Many controls recognize predefined messages that, when received by controls, cause them to carry out some action. For example, the BM_SETCHECK message sets the check in a check box and the EM_GETSEL message retrieves the portion of the control's text that is currently selected. The control messages give a dialog procedure greater and more flexible access to the controls than the standard functions, so they are often used when the dialog box requires complex interactions with the user.
A dialog box procedure can send a message to a control by supplying the control identifier and using the SendDlgItemMessage function, which is identical to the SendMessage function, except that it uses a control identifier instead of a window handle to identify the control that is to receive the message. A given message may require that the dialog procedure send parameters with the message, and the message may have corresponding return values. The operation and requirements of each control message depends on the purpose of the message and the control that processes it.
For more information about the control messages, see Controls.