convert mdi child window to regular window

Thanks for taking a look,

First let me tell you where Im comeing from:

My only experience with programming with full languages ( not scripting languages ) is Visual Basic. I have read up on C / C++ but am not by any means proficient. I am primarily a CG artist / designer.

Now for my question:

I am trying to create a plugin ( for 3D studio max ) that will allow me to convert a mdi child window into a regular window. First of all, has this been done ( not for Max specificaly, but for windows ), no point in recreating. If not I took a look at the Microsoft windows API on microsoft's site and think I may know how to do it. Here is an explination of what I ( a novice, please don't laugh ) think might work.

First I would capture the information for the child defined by MDICREATESTURCT. The elements of particular interest should be szClass, and lParam ( The rest is not vital, correct? ). I could than destroy the mdi child useing WM_MDIDESTROY and create the new "regular" window useing CreateWindowEx and plug the szClass into lpClassName ( these are not the same datatype? ) and lParam into lpParam ( again differnt datatypes? ). And to convert it back to a mdi child I would do something similar but in reverse. I recoginze that I could use some differnet functions and may have to call some properties to get the info but am I moveing in the right direction?

My Questions:

Is this correct-ish?
Is their an easier way?
Im not to familiar with C++ would someone like to give me a hand or, frankly, do it?

I greatly appreciate your time and any help you can give,

Nathan