Best way to learn Windows Programming?

[Noxious Ninja]

I know ReactOS aims to make a Windows 2000/XP compatible OS eventually, but it is taking a while, and I understand it is a large project. I see people here like Tihiy and Xeno86do so much for hacking Win98, and I think it would be cool and fun to do.

However, I know nothing about Win32 programming - I just use Qt for GUIs. So what is the best way to go about it? I imagine I need to learn Win32 API and such before I have any hope of doing good work in this area.

And what would be the most helpful thing to work on? Maybe try and make Wine GDI work on Win98 and then improve it?

Maybe I'll never get anything done, but I can dream, right? :

Edited March 17, 2008 by Noxious Ninja

[alexanrs]

The best way to learn is doing it. Start by learning how to create a simple application with a window that closes and start evolving from there.

Btw, here are a few tips in accomplishing that first program:

1. Register a window class with RegisterClassEx(...)
   
2. Make sure the main window's class procedure calls "PostQuitMessage()" when destroyed
   
3. Create the window with CreateWindowEx(...)
   
4. Create a loop that keeps getting messages and dispatching them. Take a look here, there is an example in that page and some nice information.
   

If your compiler doesn't ship with Win32 help files (I know Delphi, C++ Builder and Borland C++ 5.0 do), you might want to keep that MSDN site in mind.

Hope this helps

[Noxious Ninja]

I'm going through this: http://winprog.org/tutorial/. I figure it's a pretty good start.