DOCERR: GetWindowPlacement Function Always Returns an Error

 Last reviewed: January 26, 1996
Article ID: Q89569
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) versions 3.1
  • Microsoft Win32 Application Programming Interface (API) included with: 

        - Microsoft Windows NT versions 3.5 and 3.51
    - Microsoft Windows 95 version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When an application developed for the Microsoft Windows graphical environment uses the GetWindowPlacement() function to retrieve the show state and position information for a window, the function always returns FALSE, indicating an error.

CAUSE

The length member of the specified WINDOWPLACEMENT data structure is not initialized.

RESOLUTION

Initialize the length member and call the GetWindowPlacement() function as follows: 

   BOOL             bResult;
   WINDOWPLACEMENT  lpWndPl;

   lpWndPl.length = sizeof(WINDOWPLACEMENT);
   bResult = GetWindowPlacement(hWnd, &lpWndPl);

MORE INFORMATION

The need to initialize the length member of the WINDOWPLACEMENT structure is documented on page 422 of the Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) "Programmer's Reference, Volume 3: Messages, Structures, and Macros" manual for version 3.1. This information is not listed in the documentation for the GetWindowPlacement() function on page 479 of the "Programmer's Reference, Volume 2: Functions" manual.

Additional reference words: 3.10 3.50 3.51 4.00 95
KBCategory: kbui kbdocerr
KBSubcategory: UsrWndw

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Last reviewed: January 26, 1996
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