win32api

[unregistered]

ok first off, I'm totally new to windows programming and am looking to learn the windows api. everytime i see code which has things like winMain or something I don't really understand, where can I start to learn such stuffs? ( I want to start from the basics but learn the latest non-deprecated stuff meant for os such as the latest windows server edition, windows xp, vista and windows 7 ) Where do I go to start?

I have a working c++ knowledge but know nuts about windows programming or its api.

Is the book programming windows 5th edition by Charles Petzold still valid as I am aware it was published in 1998 or has there been many changes since then?
Reason I'm asking was that wikipedia mentioned it on the windows api page

btw, i see #include <windows.h> in some programs, does windows still use .h? since in c++ we normally omit the .h in c and prefix it with c like cstdio for stdio.h

[writetonsharma]

read charles petzold as you said, nothing better than that. read it.

[z05DSL3A]

+1 for Petzold.

Follow that with Richter (Windows via C/C++ [5th ed.]).

[george135]

Read MSDN, Petzold, Richter, Russinovich books and Win32 api group for undocumented stuff (news://comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.win32)
and you'll be able to do everything under Windows (at least in Ring 3)...