SendMessage

The SendMessage function sends the specified message to a window or windows. The function calls the window procedure for the specified window and does not return until the window procedure has processed the message. The PostMessage function, in contrast, posts a message to a thread's message queue and returns immediately.

LRESULT SendMessage(
  HWND hWnd,      // handle of destination window
  UINT Msg,       // message to send
  WPARAM wParam,  // first message parameter
  LPARAM lParam   // second message parameter
);
 

Parameters

hWnd

Handle to the window whose window procedure will receive the message. If this parameter is HWND_BROADCAST, the message is sent to all top-level windows in the system, including disabled or invisible unowned windows, overlapped windows, and pop-up windows; but the message is not sent to child windows.

Msg

Specifies the message to be sent.

wParam

Specifies additional message-specific information.

lParam

Specifies additional message-specific information.

Return Values

The return value specifies the result of the message processing and depends on the message sent.

Remarks

Applications that need to communicate using HWND_BROADCAST should use the RegisterWindowMessage function to obtain a unique message for inter-application communication.

If the specified window was created by the calling thread, the window procedure is called immediately as a subroutine. If the specified window was created by a different thread, the system switches to that thread and calls the appropriate window procedure. Messages sent between threads are processed only when the receiving thread executes message retrieval code. The sending thread is blocked until the receiving thread processes the message.

Windows CE: Windows CE does not support all the messages the desktop Windows platforms support. Before using SendMessage, check to make sure the message you are sending is supported.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
  Windows CE: Requires version 1.0 or later.
  Header: Declared in winuser.h.
  Import Library: Use user32.lib.
  Unicode: Implemented as Unicode and ANSI versions on Windows NT.

See Also

Messages and Message Queues Overview, Message and Message Queue Functions, InSendMessage, PostMessage, RegisterWindowMessage, SendDlgItemMessage