NativeWindow.Handle Property

public:
 property IntPtr Handle { IntPtr get(); };

public IntPtr Handle { get; }

member this.Handle : nativeint

Public ReadOnly Property Handle As IntPtr

Property Value

If successful, an IntPtr representing the handle to the associated native Win32 window; otherwise, 0 if no handle is associated with the window.

Implements

Examples

The following code example demonstrates creating a window with a specific operating system window class name. The example creates a class that inherits from NativeWindow to accomplish this. The example also demonstrates overriding the OnHandleChange method to be notified when the Handle changes.

The MyNativeWindow class creates a new window with the ClassName set to BUTTON. This creates a Win32 button window. The location and size of the button is set, along with specifying additional window styles. The class demonstrates how to use the CreateHandle method and override the WndProc method to intercept window messages that are received. Although the example looks for the WM_ACTIVATEAPP message, this could be replaced in a real program with window messages specific to the type created.

// MyNativeWindow class to create a window given a class name.
ref class MyNativeWindow: public NativeWindow
{
private:

   // Constant values were found in the S"windows.h" header file.
   literal int WS_CHILD = 0x40000000,WS_VISIBLE = 0x10000000,WM_ACTIVATEAPP = 0x001C;
   int windowHandle;

public:
   MyNativeWindow( Form^ parent )
   {
      CreateParams^ cp = gcnew CreateParams;

      // Fill in the CreateParams details.
      cp->Caption = "Click here";
      cp->ClassName = "Button";

      // Set the position on the form
      cp->X = 100;
      cp->Y = 100;
      cp->Height = 100;
      cp->Width = 100;

      // Specify the form as the parent.
      cp->Parent = parent->Handle;

      // Create as a child of the specified parent
      cp->Style = WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE;

      // Create the actual window
      this->CreateHandle( cp );
   }

protected:

   // Listen to when the handle changes to keep the variable in sync

   virtual void OnHandleChange() override
   {
      windowHandle = (int)this->Handle;
   }

   virtual void WndProc( Message % m ) override
   {
      // Listen for messages that are sent to the button window. Some messages are sent
      // to the parent window instead of the button's window.
      switch ( m.Msg )
      {
         case WM_ACTIVATEAPP:
            
            // Do something here in response to messages
            break;
      }
      NativeWindow::WndProc( m );
   }
};

// MyNativeWindow class to create a window given a class name.
internal class MyNativeWindow : NativeWindow
{

    // Constant values were found in the "windows.h" header file.
    private const int WS_CHILD = 0x40000000,
                      WS_VISIBLE = 0x10000000,
                      WM_ACTIVATEAPP = 0x001C;

    private int windowHandle;

    public MyNativeWindow(Form parent)
    {

        CreateParams cp = new CreateParams();

        // Fill in the CreateParams details.
        cp.Caption = "Click here";
        cp.ClassName = "Button";

        // Set the position on the form
        cp.X = 100;
        cp.Y = 100;
        cp.Height = 100;
        cp.Width = 100;

        // Specify the form as the parent.
        cp.Parent = parent.Handle;

        // Create as a child of the specified parent
        cp.Style = WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE;

        // Create the actual window
        this.CreateHandle(cp);
    }

    // Listen to when the handle changes to keep the variable in sync
    protected override void OnHandleChange()
    {
        windowHandle = (int)this.Handle;
    }

    protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
    {
        // Listen for messages that are sent to the button window. Some messages are sent
        // to the parent window instead of the button's window.

        switch (m.Msg)
        {
            case WM_ACTIVATEAPP:
                // Do something here in response to messages
                break;
        }
        base.WndProc(ref m);
    }
}

' MyNativeWindow class to create a window given a class name.
<System.Security.Permissions.PermissionSetAttribute(System.Security.Permissions.SecurityAction.Demand, Name:="FullTrust")> _
Friend Class MyNativeWindow
    Inherits NativeWindow

    ' Constant values were found in the "windows.h" header file.
    Private Const WS_CHILD As Integer = &H40000000, _
                  WS_VISIBLE As Integer = &H10000000, _
                  WM_ACTIVATEAPP As Integer = &H1C

    Private windowHandle As Integer

    Public Sub New(ByVal parent As Form)

        Dim cp As CreateParams = New CreateParams()

        ' Fill in the CreateParams details.
        cp.Caption = "Click here"
        cp.ClassName = "Button"

        ' Set the position on the form
        cp.X = 100
        cp.Y = 100
        cp.Height = 100
        cp.Width = 100

        ' Specify the form as the parent.
        cp.Parent = parent.Handle

        ' Create as a child of the specified parent
        cp.Style = WS_CHILD Or WS_VISIBLE

        ' Create the actual window
        Me.CreateHandle(cp)
    End Sub

    ' Listen to when the handle changes to keep the variable in sync
    <System.Security.Permissions.PermissionSetAttribute(System.Security.Permissions.SecurityAction.Demand, Name:="FullTrust")> _
    Protected Overrides Sub OnHandleChange()
        windowHandle = Me.Handle.ToInt32()
    End Sub

    <System.Security.Permissions.PermissionSetAttribute(System.Security.Permissions.SecurityAction.Demand, Name:="FullTrust")> _
        Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As Message)
        ' Listen for messages that are sent to the button window. Some messages are sent
        ' to the parent window instead of the button's window.

        Select Case (m.Msg)
            Case WM_ACTIVATEAPP
                ' Do something here in response to messages
        End Select

        MyBase.WndProc(m)
    End Sub

End Class

Remarks

Use this method when calling Windows API methods that require a handle for a window or control.

Applies to

See also

• AssignHandle(IntPtr)
• CreateHandle(CreateParams)
• DestroyHandle()
• ReleaseHandle()
• OnHandleChange()