Member Avatar for Black Magic

Hey, I know this question has been asked allot but I am wanting to know of where I could get a simple window GUI book, I am not wanting winprog, but infact a book, and tbh could you direct me to a good book, but is quite slow and has very deep explanations but still gets you somewhere in the end. Thanks in advance.

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This thread asks for a slow, deeply explanatory Windows GUI book. Two common learning tracks work well: learn raw Win32 so the message loop, window-class registration, WndProc callbacks and GDI are understood from first principles; or learn a higher-level framework (historically MFC, or modern toolkits) to produce working apps faster. C++ knowledge is perfectly suitable for either route (as asked).

Following ’s pointer to a classic Windows text and ’s Visual C++ suggestion, use a hands‑on progression: create the smallest possible window (register class, CreateWindow, message loop), then implement WM_PAINT drawing, add a button and handle its click, build a simple modal dialog, and then expand into menus, accelerators and resources. After those basics, tackle subclassing/custom controls, owner‑draw, double buffering, and thread/GUI interaction. Keep each chapter’s code as a tiny, working sample so concepts are proven by practice.

Common pitfalls and quick troubleshooting tips: always paint in WM_PAINT (use BeginPaint/EndPaint), avoid long/blocking work on the UI thread, manage GDI object lifetimes, and be explicit about Unicode vs ANSI and DPI awareness. When moving to MFC/ATL or a wrapper, first understand the underlying Win32 concepts so message maps and lifetime semantics make sense. Expect older books to reference older Visual Studio versions; they still teach fundamentals, but project templates and build steps will differ.

A worthwhile slow book combines clear diagrams, short exercises, and complete chapter samples. The community suggestions here point in the right direction: learn the fundamentals from a core text, practice with many tiny programs, then use a framework for productivity. That sequence builds real, long‑lasting skill rather than just template knowledge.

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Member Avatar for Narue

This should be your first Windows programming book.

Member Avatar for Black Magic

Knowledge of C required.

Is C++ knowledge ok?

Member Avatar for amrith92

How about this book- it covers all the basics you will need to know-

Ivor Horton's beginning Visual C++ 2005, which starts from the basics to windows programming(both MFC and Win32 API's)

You needn't have to have an extensive knowledge of c or c++ to use this book as this takes it from level 1 to the top.

Member Avatar for Narue

>Is C++ knowledge ok?
Yes.

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