How to Create a Command Link

Article
2020-08-21

This topic describes one way to create a command link.

What you need to know

Technologies

Windows Controls

Prerequisites

C/C++
Windows User Interface Programming

Instructions

Step 1: Create an instance of the command link button.

In the following C++ code example, the style constant BS_COMMANDLINK specifies the button as a command link button.

HWND hwndCommandLink = CreateWindow(
    L"BUTTON",  // Predefined class; Unicode assumed
    L"",        // Text will be defined later
    WS_TABSTOP | WS_VISIBLE | WS_CHILD | BS_COMMANDLINK,  // Styles
    200,        // x position 
    10,         // y position 
    100,        // Button width
    100,        // Button height
    m_hwnd,     // Parent window
    NULL,       // No menu
    (HINSTANCE)GetWindowLongPtr(m_hwnd, GWLP_HINSTANCE), 
    NULL);      // Pointer not needed

Step 2: Set the command link label and explanation text

Use the SendMessage function to set the command link label and supplementary text via the WM_SETTEXT message and the BCM_SETNOTE message, respectively.

SendMessage(hwndCommandLink, WM_SETTEXT, 0, (LPARAM)L"Command link");
SendMessage(hwndCommandLink, BCM_SETNOTE, 0, (LPARAM)L"with note");

About Buttons
Button Control Reference
Using Buttons
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