ATL Window Classes

ATL contains several classes that allow you to use and implement windows. These classes, like other ATL classes, provide an efficient implementation that does not impose an overhead on your code.

• CWindow allows you to attach a window handle to the CWindow object. You then call CWindow methods to manipulate the window.
  
  
• CWindowImpl allows you to implement a new window and process messages with a message map. You can create a window based on a new Windows class, superclass an existing class, or subclass an existing window.
  
  
• CDialogImpl allows you to implement a modal or a modeless dialog box and process messages with a message map.
  
  
• CContainedWindow is a pre-built class that implements a window whose message map is contained in another class. Using CContainedWindow allows you to centralize message processing in one class.
  
  
• CAxDialogImpl allows you to implement a dialog box (modal or modeless) that hosts ActiveX controls.
  
  
• CSimpleDialog allows you to implement a dialog box (modal or modeless) with basic functionality.
  
  
• CAxWindow allows you to implement a window that hosts an ActiveX control.
  
  
• In addition to specific window classes, ATL provides several classes designed to make the implementation of an ATL window object easier. They are as follows:
  
  
• CWndClassInfo manages the information of a new window class.
  
  
• CWinTraits and CWinTraitsOR provide a simple method of standardizing the traits of an ATL window object.

This article explains how to use the ATL window classes. Topics covered include:

• Using a window
  
  
• Implementing a window
  
  
• Implementing a dialog box
  
  
• Using contained windows