Windows Programming Model

Message Processing

  • When the Windows operating system launches a program, it calls the program's WinMain function.
  • A Windows-based program processes user input via messages from the operating system.

The Windows Graphics Device Interface

  • Windows has a layer of abstraction called the Graphics Device Interface (GDI). Windows provides the drivers, so your program doesn't need to know the type of hardware attached to the system.

Resource-Based Programming

When you program for Windows, you store data in a resource file using a number of established formats. The linker combines this binary resource file with the C++ compiler's output to generate an executable program. Resource files can include bitmaps, icons, menu definitions, dialog box layouts, and strings. They can even include custom resource formats that you define.

Memory Management

Techniques like virtual memory and memory-mapped files.

Dynamic-Link Libraries

Windows allows dynamic linking, which means that specially constructed libraries can be loaded and linked at run time. Multiple applications can share dynamic-link libraries (DLLs), which saves memory and disk space. Dynamic linking increases program modularity because you can compile and test DLLs separately.

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