Windows API problem: LPCWSTR

[Gregor]

Hi

I have, quit obvius, a problem. LPCWSTR. I use windows.h to create a window in Visual C++ 2008. It's all ok, but when I pass a string of characters as a Window name I get an error:

C2440: '=' : cannot convert from 'const char [14]' to 'LPCWSTR'


This happens every time I try to pass a parameter as a parameter which should be LPCWSTR. So ok, I tried (LPCWSTR), which compild w/out errors, but my window had a wierd name:) Not what I entred by far! Infact every parameter I converted turn out wierd, I suspect in japanise or chinese simbols.

I'll contiunue my work, but I would love to solve this problem as soon as possible.

Thanks, if you have any more questions dont hasitate.


Gregor

[guruplus]

Use that  with  macro _T();
like this:
::MessageBox(NULL,_T("test"),_T("test"),SW_SHOW);                


_T() is defined in atlstr.h

[Gregor]

I'm using express edition, which does not include ATL. Any other solutions?


Edit:

I found out that it's an UNICODE problem xD How silly of me not to notice before

L"HereBeString" works perfectly, because L tells the compiler that the string is UNICODE formatted...

or we could just undefine UNICODE and use ASCII for the program, that should work ok too, havent checked it tough!

[guruplus]

_T() macro is defined as

#define __T(x)      L ## x 

it means, that should work by declaring that like this:

::MessageBox(NULL,L"test",L"test",SW_SHOW);  

[z05DSL3A]

To extend what SteakRider has said, It would be worth getting into the habit of using the _T() or _TEXT() [They are the same in the end] macros for you string literals because they are defined in a way that if _UNICODE is defined they will put the 'L' in front of the literal, but if not they will leave it out. If you get a compiler error try including TCHAR.H

It is also worth noting that MessageBox() is a macro that depending of the definition of _UNICODE, either calls MessageBoxA() or MessageBoxW(), there are a few macros like this.