ShowWindow

Article
06/30/2006

This function sets the specified windows show state.

BOOL ShowWindow( 
HWND hWnd, 
int nCmdShow );

Parameters

hWnd
Handle to the window.

nCmdShow
Specifies how the window is to be shown. The first time ShowWindow is called, the value should be the value obtained by the WinMain function in its nCmdShow parameter. In subsequent calls, this parameter can be one of the following values:

Value	Description
SW_FORCEMINIMIZE	Windows NT 5.0 and later: Minimizes a window, even if the thread that owns the window is hung. This flag should only be used when minimizing windows from a different thread.
SW_HIDE	Hides the window and activates another window.
SW_SHOW	Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position.
SW_SHOWNA	Displays the window in its current state. The active window remains active.
SW_SHOWNORMAL	Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, the system restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when displaying the window for the first time.

Return Values

Nonzero indicates that the window was previously visible. Zero indicates that the window was previously hidden.

Remarks

The first time an application calls ShowWindow, it should use the WinMain functions nCmdShow parameter as its nCmdShow parameter. Subsequent calls to ShowWindow must use one of the values in the given list, instead of the one specified by the WinMain functions nCmdShow parameter.

Requirements

Runs on	Versions	Defined in	Include	Link to
Windows CE OS	1.0 and later	Winuser.h

Note This API is part of the complete Windows CE OS package as provided by Microsoft. The functionality of a particular platform is determined by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and some devices may not support this API.

See Also

CreateProcess, CreateWindow, WinMain

Last updated on Tuesday, July 13, 2004

ShowWindow

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