DOCUMENT:Q103223 10-DEC-1999 [win16sdk] TITLE :Trapping System RIPs and Other Notification Messages PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit PROD/VER:WINDOWS:3.1 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbfile kbsample kb16bitonly kbOSWin310 ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= Ripwatch uses the TOOLHELP dynamic-link library (DLL) to trap system RIPs and other notification messages, and displays them in a window. When developing Microsoft Windows-based applications, you should always use the debugging version of Windows. This special build of the system is distributed with the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK). It tests for invalid parameters to Windows function calls and reports other problems such as failing to free graphics device interface (GDI) objects when an application exits. If you don't know about the debugging version, you are not getting the most from your SDK; worse still, you may be preparing to ship a potentially faulty product. The default action for reporting detected errors is to send a message to a debug terminal connected to COM1. This requires that you have a terminal attached to the port to see these messages. This can be a waste of desktop space, a source of annoying beeps, and may tie up an otherwise useful communications port. The TOOLHELP.DLL included with the Windows SDK allows you to hook these messages before they reach the communications port. The Ripwatch sample application displays the messages in a window. The display includes a textual description of the RIP error code. Ripwatch also allows you to copy the text to the Clipboard, save it in a file, or print it. There is a known problem when running Ripwatch with Microsoft CodeView(R) for Windows. If you try to start CodeView while Ripwatch is running, CodeView reports an out-of-memory condition. If you try to start Ripwatch after CodeView has been started, CodeView will usually GP fault. Ripwatch was built and tested under Microsoft Windows version 3.1 and the Microsoft C/C++ version 7.0 compiler. MORE INFORMATION ================ The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center: Ripwatch.exe For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services Microsoft used the most current virus detection software available on the date of posting to scan this file for viruses. Once posted, the file is housed on secure servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file. Additional query words: kbfile softlib RIPWATCH.EXE ====================================================================== Keywords : kbfile kbsample kb16bitonly kbOSWin310 Technology : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK310 Version : WINDOWS:3.1 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.