Building a Notepad Application in C with Visual Studio 2022

Introduction

Creating a Notepad application in C using the Windows API can be an insightful project for learning about Windows programming and understanding graphical user interfaces in a native environment. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the setup of your development environment, code implementation, compilation, and advanced features using Visual Studio 2022.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2022: Download and install Visual Studio 2022 from Visual Studio's official website.

• Basic Knowledge of C Programming: Familiarize yourself with C programming concepts before diving into this project.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Launch Visual Studio 2022

Start Visual Studio 2022 by locating it in your Start menu or clicking on its desktop shortcut.

2. Create a New Project

• Navigate to File > New > Project....

• In the "Create a new project" dialog, search for Windows Desktop Application.

• Select Windows Desktop Application (C++) from the search results and click Next.

• Name your project (e.g., NotepadApp) and specify a location.

• Click Create.

3. Configure the Project

• Ensure that "Windows Application" is selected under "Application type" in the Windows Desktop Project dialog.

• Click Create.

4. Add a New C Source File

• Right-click on the Source Files folder in the Solution Explorer.

• Choose Add > New Item....

• Select C++ File (.cpp) and name it notepad.c.

5. Implement the Notepad Application Code

Copy the provided C code for the Notepad application and paste it into the notepad.c file you just created. This code will serve as the backbone of your Notepad application, handling window creation, menu setup, file operations, and more.

// Code snippet from notepad.c
#include <windows.h>
#include <commdlg.h>
#include <stdio.h>

// Constants for menu IDs
#define ID_FILE_NEW 1
#define ID_FILE_OPEN 2
#define ID_FILE_SAVE 3
#define ID_FILE_EXIT 4
#define ID_EDIT_CUT 5
#define ID_EDIT_COPY 6
#define ID_EDIT_PASTE 7
#define ID_EDIT_DELETE 8
#define ID_HELP_ABOUT 9

// Function declarations
LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM);
void DoFileOpen(HWND);
void DoFileSave(HWND);
void AddMenus(HWND);

// Global variables
HWND hEdit;
char szFileName[MAX_PATH];

// WinMain function
int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nCmdShow) {
    // Window class setup
    WNDCLASSW wc = {0};
    MSG msg;
    HWND hwnd;

    wc.lpszClassName = L"Notepad";
    wc.hInstance     = hInstance;
    wc.hbrBackground = GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);
    wc.lpfnWndProc   = WndProc;
    wc.hCursor       = LoadCursor(0, IDC_ARROW);

    RegisterClassW(&wc);
    hwnd = CreateWindowW(wc.lpszClassName, L"Mithilesh_Notepad", 
                         WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_VISIBLE,
                         100, 100, 800, 600, 0, 0, hInstance, 0);

    // Message loop
    while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0)) {
        TranslateMessage(&msg);
        DispatchMessage(&msg);
    }

    return (int)msg.wParam;
}

// Window procedure
LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {
    switch (msg) {
        case WM_CREATE:
            AddMenus(hwnd);
            hEdit = CreateWindowW(L"Edit", NULL, 
                                  WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE | WS_VSCROLL | WS_HSCROLL | 
                                  ES_MULTILINE | ES_AUTOVSCROLL | ES_AUTOHSCROLL, 
                                  0, 0, 800, 600, hwnd, (HMENU)1, NULL, NULL);
            break;

        // Handle menu commands
        case WM_COMMAND:
            switch (LOWORD(wParam)) {
                // File menu commands
                case ID_FILE_NEW:
                    SetWindowText(hEdit, L"");
                    break;
                case ID_FILE_OPEN:
                    DoFileOpen(hwnd);
                    break;
                case ID_FILE_SAVE:
                    DoFileSave(hwnd);
                    break;
                case ID_FILE_EXIT:
                    PostQuitMessage(0);
                    break;

                // Edit menu commands
                case ID_EDIT_CUT:
                    SendMessage(hEdit, WM_CUT, 0, 0);
                    break;
                case ID_EDIT_COPY:
                    SendMessage(hEdit, WM_COPY, 0, 0);
                    break;
                case ID_EDIT_PASTE:
                    SendMessage(hEdit, WM_PASTE, 0, 0);
                    break;
                case ID_EDIT_DELETE:
                    SendMessage(hEdit, WM_CLEAR, 0, 0);
                    break;

                // Help menu command
                case ID_HELP_ABOUT:
                    MessageBox(hwnd, L"Notepad application in C using Windows API", L"About Notepad", MB_OK);
                    break;
            }
            break;

        // Resize edit window with main window
        case WM_SIZE:
            MoveWindow(hEdit, 0, 0, LOWORD(lParam), HIWORD(lParam), TRUE);
            break;

        // Handle window closure
        case WM_CLOSE:
            DestroyWindow(hwnd);
            break;

        // Handle application exit
        case WM_DESTROY:
            PostQuitMessage(0);
            break;

        default:
            return DefWindowProc(hwnd, msg, wParam, lParam);
    }
    return 0;
}

6. Configure Project Settings

• Right-click on your project in the Solution Explorer and select Properties.

• Navigate to Configuration Properties > Linker > System.

• Change the Subsystem setting to Windows (/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS).

7. Set the Entry Point

• In the Linker settings, select Advanced.

• Set Entry Point to WinMainCRTStartup.

8. Compile as C Code

• Under Configuration Properties, navigate to C/C++ > Advanced.

• Set Compile As to Compile as C Code (/TC).

9. Build and Run

• Rebuild your project by navigating to Build > Rebuild Solution.

• Ensure there are no compilation errors.

• Run the application by selecting Debug > Start Without Debugging.

Comparison with Other Methods

While creating a Notepad application in C using the Windows API and Visual Studio 2022 offers a robust and efficient development environment, other methods exist, including:

While these alternative methods provide flexibility and cross-platform compatibility, Visual Studio's comprehensive toolset, extensive documentation, and seamless integration with Windows APIs make it a preferred choice for Windows application development.

Features of the Notepad Application

The Notepad application implemented in this guide includes the following features:

1. File Operations:

   • Users can create, open, and save text files.

   • The application supports common file formats and provides options for file management.

2. Edit Functions:

   • Basic editing functions such as cut, copy, paste, and delete are supported.

   • Users can manipulate text easily within the application.

3. Menu Navigation:

   • Intuitive menu navigation allows users to access various functions easily.

   • Menus are organized logically, making it straightforward for users to find and use different features.

4. About Dialog:

   • An about dialog provides information about the application, including its name, version, and purpose.

   • This dialog enhances user experience by offering transparency and context about the application.

Explanation of Code and Implementation

Let's delve deeper into the code snippets provided earlier and explain their functionality:

1. Window Procedure (WndProc):

   • This function serves as the main message handler for the application's window.

   • It receives messages from the operating system and dispatches them accordingly to handle user input and system events.

2. Menu Setup (AddMenus):

   • The AddMenus function is responsible for creating and populating the application's menu bar.

   • It defines menu items such as "File," "Edit," and "Help," along with their respective submenus and commands.

3. File Operations (DoFileOpen and DoFileSave):

   • These functions handle file opening and saving operations, respectively.

   • They utilize the Windows Common Dialog Box Library (commdlg.h) to provide standard file dialogs for user interaction.

4. Edit Functions (WM_COMMAND cases):

   • The WM_COMMAND message is processed to handle user commands from the application's menus.

   • Cases for menu items such as "Cut," "Copy," "Paste," and "Delete" invoke corresponding functions to perform text editing actions.

5. About Dialog (ID_HELP_ABOUT case):

   • When the "About" menu item is selected, a message box with information about the application is displayed.

   • This dialog serves as a simple yet informative way to communicate details about the application to the user.

Conclusion

Building a Notepad application in C using Visual Studio 2022 provides an excellent opportunity to delve into Windows programming concepts and develop practical skills. By following this guide, you can create a fully functional Notepad application and gain valuable insights into Windows GUI development.