Choosing Message Options

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The Options command on the Messages menu opens the Message Options dialog box with three tabs: Windows, Messages, and Output. Click the title of a tab to display that tab’s options.

The Windows Tab

The Windows tab on the Message Options dialog box contains the Window Finder Tool. Other options on the Windows tab include:

Entry Description
Parent Display messages for the selected window and its immediate parent window.
Children Display messages for the selected window and all its child windows, including nested child windows.
Windows of Same Thread Display messages for the selected window and all other windows owned by the same thread.
Windows of Same Process Display messages for the selected window and all other windows owned by the same process.
All Windows In System Display messages for all windows.
Save Settings as Default Save the preceding settings for new message stream windows. These settings are saved when Spy++ quits.

The Messages Tab

You can use the Messages tab in the Message Options dialog box to select message types for viewing. Typically, you first select message groups, and then fine-tune the selection by selecting individual messages. The All button selects all message types, and the None button clears all types.

Note that three entries under Message Groups do not map to specific entries under Messages to View. These include:

  • WM_USER: with a code greater than or equal to than WM_USER

  • Registered: registered with the RegisterWindowMessage call

  • Unknown: unknown messages in the range 0 to (WM_USER – 1)

If you select these “groups,” the selection is applied directly to the message stream.

When you create a new Messages window, it can display all messages. When you filter messages from the Messages tab, that filter only applies to new messages, not messages that have already been displayed in the Windows view.

A grayed check box within Message Groups indicates that the Messages to View list box has been modified for messages in that group; not all of the message types in that group are selected.

If you select Save Settings as Default, the current settings are saved for later use as message search options. These settings are also saved when exiting Spy++.

The Output Tab

You can use the Output tab in the Message Options dialog box to select the following options:

Entry Description
Message Nesting Level Prefix nested messages with one period per level.
Raw Message Parameters Display the hexadecimal wParam and lParam values.
Decoded Message Parameters Display the results of message-specific decoding of the wParam and lParam values.
Raw Return Values Display the hexadecimal lResult return value.
Decoded Return Values Display the results of message-specific decoding of the lResult return value.
Message Origin Time The elapsed time since the Windows system was started (for posted messages only).
Message Mouse Position The screen coordinates of the mouse when the message was posted (for posted messages only).
Lines Maximum Limit the number of lines that are retained in the currently selected Messages view.
Also Log to File Specify an output file for the message log. This output file is written simultaneously with the message log window.
Save Settings as Default Save the preceding settings for new message stream windows. These settings are saved when you quit Spy++.