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WM_CHAR

The WM_CHAR message is posted to the window with the keyboard focus when a WM_KEYDOWN message is translated by the TranslateMessage function. The WM_CHAR message contains the character code of the key that was pressed.

A window receives this message through its WindowProc function.

    LRESULT CALLBACK WindowProc(
      HWND hwnd,       // handle to window
      UINT uMsg,       // WM_CHAR
      WPARAM wParam,   // character code (TCHAR)
      LPARAM lParam    // key data
    );

Parameters

wParam
lParam

0–15 Specifies the repeat count for the current message. The value is the number of times the keystroke is autorepeated as a result of the user holding down the key. If the keystroke is held long enough, multiple messages are sent. However, the repeat count is not cumulative.
16–23 Specifies the scan code. The value depends on the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
24 Specifies whether the key is an extended key, such as the right-hand ALT and CTRL keys that appear on an enhanced 101- or 102-key keyboard. The value is 1 if it is an extended key; otherwise, it is 0.
25–28 Reserved; do not use.
29 Specifies the context code. The value is 1 if the ALT key is held down while the key is pressed; otherwise, the value is 0.
30 Specifies the previous key state. The value is 1 if the key is down before the message is sent, or it is 0 if the key is up.
31 Specifies the transition state. The value is 1 if the key is being released, or it is 0 if the key is being pressed.

Return Values

An application should return zero if it processes this message.

Remarks

Because there is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between keys pressed and character messages generated, the information in the high-order word of the lParam parameter is generally not useful to applications. The information in the high-order word applies only to the most recent WM_KEYDOWN message that precedes the posting of the WM_CHAR message.

For enhanced 101- and 102-key keyboards, extended keys are the right ALT and the right CTRL keys on the main section of the keyboard; the INS, DEL, HOME, END, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN and arrow keys in the clusters to the left of the numeric keypad; and the divide (/) and ENTER keys in the numeric keypad. Some other keyboards may support the extended-key bit in the lParam parameter.

Whistler: The WM_UNICHAR message is the same as WM_CHAR, except it is designed to send or post Unicode characters to ANSI windows.

Requirements

Windows NT/2000 or later: Requires Windows NT 3.1 or later.
Windows 95/98/Me: Requires Windows 95 or later.
Header: Declared in Winuser.h; include Windows.h.

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Notebook exported on Monday, 7 July 2008, 18:56:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time