== Working with Components and Windows ==

=== Finding a Window Handle ===
Use function ''FindWindow()'' to get a window handle.  If a child window is required, use ''FindWindowEx()''.

Example:
<code delphi>
procedure TfrmMain.btnGetWinInfoClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  i:          integer;
  lWnd:       THandle;
  AppTitle, WndName, ClassName: string;
  Title:      array[0..255] of char;
  pid:        dword;
begin
  // get a top-level form
  ClassName := 'TForm';  // or TPanel, TButton, etc.
  lWnd      := FindWindow(PAnsiChar(ClassName), nil);
  if lWnd > 0 then LogWinInfo(lWnd, 'btnGetWinInfoClick() found window');

  // get a child window
  ClassName := 'TForm';
  WndName   := 'My Window';
  lWnd := FindWindowEx(FindWindow('TApplication', nil) {ParentWinHwnd where to start search},
                       0                               {ChildWinHwnd  where to start search},
                       PAnsiChar(ClassName)            {ClassName  to search},
                       PAnsiChar(WndName)              {WindowName to search}
           );
  if lWnd > 0 then LogWinInfo(lWnd, 'btnGetWinInfoClick() found window');

  // get child windows with the specified class and/or window title
  GetWindowText(GetHandle('TApplication' {ClassName}, nil {Window Title to search}), Title {Title to retrieve}, 255);
end;
</code>

A routine that provides a handle for a child window or control:
<code delphi>
function GetHandle(ClassName, WindowName: PAnsiChar): THandle;
begin

  // find specified form
  Result := FindWindow(ClassName, WindowName);
  LogWinInfo(Result, 'GetHandle()');

  // find child windows and list them (log)
  EnumChildWindows(Result, @GetMyChildWindow, 0);

  Result := GetWindow(Result, GW_CHILD);
  LogWinInfo(Result, 'GetHandle()');

  Result := GetWindow(Result, GW_CHILD);
  LogWinInfo(Result, 'GetHandle()');

  Result := GetWindow(Result, GW_HWNDNEXT);
  LogWinInfo(Result, 'GetHandle()');
end;
</code>

A sample callback function used by ''EnumWindows()'' or ''EnumChildWindows()'':
<code delphi>
function GetMyChildWindow(Handle: HWND; LParam: longint): bool; stdcall;
begin
  LogWinInfo(Handle, 'GetMyChildWindow()');
  result := True;
end;
</code>

Use ''GetClassName()'' and ''GetWindowText()'' to get more information about a handle:
<code delphi>
procedure LogWinInfo(WinHandle: THandle; Msg: string);
var
  WindowTitle, ClassName: array [0..255] of char;
begin
  GetClassName(WinHandle,  ClassName, 255);
  GetWindowText(WinHandle, WindowTitle, 255);
  DebugStr(format('%s:  H = [%10.d], Class = [%-20.20s], Window = [%s].', 
                  [Msg, WinHandle, ClassName, WindowTitle]));
end;
</code>

=== TWinControl.Parent vs TWinControl.ParentWindow ===

From Delphi User Documentation: (("ParentWindow property (TWinControl)", Delphi Help, Borland))

* ''ParentWindow'' refers to the window handle that underlies the parent control. To designate a non-VCL control as a parent, assign that control’s handle to ''ParentWindow''. This assignment causes the control to be moved into the parent’s screen area. Setting ''ParentWindow'' has no effect if ''Parent'' is not ''nil'' (Delphi) or NULL (C++). <p>TActiveXControl objects use ''ParentWindow'' to insert a control in an ActiveX container window. ''ParentWindow'' is set automatically when a control is constructed with a call to ''CreateParented()'' (Delphi) or the appropriate overloaded constructor (C++).

* Some controls (such as ActiveX controls) are contained in native windows rather than in a parent VCL  control. For these controls, the value of ''Parent'' is ''nil'' (Delphi) or NULL (C++) and the ''ParentWindow'' property specifies the window. (("Parent property (TControl)", Delphi Help, Borland))

== Finding a Control/Window from a Handle ===
Use ''FindControl()'' to get the VCL control given a previously retrieved handle.

Example:
<code delphi>
const
  MAIN_WND_CLASS = 'TAppBuilder';

procedure TTBCConfig.SetGradient(const aVisible: Boolean);
var
  i: Integer;
  lWinCtrl: TWinControl;
  lWnd: Hwnd;
  lCtrlBar: TControlBar;
begin
  lWnd     := FindWindow(MAIN_WND_CLASS, nil);    // find the required window
  lWinCtrl := FindControl(lWnd);                  // find the control using the given handle

  // do some work with the control now
  if lWinCtrl <> nil then begin
    lCtrlBar := nil;
    // find the control bar on the app builder form
    for i := 0 to lWinCtrl.ControlCount - 1 do begin
      if lWinCtrl.Controls[i] is TControlBar then begin
        lCtrlBar := TControlBar(lWinCtrl.Controls[i]);
        break;
      end;
    end;
  end;
end;
</code>