CreateDialog function (Windows)

Applies to: desktop apps only

Ccreates a modeless dialog box from a dialog box template resource. The CreateDialog macro uses the CreateDialogParam function.

Syntax

HWND WINAPI CreateDialog(
  __in_opt  HINSTANCE hInstance,
  __in      LPCTSTR lpTemplate,
  __in_opt  HWND hWndParent,
  __in_opt  DLGPROC lpDialogFunc
);

Parameters

hInstance [in, optional]

Type: HINSTANCE

A handle to the module whose executable file contains the dialog box template.

lpTemplate [in]

Type: LPCTSTR

The dialog box template. This parameter is either the pointer to a null-terminated character string that specifies the name of the dialog box template or an integer value that specifies the resource identifier of the dialog box template. If the parameter specifies a resource identifier, its high-order word must be zero and its low-order word must contain the identifier. You can use the MAKEINTRESOURCE macro to create this value.

hWndParent [in, optional]

Type: HWND

A handle to the window that owns the dialog box.

lpDialogFunc [in, optional]

Type: DLGPROC

A pointer to the dialog box procedure. For more information about the dialog box procedure, see DialogProc.

Return value

Type: HWND

If the function succeeds, the return value is the handle to the dialog box.

If the function fails, the return value is NULL. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

This function typically fails for one of the following reasons:

• an invalid parameter value
• the system class was registered by a different module
• The WH_CBT hook is installed and returns a failure code
• if one of the controls in the dialog template is not registered, or its window window procedure fails WM_CREATE or WM_NCCREATE

Remarks

The CreateDialog function uses the CreateWindowEx function to create the dialog box. CreateDialog then sends a WM_INITDIALOG message (and a WM_SETFONT message if the template specifies the DS_SETFONT or DS_SHELLFONT style) to the dialog box procedure. The function displays the dialog box if the template specifies the WS_VISIBLE style. Finally, CreateDialog returns the window handle to the dialog box.

After CreateDialog returns, the application displays the dialog box (if it is not already displayed) by using the ShowWindow function. The application destroys the dialog box by using the DestroyWindow function. To support keyboard navigation and other dialog box functionality, the message loop for the dialog box must call the IsDialogMessage function.

Examples

For an example, see Creating a Modeless Dialog Box.

Requirements

See also

Reference

CreateDialogIndirect

CreateDialogIndirectParam

CreateDialogParam

CreateWindowEx

DestroyWindow

DialogBox

DialogProc

IsDialogMessage

ShowWindow

WM_INITDIALOG

WM_SETFONT

Conceptual

Dialog Boxes

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Build date: 2/10/2012