Thread: Window messages

I have a question about sending messages using ::SendMessage (). I am trying to communicate between windows using it like so:

Code:

void FirstWindow::SendNotify (unsigned int notification)
{
	::PostMessage (HWND_BROADCAST, NOTIFY_WINDOWS, (WPARAM) notification, (LPARAM) identifier);
}

Where the class is:

Code:

class FirstWindow : public AbstractWindow
{
protected:

	int identifier;

public:

	FirstWindow (const TCHAR *className, int id) : AbstractWindow () { _className = className; identifier = id; }

	virtual bool OnCommand  (int ctrlId, int notifyCode) { return false; }
	virtual bool OnDestroy  () { ::PostQuitMessage (0); return false; }
	virtual bool OnClose    () { ::DestroyWindow (_hwnd); return false; }
	virtual bool OnNotify     (HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam);

	virtual void SendNotify (unsigned int notification);

	//Commands to add controls
	virtual bool AddComboBox (char *list[], int items, int x, int y, int width, int height, int id);

	//Commands to change controls
	virtual bool SetComboText (int ctrl, char *list[], int items);
};

and the code to handle the NOTIFY_WINDOWS message is like so:

Code:

bool FirstWindow::OnNotify (HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
	MessageBox (NULL, "Received Notification!", "HEY!", MB_OK);
	return false;
}

Now, for some reason, when I change the first parameter of ::SendMessage to _hwnd, which is the variable for the window within AbstractWindow, I get a notification within that window; however, when I try to use HWND_BROADCAST, it doesn't do anything, even with multiple windows open. if anyone needs more source or code or anything else to help me with this, just say the word!

SendMessage to _hwnd, which is the variable for the window within AbstractWindow

If it's a child window of the main window, then it's not going to receive the message using HWND_BROADCAST.

SendMessage() and HWND_BROADCAST

Here is how my window is created:

Code:

bool AbstractWindow::Create (char *name, int x, int y, int width, int height)
{
	_hwnd = CreateWindowEx (0, _className, name, WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW, x, y, width, height,
			NULL, NULL, GetModuleHandle (NULL), this);

	if (!_hwnd)
		return false;

	return true;
}

By my understanding of the article, windows created with the style WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW are not child windows, and none of the windows have the WS_CHILD style, so i don't quite understand why HWND_BROADCAST isn't working. Basically what i want to be able to do is send notification to all instances of FirstWindow when a particular event occurs in one of those windows. I'm not sure how to accomplish this though, because i just want to send that notification to windows within my application, not any outside of it. If someone has an idea how I can accomplish this, please feel free to let me know. I have no idea where to even start. Remember, too, that this is to be easy to use, meaning no sneaky global variables or anything like that, and if anyone needs more code, please ask.

Are both windows calling RegisterWindowsMessage()?

EDIT:

HWND_BROADCAST tends to be unreliable form of interprocess communications (may not be delivered or arrive on time).

I would look at named pipes, MSMQ, mailslots or sockets.

Depends on your needs.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...74(VS.85).aspx