Windows Message Monitor

[LarsJ]

In a Windows GUI like an AutoIt GUI, functionality and user actions are largely controlled through Windows messages. Therefore, it's interesting to monitor Windows messages. That's the purpose of this example.

 

How does it work?
This is a simple example (Examples\1) Native controls\GUICtrlCreateButton.au3):

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#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include "..\..\Includes\WinMsgMon_Button.au3"     ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
WinMsgMon_InitMsgs( "..\..\Includes" )             ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Example()

Func Example()
  ; Create a GUI with various controls.
  Local $hGUI = GUICreate("Example", 300, 200)
  WinMsgMon_GetMsgs( $hGUI, "$hGUI" )              ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

  ; Create button controls.
  Local $idMsgBox = GUICtrlCreateButton("Open MsgBox", 120, 170, 85, 25)
  WinMsgMon_GetMsgs( $idMsgBox, "$idMsgBox" )      ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
  Local $idClose = GUICtrlCreateButton("Close", 210, 170, 85, 25)
  WinMsgMon_GetMsgs( $idClose, "$idClose" )        ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

  ; Display the GUI.
  GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)

  ; Loop until the user exits.
  While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
      Case $idMsgBox
        WinMsgMon_UserMsg( $idMsgBox, $WM_USER0, _ ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
          "Before MsgBox" )
        MsgBox( 0, "Title", "One second timeout", 1 )
        WinMsgMon_UserMsg( $idMsgBox, $WM_USER1, _ ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
          "After MsgBox" )
      Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE, $idClose
        WinMsgMon_UserMsg( $idClose, $WM_USER0, _  ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
          "Before ExitLoop" )
        ExitLoop
    EndSwitch
  WEnd

  ; Delete GUI and all controls.
  GUIDelete($hGUI)

  WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs( Example )                    ; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
EndFunc   ;==>Example

 

Include UDF
In this example WinMsgMon UDF is included as WinMsgMon_Button.au3 and not just WinMsgMon.au3. Because this is a button example, WinMsgMon_Button.au3 is included to be able to get detail information about button messages.

WinMsgMon_InitMsgs()
WinMsgMon_InitMsgs() is called immediately after inclusion of the UDF. The function sets up the path used to find text files with message information.

In addition to the path, WinMsgMon_InitMsgs() can take an optional $iFlags parameter as input. See WinMsgMon.au3 and Rerun in Toolbar buttons section for more information.

WinMsgMon_GetMsgs()
WinMsgMon_GetMsgs() is the central function that collects messages. It takes two parameters: A window or control and optionally the name of the window or control. In the example above the function is called three times to be able to collect messages sent to the main GUI and two buttons.

While messages are collected and stored, info is simultaneously written to SciTE console. The specified window or control names are used in console output and in WinMsgMon GUI. If no names are specified, the names Window1, Button1 and Button2 are used instead.

WinMsgMon_UserMsg()
WinMsgMon_UserMsg() sends user messages to the two buttons. 16 user messages are defined: $WM_USER0 - $WM_USERF. In the example $WM_USER0 and $WM_USER1 are send to $idMsgBox button before and after the MsgBox is opened and closed. And $WM_USER0 is send to $idClose button immediately before ExitLoop. This way it's easy to recognize the button clicks among the messages.

WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs()
WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs() is the central function that displays the messages in WinMsgMon GUI.

In the example WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs() is called with Example function as parameter. The function parameter is optional and is used in relation to the Rerun button to be able to run Example once more. See Rerun in Toolbar buttons section.

WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs() is called as the last line in Example() function. It does not necessarily have to be the last line. But it must definitely be after GUIDelete(). WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs() may well be called before a final long term calculation or file update.

In simple situations you may have sufficient information in SciTE console output. In such cases you can omit the WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs() function.

 

GUI window
This is a small part of the messages generated by the example above as shown in WinMsgMon GUI:

First column in main listview is message number. Note that the message number in first and second row is 220 and 225. This is because some messages eg. WM_MOUSEMOVE are unchecked in WM_MESSAGEs toolbar listview and therefore not displayed in main listview.

Second column shows the window or control that receives the message. Name of idMsgBox button, of interest here, is written on a wheat colored background.

Message column shows WM_MESSAGEs and control messages. Some messages are particularly interesting. They are written on a colored background.

Notification column displays notifications contained in WM_NOTIFY and WM_COMMAND messages.

The info columns shows information provided along with the messages.

 

Console output
The same messages as shown in SciTE console (long lines shortened):

[   220]  idMsgBox      WM_PAINT
[   221]  idMsgBox      WM_NCHITTEST
[   222]  idMsgBox      WM_SETCURSOR
[   223]  hGUI          WM_SETCURSOR
[   224]  idMsgBox      WM_MOUSEMOVE
[   225]  hGUI          WM_NOTIFY                 BCN_HOTITEMCHANGE         From = idMsgBox             HICF_ENTERING
[   226]  idMsgBox      WM_PAINT
[   227]  idMsgBox      WM_ERASEBKGND
[   228]  hGUI          WM_ERASEBKGND
[   229]  hGUI          WM_CTLCOLORDLG
[   230]  hGUI          WM_PRINTCLIENT
[   231]  hGUI          WM_CTLCOLORBTN
[   232]  hGUI          WM_NOTIFY                 NM_CUSTOMDRAW             From = idMsgBox             CDDS_PREERASE
[   233]  hGUI          WM_NOTIFY                 NM_CUSTOMDRAW             From = idMsgBox             CDDS_PREPAINT
[   234]  idMsgBox      WM_GETTEXTLENGTH
[   235]  idMsgBox      WM_GETTEXT
[   236]  idMsgBox      WM_USER1
[   237]  idMsgBox      WM_PAINT

 

Toolbar listviews
The five toolbar buttons before the first separator opens five listviews. The buttons are hot-track enabled with the technique used in this example.

Wins/Ctrls
In Wins/Ctrls listview you check the window or control where from you want to see messages. Here messages from all windows and controls are shown:

Because some messages eg. WM_MOUSEMOVE are unchecked only 742 of 1315 messages are shown. Click the checkmark or select the row and press Space key to show all messages.

When a row is checked, main listview is updated instantly. Unchecked messages in other toolbar listviews are reset. See Set in Toolbar buttons section for an easy way to uncheck messages.

Click the color cell or select the row and press Enter key to set background color. The combo control is implemented with the technique demonstrated in this example. The background color for all windows and controls (first row) cannot be set.

Note that only single selection is enabled in this toolbar listview. In the other four listviews multiple selections are enabled.

To close a toolbar listview click in main listview, click the toolbar button, move mouse pointer above titlebar or press Esc.

WM_MESSAGEs
In WM_MESSAGEs listview you uncheck messages that you don't want to see. WM_MOUSEMOVE and WM_NCHITTEST messages are already unchecked. WM_NOTIFY messages are written on an aquamarine background:

To uncheck or set background color for all WM_NC-messages select the six rows and press Space or Enter key.

When a message is un- or in-checked nothing happens until the listview is closed. Then the Refresh button is enabled. Before you click the Refresh button you can un- or in-check messages in other listviews. Click Refresh button to update main listview.

When a color is set main listview is updated instantly.

Control Msgs
The Control Msgs listview is used to manage control messages:

WM_0xC09B is an application defined and unregistered message and is shown as the message code. The two user messages are written on a tomato red background.

WM_NOTIFYs and WM_COMMANDs
WM_NOTIFYs and WM_COMMANDs listviews are used to manage notifications contained in WM_NOTIFY and WM_COMMAND messages.

Toolbar listviews 2 - 5
Messages and notifications in toolbar listviews 2 - 5 are grouped by checked/unchecked items. Unchecked items in bottom of listviews. Update 2018-08-15.

A Search can be initiated by double-clicking a message or notification in toolbar listviews 2 - 5. Update 2018-08-04.
 

 

Toolbar buttons
Click Refresh to update main listview after messages and notifications are un- or in-checked in toolbar listviews.

Click Rerun to run the script and perform message collection once more. A submenu shows up with "Rerun script", "Write messages to console" and "Detail message information" items. The two last items are the same options as can be set through flag values in WinMsgMon_InitMsgs(). In the example in top of post WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs() takes Example as an input parameter. This is the function that will be executed when you click "Rerun script". The function parameter is optional. If not specified, Rerun button is disabled.

The Search group is used to search for messages and notifications. When you click the Search button the Search listview shows up. Double click or press Enter key on an item in the listview to start a search. A search for WM_USER1 messages looks this way in main listview:

Use Reset button to reset a search.

A search can also be initiated by double-clicking a message or notification in toolbar listviews 2 - 5. Update 2018-08-04.

Copy button copies text in selected rows to clipboard.

Set button applies settings defined in WinMsgMon.ini. See below. A submenu shows up with Uncheck and Colors items. Click Uncheck to uncheck messages defined in ini-file. Colors are already set through GUI creation.

Reset shows a submenu with Uncheck, Colors and Search items. Click an item to reset the feature. Use Set button to apply the feature again.

 

Code info
A few notes about the code in relation to toolbar listviews and buttons. All listviews are virtual listviews.

Through message collection, indexes are created to display data in main listview and to perform searches. Several set of indexes are created. A set for all windows and controls at once. And a set for each single window and control.

When a row in Wins/Ctrls toolbar listview (the leftmost listview) is checked, messages are displayed in main listview through one of these precalculated indexes. That's the reason why it's possible to display the messages in the same moment as the row is checked.

Search indexes are created for each single message and notification in the Search listview. A set for all windows and controls at once. And a set for each single window and control. That's a lot of search indexes. In the example above, there are around 100 - 150 search indexes. Calculation of indexes is performed through dictionary objects.

When you perform a search the matching rows in main listview are instantly drawn with the yellow background color through a precalculated search index. Next and Prev buttons also takes advantage of the indexes.

As soon as a message or notification is unchecked in toolbar listviews 2 - 5 none of these precalculated indexes can be used any more. When you click Refresh a new index is calculated to be able to display the messages in main listview. When you start a search a new index is calculated to be able to display matching messages with the yellow background color, and to be able to use Next and Prev buttons.

Up to 10,000 messages, performance should not be a problem. So far, no more messages have been tested. Arrays are dimensioned to a maximum of 100,000 messages. The number of windows and controls in leftmost toolbar listview is limited to 20.

When you check an item in leftmost toolbar listview all unchecked messages and notifications are reset and the precalculated indexes can be used again.

 

Functions
Most functions have already been described through review of the example in top of post. There are only a few left:

WinMsgMon_LoadMsgs()
When the message flow from an application is monitored, usually only messages for a single control and main GUI is monitored at a time. However, there will nevertheless often be messages from eg. buttons that are very common controls. If button messages are not registered with WinMsgMon_GetMsgs( $idButton ), messages will appear with the code instead of the name. It's actually the notifications that will appear with the code instead of the name. Use WinMsgMon_LoadMsgs() to load notification names this way:

#include "..\..\Includes\WinMsgMon.au3"
WinMsgMon_InitMsgs( "..\..\Includes" )
WinMsgMon_LoadMsgs( "BCN_Notifications.txt" ) ; Button control notifications
WinMsgMon_LoadMsgs( "EN_Notifications.txt" )  ; Edit control notifications

 

WinMsgMon_RemMsgs()
WinMsgMon_RemMsgs() removes all message monitors registered with WinMsgMon_GetMsgs(). WinMsgMon_RemMsgs() is called as the first command in WinMsgMon_ViewMsgs(). It's only necessary to call WinMsgMon_RemMsgs() if WinMsgMon_ViewMsg() isn't called. Ie. if the messages are written to SciTE console only. And only if code is executed after GUIDelete().

 

Detail info
Detail info is information in columns named Info 1 - 4 in WinMsgMon GUI. This is information that can be extracted through wParam and lParam parameters in a message handler function.

Detail info for WM_NOTIFY and WM_COMMAND messages is always extracted. Detail info for other window and control messages is depending on specific message handlers (script files). In this version only a few message handlers are implemented and only for a limited number of messages.

To be able to collect detail info the message handler must be included in the script. In the example in top of post WinMsgMon_Button.au3 is included instead of WinMsgMon.au3 to be able to collect detail info for buttons.

 

WinMsgMon.ini
Includes\WinMsgMon.ini is included in the zip-file. If a copy of this file is placed in the same folder as the running script, the copy will be used instead. You can edit the copy to your own needs. An empty file disables all settings in Includes\WinMsgMon.ini.

Includes\WinMsgMon.ini:

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[Apply Settings]
Uncheck=True
Colors=True

[WM_MESSAGEs Uncheck]
WM_ERASEBKGND=1
WM_IME_NOTIFY=1
WM_MOUSEMOVE=1
WM_MOVE=1
WM_MOVING=1
WM_NCHITTEST=1
WM_NCMOUSEMOVE=1
WM_PAINT=1
WM_PRINTCLIENT=1
WM_SETCURSOR=1
WM_TIMER=1
WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGED=1
WM_WINDOWPOSCHANGING=1

[WM_MESSAGEs Colors]
WM_NOTIFY=Aquamarine
WM_COMMAND=Aquamarine

WM_KEYDOWN=Bisque
WM_KEYUP=Bisque
WM_CHAR=Bisque
WM_DEADCHAR=Bisque
WM_SYSKEYDOWN=Bisque
WM_SYSKEYUP=Bisque
WM_SYSCHAR=Bisque
WM_SYSDEADCHAR=Bisque

WM_LBUTTONDOWN=Khaki
WM_LBUTTONUP=Khaki
WM_LBUTTONDBLCLK=Khaki
WM_RBUTTONDOWN=Khaki
WM_RBUTTONUP=Khaki
WM_RBUTTONDBLCLK=Khaki
WM_MBUTTONDOWN=Khaki
WM_MBUTTONUP=Khaki
WM_MBUTTONDBLCLK=Khaki
WM_MOUSEWHEEL=Khaki
WM_XBUTTONDOWN=Khaki
WM_XBUTTONUP=Khaki
WM_XBUTTONDBLCLK=Khaki

WM_CONTEXTMENU=LightPink
WM_INITMENU=LightPink
WM_INITMENUPOPUP=LightPink
WM_MENUSELECT=LightPink
WM_MENUCHAR=LightPink
WM_MENURBUTTONUP=LightPink
WM_MENUGETOBJECT=LightPink
WM_UNINITMENUPOPUP=LightPink
WM_MENUCOMMAND=LightPink
WM_ENTERMENULOOP=LightPink
WM_EXITMENULOOP=LightPink
WM_NEXTMENU=LightPink

[Control Messages Uncheck]

[Control Messages Colors]
WM_USER0=Tomato
WM_USER1=Tomato
WM_USER2=Tomato
WM_USER3=Tomato
WM_USER4=Tomato
WM_USER5=Tomato
WM_USER6=Tomato
WM_USER7=Tomato
WM_USER8=Tomato
WM_USER9=Tomato
WM_USERA=Tomato
WM_USERB=Tomato
WM_USERC=Tomato
WM_USERD=Tomato
WM_USERE=Tomato
WM_USERF=Tomato

[WM_NOTIFY Notifications Uncheck]

[WM_NOTIFY Notifications Colors]

[WM_COMMAND Notifications Uncheck]

[WM_COMMAND Notifications Colors]

"Uncheck=True" in "Apply Settings" section in WinMsgMon.ini means that unchecked messages are removed from main listview through GUI creation. As soon as an item in Wins/Ctrls toolbar listview (leftmost) is checked the removed messages are redisplayed. Click Set | Uncheck to remove the messages again.

"Colors=True" in "Apply Settings" section means that colors are set through GUI creation.

 

Examples

• Examples\
  • 1) Native controls - GUICtrlCreate<Control> examples supplied with message monitor code
  • 2) UDF controls    - _GUICtrl<Control>_Create examples (not included above) supplied with message monitor code
  • 3) Miscellaneous
    • Combo\    - ComboBox example including the corresponding Edit and ListBox controls.
    • ListView\ - Four ListView examples with a standard ListView, a custom drawn ListView, a virtual ListView and a virtual and custom drawn ListView.
    • Window\   - An example that shows how mouse clicks generates AutoIt messages ($GUI_EVENT_MESSAGEs). Two examples regarding blocked and paused GUIs.

 

Includes

• Includes\
  • WinMsgMon.au3            - Main include file, collects messages
  • WinMsgMon_Button.au3     - Button controls, detail information
  • WinMsgMon_ComboBoxEx.au3 - ComboBoxEx controls, detail information
  • WinMsgMon_ListBox.au3    - ListBox controls, detail information
  • WinMsgMon_ListView.au3   - ListView controls, detail information
  • WinMsgMon.ini            - ini-file, colors and unchecked messages
  • Internal\                - Internal files, implements the GUI
  • Messages\                - Message info files
    • CTRL_Information.txt - Info file for AutoIt window and 23 controls
    • WM_Messages.txt      - Common Windows messages
    • CCM_Messages.txt     - Common control messages
    • <???>_Messages.txt   - Messages for specific controls
    • WM_NOTIFY\
      • NM_Notifications.txt    - Common Windows notifications
      • <???>_Notifications.txt - WM_NOTIFY notifications for specific controls
    • WM_COMMAND\
      • <???>_Notifications.txt - WM_COMMAND notifications for specific controls

 

7z-file
The 7z contains source code and message data.

You need AutoIt 3.3.12 or later. Tested on Windows 7 and Windows 10.

Comments are welcome. Let me know if there are any issues.

WinMsgMon.7zFetching info...

Edited February 15, 2020 by LarsJ
New 7z-file

[LarsJ]

Search can be done by double-clicking a message or notification in toolbar listviews 2 - 5. Several minor updates related to search feature.

The ability to open/close a toolbar listview on every other click on the toolbar button was lost along the way. Reestablished.

Updated zip-file at bottom of first post.

[mLipok]

Thanks for this awesome tool, and an example of advanced AutoIt usage.

btw.

I think you should update your signature

 

 

 

[water]

Great job! Added the UDF to the wiki: https://www.autoitscript.com/wiki/User_Defined_Functions#Controls

[LarsJ]

Messages and notifications in toolbar listviews 2 - 5 are grouped by checked/unchecked items. Unchecked items in bottom of listviews.

"Uncheck=True" in "Apply Settings" section in WinMsgMon.ini means that unchecked messages are removed from main listview through GUI creation. As soon as an item in Wins/Ctrls toolbar listview (leftmost) is checked the removed messages are redisplayed. Click Set | Uncheck to remove the messages again.

Several minor updates especially with regard to Set and Reset toolbar buttons.

A few issues when code is run as 64 bit are fixed.

Added a handful of new messages to WM_Messages.txt.

Added two new examples under Examples\3) Miscellaneous\Window\: "GUI blocked.au3" and "GUI paused.au3". The examples demonstrates that when a GUI is blocked or paused by a MsgBox or by clicking the Tray icon, only the internal AutoIt message management system is blocked or paused. The Windows message management system is not blocked or paused. If you click the buttons while the GUI is blocked or paused, you'll still see lots of Windows messages in the monitor. This is utilized in Unblocking a Blocked Message Handler.

Updated zip-file in bottom of first post.

Edited August 15, 2018 by LarsJ

[Coldblackice]

This is awesome, thanks for sharing!

[LarsJ]

Updates:

• Errors under AutoIt 3.3.14.5 because functions have been moved to other UDFs. Corrected.
• Added a few lines in ViewMessages.au3 to display messages from an OnEvent mode script.
• Grouping toolbar listview items by checked/unchecked state (August 15, 2018) has caused problems while counting messages. The functionality has been removed again.
• Updated WM_Messages.txt. If you compare Windows messages in Includes\Messages\ with e.g. all the Wine messages, the latter contains far more messages. However, many of these messages originate from Windows XP and earlier and are apparently no longer used. These old messages have not yet been added. I'm considering a bit whether to add or not.

New 7z-file at bottom of first post.