Win32 API beginner questions and dooubts

[aquafatz]

Hi!
I'm just starting to learn win32 api c++. I've been going through online tutorials and trying to understand things.
But in none of the tutorials have I found a way to create the GUI using drag and drop like in C# or Java Swing.
Isn't there a functionality to drag and drop check boxes, radio buttons, text fields, etc. Does every component have to be coded?

Also, while reading through I found this. If somone could explain it, it would be great!
"A more commonly used method is to define you edit box in your resource file, rather than to create it "on the fly" with CreateWindow() or CreateWindowEx()."
From what I've understood so far, resource file can be used for user defined controls such as a different shaped pointer or an icon. So how can I create an edit box in the resource file?

Thanks a lot for the help!!!

[novacain]

What IDE are you using?

MS Visual Studio (all editions) has a "resource editor" where you can drag a control onto a dialog and get the IDE to generate the code behind it (exactly the same as C#, as it is the same IDE).

Look for 'ToolBox' in the View menu of MS VS.

This uses a file to store the params used in CreateWindow() [type, position, etc]. Just adding the control using the Resource Editor will add the required params to the resource files.