WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC

This message is sent to the parent window of a static control when the control is about to be drawn. By responding to this message, the parent window can use the specified device context handle to set the text and background colors of the static control.

At a Glance

Header file:	Winuser.h
Windows CE versions:	2.0 and later

Syntax

WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC hdcStatic = (HDC) wParam; hwndStatic = (HWND) lParam;

Parameters

hdcStatic

Handle to the device context for the static control window.

hwndStatic

Handle to the static control.

Return Values

If an application processes this message, the return value is a handle to a brush that the system uses to paint the background of the static control.

Default Action

The DefWindowProc function selects the default system colors for the static control.

Remarks

Edit controls that are not read-only or disabled do not send the WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC message; instead, they send the WM_CTLCOLOREDIT message. However, for compatibility purposes, the system sends the WM_CTLCOLOREDIT message for read-only and disabled edit controls if the application was designed for Windows 3.1 or earlier.

The system does not automatically destroy the returned brush. It is the application's responsibility to destroy the brush when it is no longer needed.

The WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC message is never sent between threads; it is sent only within the same thread.

If a dialog box procedure handles this message, it should cast the desired return value to a BOOL and return the value directly. If the dialog box procedure returns FALSE, then default message handling is performed. The DWL_MSGRESULT value set by the SetWindowLong function is ignored.