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Sets the specified window's show state.
BOOL ShowWindow( [in] HWND hWnd, [in] int nCmdShow);[in] hWnd
Type:HWND
A handle to the window.
[in] nCmdShow
Type:int
Controls how the window is to be shown. This parameter is ignored the first time an application callsShowWindow, if the program that launched the application provides aSTARTUPINFO structure. Otherwise, the first timeShowWindow is called, the value should be the value obtained by theWinMain function in itsnCmdShow parameter. In subsequent calls, this parameter can be one of the following values.
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| SW_HIDE 0 | Hides the window and activates another window. |
| SW_SHOWNORMAL SW_NORMAL 1 | Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized, maximized, or arranged, the system restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when displaying the window for the first time. |
| SW_SHOWMINIMIZED 2 | Activates the window and displays it as a minimized window. |
| SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED SW_MAXIMIZE 3 | Activates the window and displays it as a maximized window. |
| SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE 4 | Displays a window in its most recent size and position. This value is similar toSW_SHOWNORMAL, except that the window is not activated. |
| SW_SHOW 5 | Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position. |
| SW_MINIMIZE 6 | Minimizes the specified window and activates the next top-level window in the Z order. |
| SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE 7 | Displays the window as a minimized window. This value is similar toSW_SHOWMINIMIZED, except the window is not activated. |
| SW_SHOWNA 8 | Displays the window in its current size and position. This value is similar toSW_SHOW, except that the window is not activated. |
| SW_RESTORE 9 | Activates and displays the window. If the window is minimized, maximized, or arranged, the system restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when restoring a minimized window. |
| SW_SHOWDEFAULT 10 | Sets the show state based on theSW_ value specified in theSTARTUPINFO structure passed to theCreateProcess function by the program that started the application. |
| SW_FORCEMINIMIZE 11 | Minimizes a window, even if the thread that owns the window is not responding. This flag should only be used when minimizing windows from a different thread. |
Type:BOOL
If the window was previously visible, the return value is nonzero.
If the window was previously hidden, the return value is zero.
To perform certain special effects when showing or hiding a window, useAnimateWindow.
The first time an application callsShowWindow, it should use theWinMain function'snCmdShow parameter as itsnCmdShow parameter. Subsequent calls toShowWindow must use one of the values in the given list, instead of the one specified by theWinMain function'snCmdShow parameter.
As noted in the discussion of thenCmdShow parameter, thenCmdShow value is ignored in the first call toShowWindow if the program that launched the application specifies startup information in the structure. In this case,ShowWindow uses the information specified in theSTARTUPINFO structure to show the window. On subsequent calls, the application must callShowWindow withnCmdShow set toSW_SHOWDEFAULT to use the startup information provided by the program that launched the application. This behavior is designed for the following situations:
For an example, seeCreating a Main Window.
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum supported client | Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only] |
| Minimum supported server | Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only] |
| Target Platform | Windows |
| Header | winuser.h (include Windows.h) |
| Library | User32.lib |
| DLL | User32.dll |
| API set | ext-ms-win-ntuser-window-l1-1-0 (introduced in Windows 8) |
Conceptual
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