Parameter Names

Most parameter (and local variable) names consist of a lowercase prefix followed by one or more words, each beginning with a capital letter. The prefix indicates the parameter type, while the words that follow describe the parameter content. These prefixes are as follows:

Prefix

Type

Meaning


b

BOOL

Boolean (a non-zero specifies TRUE, zero specifies FALSE)

ch

char

Character (a one-byte value)

dw

DWORD

Long (32-bit) unsigned integer

h

32-bit handle

l

LONG

Long (32-bit) integer

lp

Long (32-bit) pointer (also known as Far pointer)

w

WORD

Short (16-bit) unsigned integer

s

STR

string

sz

ZSTR

ASCII character string that is NULL terminated.


The Windows Telephony API is "32-bit ready". It uses 32-bit data types almost exclusively to make migration to the 32-bit version of Windows as easy as a recompile. DWORDs are used throughout and handles are 32 bits.