Custom WM_APP message isn't posted in the message queue - c

Question

I am trying to send a custom message (WM_APP + 1) when WM_SIZE is send to the window procedure. I want to be able to catch it from an other function using PeekMessage and do somethings. But when I test it the messages seem to not be send to the queue. Adding some printf statements shows me that it goes to the window procedure. The weird thing is that when I step through the code in the debugger it works fine but when I'm running normally, it goes back to not working.
Working example program with the problem, resize the window to test:
#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#pragma comment(lib, "user32.lib")
#define OBG_EVENT_QUIT 0
#define OBG_EVENT_RESIZE 1
#define OBG_EVENT_NO -1
#define OBG_EVENT_UNKNOWN -2
//user defined event
#define OBG_WM_RESIZE (WM_APP + 1)
typedef union
{
int type;
struct
{
int type;
int width;
int height;
} resizeEvent;
} obg_event;
LRESULT CALLBACK obgpf_DefaultWindowCallback(HWND window, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
LRESULT result = 0;
switch(message)
{
case WM_CLOSE:
{
PostMessageA(window, WM_QUIT, 0, 0);
} break;
//this should be handled by OBGGetEvent
case OBG_WM_RESIZE:
{
printf("MESSAGE WENT THROUGH. DON'T WANT THIS\n");
} break;
case WM_SIZE:
{
PostMessageA(window, OBG_WM_RESIZE, wParam, lParam);
} break;
default:
{
result = DefWindowProc(window, message, wParam, lParam);
} break;
}
return result;
}
int OBGGetEvent(obg_event *event)
{
int moreMessages = 0;
MSG message;
if(PeekMessage(&message, 0, 0, 0, PM_REMOVE))
{
moreMessages = 1;
switch(message.message)
{
case WM_QUIT:
{
event->type = OBG_EVENT_QUIT;
} break;
case OBG_WM_RESIZE:
{
event->type = OBG_EVENT_RESIZE;
event->resizeEvent.type = OBG_EVENT_RESIZE;
event->resizeEvent.width = LOWORD(message.lParam);
event->resizeEvent.height = HIWORD(message.lParam);
} break;
default:
{
event->type = OBG_EVENT_UNKNOWN;
TranslateMessage(&message);
DispatchMessage(&message);
} break;
}
}
else
{
event->type = OBG_EVENT_NO;
}
return moreMessages;
}
int main()
{
HINSTANCE instance = GetModuleHandleA(0);
WNDCLASSEX windowClass = {0};
windowClass.cbSize = sizeof(windowClass);
windowClass.style = CS_HREDRAW | CS_VREDRAW;
windowClass.lpfnWndProc = obgpf_DefaultWindowCallback;
windowClass.hInstance = instance;
windowClass.lpszClassName = "testClass";
windowClass.hIcon = LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);
windowClass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW + 1);
windowClass.hIconSm = LoadIcon(0, IDI_APPLICATION);
windowClass.hCursor = LoadCursorA(0, IDC_ARROW);
HWND window;
if(RegisterClassEx(&windowClass))
{
window = CreateWindowEx(0,
windowClass.lpszClassName,
"test window",
WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_VISIBLE,
CW_USEDEFAULT,
CW_USEDEFAULT,
500,
300,
0,
0,
instance,
0);
if(window)
{
int appIsRunning = 1;
obg_event event = {0};
event.type = -1;
while(appIsRunning)
{
while(OBGGetEvent(&event))
{
if(event.type == OBG_EVENT_QUIT)
{
printf("event quit\n");
appIsRunning = 0;
break;
}
else if(event.type == OBG_EVENT_RESIZE)
{
printf("window resized: width %d height %d\n", event.resizeEvent.width, event.resizeEvent.height);
}
}
Sleep(33);
}
}
else
{
printf("window error\n");
}
}
else
{
printf("windowClass error\n");
}
return 0;
}
I tried doing this with SendMessage instead of PeekMessage but the same thing happened. Not sure what I'm missing or misunderstanding but any help is appreciated!
EDIT: added a complete working program that reproduces the problem

Answer 1

Thank you for the example code.
The behaviour you're seeing is because when the window is being resized using the mouse, the OS enters a modal message loop to process mouse input. During this loop, your message loop doesn't run - which means your PeekMessage() and the special message handling doesn't run either. Instead, messages are simply dispatched as normal to your window procedure.
There are two solutions that come to mind immediately but how you deal with this really depends on the design of your program and why you want to process size events in this way.
The first idea I had is to keep track of whether you're in a modal sizing loop or not, and defer posting the notification message until the loop is finished. An example of how to do that using your provided window procedure is below.
The second solution is to simply call your resize event handler directly whenever you get WM_SIZE (or, if you must go through the event system, put the handler for it in the window procedure rather than using PostMessage).
Example code for the first suggestion:
LRESULT CALLBACK obgpf_DefaultWindowCallback(HWND window, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
LRESULT result = 0;
static bool fResized = false;
static bool fInSizeLoop = false;
switch(message)
{
case WM_CLOSE:
{
PostMessageA(window, WM_QUIT, 0, 0);
} break;
//this should be handled by OBGGetEvent
case OBG_WM_RESIZE:
{
printf("MESSAGE WENT THROUGH. DON'T WANT THIS\n");
} break;
case WM_SIZE:
{
if (fInSizeLoop) // in modal size loop, defer notification
fResized = true;
else
PostMessageA(window, OBG_WM_RESIZE, wParam, lParam);
} break;
case WM_ENTERSIZEMOVE:
fInSizeLoop = true; // begin modal size loop
break;
case WM_EXITSIZEMOVE:
fInSizeLoop = false; // left modal size loop
// post resize notification now
if (fResized) {
RECT rc;
GetClientRect(window, &rc);
PostMessageA(window, OBG_WM_RESIZE, 0, MAKELPARAM(rc.right - rc.left, rc.bottom - rc.top));
fResized = false;
}
break;
default:
{
result = DefWindowProc(window, message, wParam, lParam);
} break;
}
return result;
}
(sorry, this is C++ code and I just noticed you had tagged as C - but the principle is the same).