The Win32 API provides two general styles of list box: single-selection (the default style) and multiple-selection. In a single-selection list box, the user can select only one item at a time. In a multiple-selection list box, the user can select more than one item at a time; an application must specify either the LBS_MULTIPLESEL or the LBS_EXTENDEDSEL style for a multiple-selection list box.
The Win32 API provides many other list box and window styles that control the appearance and operation of a list box. These styles indicate whether list box items are sorted, arranged in multiple columns, drawn by the application, and so on. The dimensions and styles of a list box are typically defined in a dialog box template included in an application's resources. For information about how to create a dialog box template and include it in an application, see the documentation provided with your development tools.
To create a list box by using the CreateWindow or CreateWindowEx function, use the LISTBOX class, appropriate window style constants, and the following style constants to define the list box.
| List box style | Description |
| LBS_DISABLENOSCROLL | Shows a disabled vertical scroll bar for the list box when the box does not contain enough items to scroll. If you do not specify this style, the scroll bar is hidden when the list box does not contain enough items. |
| LBS_EXTENDEDSEL | Allows multiple items to be selected by using the SHIFT key and the mouse or special key combinations. |
| LBS_HASSTRINGS | Specifies that a list box contains items consisting of strings. The list box maintains the memory and addresses for the strings so that the application can use the LB_GETTEXT message to retrieve the text for a particular item. By default, all list boxes except owner-drawn list boxes have this style. You can create an owner-drawn list box either with or without this style. |
| LBS_MULTICOLUMN | Specifies a multicolumn list box that is scrolled horizontally. The LB_SETCOLUMNWIDTH message sets the width of the columns. |
| LBS_MULTIPLESEL | Turns string selection on or off each time the user clicks or double-clicks a string in the list box. The user can select any number of strings. |
| LBS_NODATA | Obsolete. |
| LBS_NOINTEGRALHEIGHT | Specifies that the size of the list box is exactly the size specified by the application when it created the list box. Normally, Windows sizes a list box so that the list box does not display partial items. |
| LBS_NOREDRAW | Specifies that the list box's appearance is not updated when changes are made. You can change this style by sending a WM_SETREDRAW message at any time. |
| LBS_NOSEL | Specifies that the list box contains items that can be viewed but not selected. |
| LBS_NOTIFY | Notifies the parent window with an input message whenever the user clicks or double-clicks a string in the list box. |
| LBS_OWNERDRAWFIXED | Specifies that the owner of the list box is responsible for drawing its contents and that the items in the list box are the same height. The owner window receives a WM_MEASUREITEM message when the list box is created and a WM_DRAWITEM message when a visual aspect of the list box has changed. |
| LBS_OWNERDRAWVARIABLE | Specifies that the owner of the list box is responsible for drawing its contents and that the items in the list box are variable in height. The owner window receives a WM_MEASUREITEM message for each item in the combo box when the combo box is created and a WM_DRAWITEM message when a visual aspect of the combo box has changed. |
| LBS_SORT | Sorts strings in the list box alphabetically. |
| LBS_STANDARD | Sorts strings in the list box alphabetically. The parent window receives an input message whenever the user clicks or double-clicks a string. The list box has borders on all sides. |
| LBS_USETABSTOPS | Enables a list box to recognize and expand tab characters when drawing its strings. The default tab positions are 32 dialog box units. A dialog box unit is a horizontal or vertical distance. One horizontal dialog box unit is equal to 0.25 of the current dialog box base-width unit. Windows calculates these units based on the height and width of the current system font. The GetDialogBaseUnits function returns the current dialog box base units in pixels. |
| LBS_WANTKEYBOARDINPUT | Specifies that the owner of the list box receives WM_VKEYTOITEM messages whenever the user presses a key and the list box has the input focus. This enables an application to perform special processing on the keyboard input. |