What is a good book/pdf/website for learing Windows programming?

[sysop1911]

I'm thinking of something along the lines of "Programming Windows" by Charles Petzold, but that isn't outdated. I've also got "Windows via C/C++" by Richter and Nasarre, but it is complex and not really a beginner's guide to Windows programming.

I know how to create a window, add menu bar. I've done some DirectX like full screen, sprites moving on the screen, that sort of thing. What I'm looking for now are things like how to program a Windows application like putting text, graphics, fields to fill out, buttons, etc. inside a window. I was using Petzold's guide (w/ VC++ on Windows 7) but the things didn't turn out correctly. Maybe also how to create a splash screen, etc. I've looked around the web and have found some good sites but no all-encompassing application programming book/site. Thanks.

[ovidiucucu]

Beside the two excellent books you have already enumerated, I would like to recommend Win32 Programming by Brent E. Rector and Joseph M. Newcomer.

As a note: Windows API is huge and is continously increasing.
So it's not possible find one single book/tutorial which is covering everything.

[Igor Vartanov]

I'm thinking of something along the lines of "Programming Windows" by Charles Petzold, but that isn't outdated.

Who says it's outdated? How could it be outdated when the core of Win API remains unchanged for decades?

I was using Petzold's guide (w/ VC++ on Windows 7) but the things didn't turn out correctly.

I use everything I got from Petzold's books on every platform since Win 3.1 (16-bit one) without any issue. Could you provide a bit more details about your problem with Petzold's code on Win 7?

I've also got "Windows via C/C++" by Richter and Nasarre, but it is complex and not really a beginner's guide to Windows programming.

Well, it is a beginner's guide. The thing is that it might cover just those Win API regions you never heard/thought about (see Ovidiu's comment about Win API size )

[sysop1911]

Ok, I see your point. I tried to code some of the things from the book before and certain things didn't work right (which I mistakenly attributed to its age), but I just tried it again and it worked fine. I stand corrected on Petzold's book, it's probably as good as I'll need at this level. However, are you saying there is *nothing* outdated about it? I believe the last edition came out in 1998.

[Igor Vartanov]

Nothing in regard to programming approaches is outdated in the book. You won't find there any fancy stuff about modern Visual Studio IDE tricks that make beginners be stumped so frequently. You won't find there any fancy stuff related to Vista/7 recent changes in GUI. But what makes a core of Windows programming skills and techniques is still there, and I'm sure it will be as long as Windows versions retain their backward compatibility.

[ovidiucucu]

Once someone knows the (classic) GDI it's no sweat to deal with fancy stuff like GDI+, Visual Styles and so on.
And generally, it's not necessary other book/manual/tutorial than MSDN Library.

But first, forget the "fancy" word and learn the "plain" basics.