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Message Options dialog box

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Use this dialog box to select which messages are listed in Messages view. To display this dialog box, choose Log Messages from the Spy menu.

Windows tab, Message Options

Use the Windows tab to set the scope of the messages listed in Messages view. The following settings are available:

  • Finder Tool: The drag and drop tool used to select a window.
  • Hide Spy++: Removes the main Spy++ window and leaves the MessageOptions dialog box visible on top of your other applications.
  • Parent Window: Display messages for the selected window and its immediate parent window.
  • Child Window: Display messages for the selected window and all its child windows, including nested child windows.
  • Windows of Same Thread: Display messages for the selected window and all other windows owned by the same thread.
  • Windows of Same Process: Display messages for the selected window and all other windows owned by the same process.
  • All Windows in System: Display messages for all windows.
  • Save Settings as Default: Save the preceding settings for new message stream windows. These settings are also saved when exiting Spy++.

Messages tab, Message Options

Use the Messages tab to select which message types to list in Messages view, and to specify message search criteria. Typically, you first select Message Groups, and then fine-tune the selection by selecting individual Messages to View. The All button selects all message types, and the None button clears all types.

The following settings are available on the Messages tab:

  • Messages to View: Select specific messages for viewing. When you create a new Messages window, it can display all messages. When you filter messages from the Messages tab, that filter only applies to new messages, not messages that have already been displayed in the Windows view.

  • Message Groups: Select message groups for viewing. The available groups include:

    • WM_USER: with a code greater than or equal to WM_USER
    • Registered: registered with the RegisterWindowMessage call
    • Unknown: unknown messages in the range 0 to (WM_USER - 1)

    Note that these Message Groups do not map to specific entries under Messages To View. When you select a group, the selection is applied directly to the message stream.

    A grayed check box within Message Groups indicates that the Messages To View list box has been modified for messages in that group; not all of the message types in that group are selected.

  • Save Settings as Default: Save the current settings for later use as message search options. These settings are also saved when exiting Spy++.

Output tab, Message Options

Use the Output tab to specify what data from each message to list in Messages view. The following settings are available:

  • Line Numbers: Display line numbers.
  • Message Nesting Level: Prefix nested messages with one period per level.
  • Raw Message Parameters: Display the hexadecimal wParam and lParam values.
  • Decoded Message Parameters: Display the results of message-specific decoding of the wParam and lParam values.
  • Raw Return Values: Display the hexadecimal lResult return value.
  • Decoded Return Values: Display the results of message-specific decoding of the lResult return value.
  • Message Origin Time: The elapsed time since the Windows system was started (for posted messages only).
  • Message Mouse Position: The screen coordinates of the mouse when the message was posted (for posted messages only).
  • Lines maximum: Limit the number of lines that are retained in the currently selected Messages view.
  • Also Log Messages to File: Specify an output file for the message log. This output file is written simultaneously with the message log window.
  • Save Settings as Default: Save the preceding settings for new message stream windows. These settings are saved when you quit Spy++.