Learning Win 32 API programming from theForger's Win32 API Programming Tutorial

Question

Im trying to learn Win 32 API programming from theForger's Win32 API Programming Tutorial. Should I choose Visual C++ -> Win 32 Project or Windows Form Applicationto get started? Thanks

Answer 1

You should choose the Win32 option.

Windows Forms is a .NET thing, completely different from the Win32 API. theForger's tutorial is about Win32, not .NET.

Edit : If you looking to learn modern Windows GUI programming, as opposed to specifically the Win32 API, Windows Forms would be a good place to start.

Answer 2

您应该选择Win32 Project，如果使用的是Visual Studio的“快速”版本，则应该下载最新的Windows SDK ，其中包含必要的标头和库。

Answer 3

Choose the Win32 Project if your goal is to learn pure Windows 32 API. And make sure it's not Managed Extensions for C++!

Since you mentioned a Windows Forms project I assume you're using a more recent (post .NET) version of Visual Studio and so it contains project templates for Windows Forms which were introduced with the .NET framework. Before that you could choose between Win32 or MFC. MFC was a framework for developing Win32 apps and so is .NET - and abstraction to provide a richer and more straight forward experience developing windows application. Learning MFC (or .NET Windwos Froms) is useful but it's not the same (especially for .NET) as learning the Windows 32 API and the Win32 way of doing things and dealing with windows and windows controls.