Symbol

Meaning

%DS_3DLOOK

Gives the dialog box a nonbold font, and draws three-dimensional borders around control windows in the dialog box. The DS_3DLOOK style is required only by applications compiled for Windows NT 3.51. The system automatically applies the three-dimensional look to dialog boxes created by applications compiled for Windows 95/98/Me and later versions of Windows NT.

%DS_ABSALIGN

Indicates that the coordinates of the dialog box are screen coordinates. If this style is not specified, the coordinates are client coordinates.

%DS_CENTER

Centers the dialog box in the working area of the monitor that contains the owner window. If no owner window is specified, the dialog box is centered in the working area of a monitor determined by the system. The working area is the area not obscured by the taskbar or any appbars.

%DS_CENTERMOUSE

Centers the dialog box on the mouse cursor.

%DS_CONTEXTHELP

Includes a question mark in the title bar of the dialog box. When the user clicks the question mark, the cursor changes to a question mark with a pointer. If the user then clicks a control in the dialog box, the control receives a %WM_HELP message. The control should pass the message to the dialog box procedure, which should call the function using the %HELP_WM_HELP command. The help application displays a pop-up window that typically contains help for the control.

Note that %DS_CONTEXTHELP is only a placeholder. When the dialog box is created, the system checks for %DS_CONTEXTHELP and, if it is there, adds %WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP to the extended style of the dialog box. %WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP cannot be used with the %WS_MAXIMIZEBOX or %WS_MINIMIZEBOX styles.

%DS_CONTROL

Indicates that the dialog being created is being used as the child of another dialog rather than being a top-level dialog in and of itself.

%DS_MODALFRAME

Creates a dialog box with a modal dialog-box frame that can be combined with a title bar and window menu by specifying the %WS_CAPTION and %WS_SYSMENU styles.

%DS_SETFOREGROUND

Causes the system to use the SetForegroundWindow function to bring the dialog box to the foreground. This style is useful for modal dialog boxes that require immediate attention from the user regardless of whether the owner window is the foreground window. More info

%DS_SYSMODAL

This style is obsolete and is included for compatibility with 16-bit versions of Windows. If you specify this style, the system creates the dialog box with the %WS_EX_TOPMOST style. This style does not prevent the user from accessing other windows on the desktop. Do not combine this style with the %DS_CONTROL style.

%WS_BORDER

Creates a window that has a thin-line border.

%WS_CAPTION

Creates a window that has a title bar (includes the %WS_BORDER style).

%WS_CHILD

Creates a child window. A window with this style cannot have a menu bar. This style cannot be used with the %WS_POPUP style.

%WS_CLIPCHILDREN

Excludes the area occupied by child windows when drawing occurs within the parent window. This style is used when creating the parent window.

%WS_CLIPSIBLINGS

Clips child windows relative to each other; that is, when a particular child window receives a %WM_PAINT message, the %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS style clips all other overlapping child windows out of the region of the child window to be updated. If %WS_CLIPSIBLINGS is not specified and child windows overlap, it is possible, when drawing within the client area of a child window, to draw within the client area of a neighboring child window.

%WS_DISABLED

Creates a window that is initially disabled. A disabled window cannot receive input from the user. To change this after a window has been created, use EnableWindow api function.

%WS_DLGFRAME

Creates a window that has a border of a style typically used with dialog boxes. A window with this style cannot have a title bar.

%WS_HSCROLL

Creates a window that has a horizontal scroll bar.

%WS_ICONIC

Creates a window that is initially minimized. Same as the %WS_MINIMIZE style.

%WS_MAXIMIZE

Creates a window that is initially maximized.

%WS_MAXIMIZEBOX

Creates a window that has a maximize button. Cannot be combined with the %WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP style. The %WS_SYSMENU style must also be specified.

%WS_MINIMIZE

Creates a window that is initially minimized. Same as the %WS_ICONIC style.

%WS_MINIMIZEBOX

Creates a window that has a minimize button. Cannot be combined with the %WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP style. The %WS_SYSMENU style must also be specified.

%WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW

Creates an overlapped window with the %WS_OVERLAPPED, %WS_CAPTION, %WS_SYSMENU, %WS_THICKFRAME, %WS_MINIMIZEBOX, and %WS_MAXIMIZEBOX styles. Same as the %WS_TILEDWINDOW style.

%WS_POPUP

Creates a pop-up window. This style cannot be used with the %WS_CHILD style.

%WS_POPUPWINDOW

Creates a pop-up window with %WS_BORDER, %WS_POPUP, and %WS_SYSMENU styles. The %WS_CAPTION and %WS_POPUPWINDOW styles must be combined to make the window menu visible.

%WS_SYSMENU

Creates a window that has a window menu on its title bar. The %WS_CAPTION style must also be specified.

%WS_THICKFRAME

Creates a window that has a sizing border. Same as the %WS_SIZEBOX style.

%WS_VSCROLL

Creates a window that has a vertical scroll bar.