Tooltips without parent (on desktop)

I'm trying to display a balloon tooltip on the screen without specifying a parent window for it.

For this application purpose, my tooltip data and handle is "encapsulated" in my own handle definition (HBUBBLE):

Code:

---

struct __HBUBBLE {
        HWND hwnd;
        TOOLINFO ti;               
};

typedef __HBUBBLE* HBUBBLE;

---

My creation code where I'm trying to create it and show is as follows.

Code:

---

DWORD BubbleWindow_Create(HBUBBLE* pHandle)
{
        DWORD rv = 0;
        HWND hwnd = NULL;
        RECT rcDesktop;
        GetClientRect(GetDesktopWindow(), &rcDesktop);

        hwnd = CreateWindowEx(WS_EX_TOPMOST, TOOLTIPS_CLASS, NULL, TTS_ALWAYSTIP | TTS_BALLOON | WS_POPUP,
                CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT,
                NULL, NULL, GetModuleHandle(0), NULL);

        rv = (DWORD) hwnd;

        if (hwnd)
        {
                *pHandle = new __HBUBBLE;

                memset ( & ((*pHandle)->ti), 0, sizeof(TOOLINFO));

                (*pHandle)->ti.cbSize = sizeof(TOOLINFO);
                (*pHandle)->ti.hinst = 0;
                (*pHandle)->ti.uFlags = TTF_TRACK | TTF_ABSOLUTE | TTF_IDISHWND;
                (*pHandle)->ti.hwnd = GetDesktopWindow();
                (*pHandle)->ti.uId = (UINT_PTR) GetDesktopWindow();
                (*pHandle)->ti.lpszText = L"XXXXX";

                CopyRect(& ((*pHandle)->ti.rect), &rcDesktop);                               

                SendMessage(hwnd, TTM_ADDTOOL, 0, (LPARAM) &((*pHandle)->ti));
                SendMessage(hwnd, TTM_SETTITLE, TTI_INFO, (LPARAM) L"xxxxxx TITLE xxxxx");
                SendMessage(hwnd, TTM_SETDELAYTIME, TTDT_AUTOMATIC, -1);
                SendMessage(hwnd, TTM_SETMAXTIPWIDTH, 0, 500);
                SendMessage(hwnd, TTM_TRACKACTIVATE, TRUE, (LPARAM) &((*pHandle)->ti));
                SendMessage(hwnd, TTM_TRACKPOSITION, 0, 0);
                //SetWindowPos (hwnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 200, 200, SWP_NOSIZE);
               
                (*pHandle)->hwnd = hwnd;               
        }
        else
                dprintf(L"BubbleWindow_Create:WindowCreation failed\n");


        return rv;
}

---

It's possible to do this? Or I must create a parent window for it?

Thank you very much!

pd: (offtopic!) Has "code" tag on the forum C/C++ highlighting capabilities? :D

Usually, a tooltip is not a child window so, it has not a parent.
Please, first take a look at: Which are the differences between child and owned windows?

Of course you can create a tooltip with no owner, but I can not see any advantage.
However, here is an example of a function which can do that:

Code:

---

DWORD BubbleWindow_Create(HBUBBLE& hBubble, LPCTSTR pszText, LPCTSTR pszTitle,
                          WORD x, WORD y, WORD nMaxWidth)
{
  DWORD dwRet = NO_ERROR;
  hBubble = new __HBUBBLE;
  hBubble->hwnd = CreateWindowEx(WS_EX_TOPMOST, TOOLTIPS_CLASS,
                                  NULL, TTS_ALWAYSTIP | TTS_BALLOON | WS_POPUP,
                                            0, 0, 0, 0,
                                  NULL, NULL, GetModuleHandle(0), hBubble);
  if(NULL != hBubble->hwnd)
  {
      ::ZeroMemory(&hBubble->ti, sizeof(TOOLINFO));
                hBubble->ti.cbSize = sizeof(TOOLINFO);
#if (_WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0501)
      hBubble->ti.cbSize -= sizeof(void*);
#endif
      hBubble->ti.uFlags = TTF_TRACK | TTF_ABSOLUTE;
      hBubble->ti.lpszText = const_cast<LPTSTR>(pszText);

      SendMessage(hBubble->hwnd, TTM_ADDTOOL, 0, (LPARAM)&hBubble->ti);
      SendMessage(hBubble->hwnd, TTM_SETMAXTIPWIDTH, 0, nMaxWidth);
      SendMessage(hBubble->hwnd, TTM_SETTITLE, TTI_INFO, (LPARAM)pszTitle);
      SendMessage(hBubble->hwnd, TTM_TRACKACTIVATE, TRUE, (LPARAM)&hBubble->ti);
      SendMessage(hBubble->hwnd, TTM_TRACKPOSITION, 0, MAKELPARAM(x, y));
  }
  else
  {
      dwRet = ::GetLastError();
  }
  return dwRet;
}

---

And here is an example of call:

Code:

---

  HBUBBLE hBubble = NULL;
  LPCTSTR pszText = _T("Ala bala portocala, iesi Georghita la portita!");
  LPCTSTR pszTitle = _T("TEST TOOLTIP");
  DWORD dwRet = BubbleWindow_Create(hBubble, pszText, pszTitle, 150, 100, 200);
  if(NO_ERROR != dwRet)
  {
      // handle error (see: http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=318721).
      return;
  }
  // ...

---

Do not forget to previously register tooltip common control as shown in this FAQ: How to register Windows Common Controls in a Win32 application?

Working. Awesome. Thank you very much for your help.

Maybe I forgot this snippet?

Code:

---

#if (_WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0501)
      hBubble->ti.cbSize -= sizeof(void*);
#endif

---

Again, thanks.:thumb:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by indiocolifa

Working. Awesome. Thank you very much for your help.

Maybe I forgot this snippet?

Code:

---

#if (_WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0501)
      hBubble->ti.cbSize -= sizeof(void*);
#endif

---

Again, thanks.:thumb:

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That made the magic trick. :D
You are welcome!