Keyboard Messages
The following table shows the keyboard messages, with a description of the purpose of each.
| Programming element | Description |
|---|---|
| WM_ACTIVATE | This message is sent when a window is being activated or deactivated. |
| WM_CHAR | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when a WM_KEYDOWN message is translated by the TranslateMessage function. |
| WM_HOTKEY | This message is posted when the user presses a hot key registered by the RegisterHotKey function. |
| WM_INITMENUPOPUP | This message is sent when a pop-up menu is about to become active. |
| WM_KEYDOWN | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when a nonsystem key is pressed. |
| WM_KEYUP | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when a nonsystem key is released. |
| WM_KILLFOCUS | This message is sent to a window immediately before it loses the keyboard focus. |
| WM_MENUCHAR | This message is sent when a menu is active and the user presses a key that does not correspond to any mnemonic or accelerator key. |
| WM_SETFOCUS | This message is sent to a window after it has gained the keyboard focus. |
| WM_SYSCHAR | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when a WM_SYSKEYDOWN message is translated by the TranslateMessage function. |
| WM_SYSCOMMAND | This message is sent to a window when the user chooses a command from the window menu, formerly known as the system or control menu, or when the user chooses the maximize button or the minimize button. |
| WM_SYSDEADCHAR | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when a WM_SYSKEYDOWN message is translated by the TranslateMessage function. |
| WM_SYSKEYDOWN | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when the user holds down the ALT key and then presses another key. |
| WM_SYSKEYUP | This message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when the user releases a key that was pressed while the ALT key was held down. |
See Also
Last updated on Wednesday, April 13, 2005
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