Build a CD directory database

• Download demo project - 78.1 Kb
• Download source - 23.1 Kb

Introduction

A little while ago I wanted to get acquainted with the Win32 API. So I needed to build something that would give me the opportunity to use all kinds of controls and built-in functions. I decided on making a program to view the directory structure of any HD or CD, to which I could add my own remarks and having the option to save that information in a file. I also added a search function. Since I often used information in CodeProject to solve particular problems I encountered, it looked like a good idea to share the result with you guys.

Using the code

Using the program is quite straight forward I think. For details please refer to the help file included in the demo. To summarize its features:

• Create directory trees from any CD or HD;
• Add your own remarks to any directory or file in the tree;
• Save the results in a file;
• Search for a specific string in the directory tree or the remarks;
• Print the tree, including the remarks.

I don't want to elaborate on the code I built. I guess it's all straight forward API usage. I preferred using the message cracking macro's like Hern�n di Pietro described in these pages. It allows you to break up the large callback functions into nicely looking compact pieces of code like these:

BOOL CALLBACK NewDlgProc(HWND hwnd, UINT Message, 
                         WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{
  switch(Message)
  {
    HANDLE_MSG (hwnd, WM_INITDIALOG, NewDlgProc_OnInitDialog);
    HANDLE_MSG (hwnd, WM_COMMAND,    NewDlgProc_OnCommand);
    case WM_CLOSE:
      EndDialog(hwnd,0);
    break;
    default:
      return FALSE;
  }
  return TRUE;
}

and:

void NewDlgProc_OnCommand(HWND hwnd, int id, 
                        HWND hwndCtl, UINT codeNotify)
{
  switch(id)
  {
    case ID_DIRNAME:
    {
      if(codeNotify == EN_UPDATE)
      {
        HWND hOkButton = GetDlgItem(hwnd, ID_POK);
        BOOL x = EnableWindow(hOkButton, TRUE);
      }
    }
    break;
    case ID_DRIVE:
      NewDlgProc_OnDrive(hwnd, id, hwndCtl, codeNotify);
    break;
    case ID_DIRLIST:
      NewDlgProc_OnDirlist(hwnd, id, hwndCtl, codeNotify);
    break;
    case ID_SELDRIVE:
      NewDlgProc_OnSeldrive(hwnd, id, hwndCtl, codeNotify);
    break;
    case ID_POPEN:
      NewDlgProc_OnOpen(hwnd, id, hwndCtl, codeNotify);
    break;
    case ID_POK:
            NewDlgProc_OnOk(hwnd, id, hwndCtl, codeNotify);
    break;
    case ID_PCANCEL:
      if (!DestroyWindow(hwnd))
        MessageBox(NULL, "Window Destruction Failed!", "Error!",
                  MB_ICONEXCLAMATION | MB_OK);
    break;
  }
}

To other novices I can recommend the tutorial by Brook Miles. I found the lcc compiler useful. It has nice Win32 support and contains all kinds of templates.

Points of interest

I encountered one peculiar problem in the GetSaveFileName function. The function failed until I set the lpstrDefExt member in the OPENFILENAME structure in upper case characters. Before that it didn't do anything, not even produce an error return value.

History

• This is the first version, date Oct 2, 2003