How to Retrieve and Set a Hot Key

This topic demonstrates how to retrieve or set the key combination for a hot key control. The HKM_SETHOTKEY message allows an application to set the hot key combination for a hot key control. Applications use the HKM_GETHOTKEY message to retrieve the virtual key code and modifier flags of the hot key that is chosen by the user.

What you need to know

Technologies

• Windows Controls

Prerequisites

• C/C++
• Windows User Interface Programming

Instructions

Use the HKM_GETHOTKEY message to retrieve the virtual key code and modifier keys that describe a hot key chosen by the user. Use the HKM_SETHOTKEY message to set those values for a hot key.

In the following C++ code example, the application-defined function uses the HKM_GETHOTKEY message to retrieve a key combination from a hot key control and then uses the WM_SETHOTKEY message to set a global hot key. Note that you cannot set a global hot key for a window that has the WS_CHILD window style.

// Retrieves the hot key from the hot key control and sets it as
// the hot key for the application's main window. 
//
// Parameters 
//     hwndHot  - Handle of the hot key control. 
//     hwndMain - Handle of the main window. 

BOOL WINAPI ProcessHotkey(HWND hwndHot, HWND hwndMain) 
{ 
    WORD wHotkey;  

    // Retrieve the hot key (virtual key code and modifiers). 
    wHotkey = (WORD) SendMessage(hwndHot, HKM_GETHOTKEY, 0, 0); 
    
    // Use the result as wParam for WM_SETHOTKEY. 
    SendMessage(hwndMain, WM_SETHOTKEY, wHotkey, 0); 
    return TRUE;
}

Related topics

Hot Key Control Reference

About Hot Key Controls

Using Hot Key Controls