[fpc-pascal]Missing Win32 API Function -- Part 2

Marco van de Voort marcov at stack.nl
Fri Aug 9 15:03:10 CEST 2002


> Thanks for the info -- that was very helpful.
> 
> Where did you learn about how to develop programs using the Win32 
> functions? I've been experimenting with more elaborate programs lately and 
> have found myself confronting one obstacle after another. For example, 
> I've came across another function related to printers that wants a 
> "handle" passed to it. As usual, the Win32 API Reference provides no help. 
> I looked through a lot of the RTL source code to see if I can figure it 
> out, but I can't. I'd like to find a reference, or some web site, where I 
> can learn about these things so I can make my wonderful programs even 
> better!  :-)

When I created the service example (mental note: clean up and commit it), 
I also had this problem.

[humor mode on]
The solution is to think as a VB programmer. 

I know, that is a big step, but you really have to leave the fundamental
idea that _you_ can logically reason how the program is going to work, and
just try to copy and paste random related code you find on the net, and link
them together.

Good resources are:
- Delphi helpfiles  (download on Borlands site)
- Microsoft Platform SDK  (Microsoft site, needs recent IE to download, was 
	quite some trouble to get it (1GB)) (helpfiles + the original Win32
	headers)
- Google (throw a function name in it, see what it comes up with. Even if
   it is C or VB code, study it). Can't be overestimated, since it is typically
- Any related win32 project for which sourcecode is available. (which is nearly
	synonymous with Open Source) like
    - Existing headers (Jedi, FPC sources etc), and crossreferencing them)
    - Delphi code, but not really much is available with sourcecode
    - Cygwin and projects that depend on it.
    - FPC demo's and FCL source.  GPC win32 stuff (from the Chief)in theory
      too, but haven't used it yet.
    
I also used the win32 Apache sourcecode, since that seemed to be the only
opensource service that used win2000 extensions, but that was something
specific to this project I think.








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