetWindowPlacement fail if this member is not set correctly.

flags
Specifies flags that control the position of the minimized window and the method by which the window is restored. This member can be one or both of the following values:
Value Meaning
WPF_RESTORETOMAXIMIZED
Specifies that the restored window will be maximized, regardless of whether it was maximized before it was minimized. This setting is only valid the next time the window is restored. It does not change the default restoration behavior. This flag is only valid when the SW_SHOWMINIMIZED value is specified for the showCmd member.
WPF_SETMINPOSITION
Specifies that the coordinates of the minimized window may be specified. This flag must be specified if the coordinates are set in the ptMinPosition member.

showCmd
Specifies the current show state of the window. This member can be one of the following values:
Value Meaning
SW_HIDE Hides the window and activates another window.
SW_MINIMIZE Minimizes the specified window and activates the top-level window in the system's list.
SW_RESTORE Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, the system restores it to its original size and position (same as SW_SHOWNORMAL).
SW_SHOW Activates a window and displays it in its current size and position.
SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED Activates a window and displays it as a maximized window.
SW_SHOWMINIMIZED Activates a window and displays it as an icon.
SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE Displays a window as an icon. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNA Displays a window in its current state. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE Displays a window in its most recent size and position. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNORMAL Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, the system restores it to its original size and position (same as SW_RESTORE).

ptMinPosition
Specifies the coordinates of the window's upper-left corner when the window is minimized.
ptMaxPosition
Specifies the coordinates of the window's upper-left corner when the window is maximized.
rcNormalPosition
Specifies the window's coordinates when the window is in the restored position.

Remarks

If the window is a top-level window that does not have the WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW window style, then the coordinates represented by the following members are in workspace coordinates: ptMinPosition, ptMaxPosition, and rcNormalPosition. Otherwise, these members are in screen coordinates.

Workspace coordinates differ from screen coordinates in that they take the locations and sizes of appbars (including the taskbar) into account. Workspace coordinate (0,0) is the upper-left corner of the "workspace area", the area of the screen not being used by appbars.

The coordinates used in a WINDOWPLACEMENT structure should be used only by the GetWindowPlacement and SetWindowPlacement functions. Passing workspace coordinates to functions which expect screen coordinates (such as SetWindowPos) will result in the window appearing in the wrong location. For example, if the taskbar is at the top of the screen, saving window coordinates using GetWindowPlacement and restoring them using SetWindowPos causes the window to appear to "creep" up the screen.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in winuser.h.

See Also

Windows Overview, Window Structures, GetWindowPlacement, SetWindowPlacement, SetWindowPos, ShowWindow, POINT, RECT