GetWindowText

Description

Copies the text of the specified window's title bar (if it has one) into a buffer. If the specified window is a control, the text of the control is copied. However, GetWindowText cannot retrieve the text of a control in another application.

Syntax

int WINAPI GetWindowText(
  _In_   HWND hWnd,
  _Out_  LPTSTR lpString,
  _In_   int nMaxCount
);

Parameters

hWnd [in]

Type: HWND

A handle to the window or control containing the text.

lpString [out]

Type: LPTSTR

The buffer that will receive the text. If the string is as long or longer than the buffer, the string is truncated and terminated with a null character.

nMaxCount [in]

Type: int

The maximum number of characters to copy to the buffer, including the null character. If the text exceeds this limit, it is truncated.

Return value

Type:

Type: int

If the function succeeds, the return value is the length, in characters, of the copied string, not including the terminating null character. If the window has no title bar or text, if the title bar is empty, or if the window or control handle is invalid, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

This function cannot retrieve the text of an edit control in another application.