Application Handle

[Robert Collins]

What is a handle? I mean what is it? I dont want a definition of a handle but what it is.

[hutch--]

Robert,

The term "handle" is a generic term for a unique ID for some object. You have different types of handles, Window handles, resource handles, an Instance handle and so on. In Windows most of these "handles" are suppilied by the operating system at runtime and it is the operating systems internal method of keeping track of a massive number of different object types.

think basically "handle = unique ID"

[Robert Collins]

Sorry, hutch, that is not the answer I am looking for. You gave a definition of a handle.

[Jimg]

Can you give us an example of describing what something is without giving a definition?

[russian]

He wants to know what this unique ID number represents. I think in some cases it's the adress of a certain ressource but I'm not sure.

[Robert Collins]

Can you give us an example of describing what something is without giving a definition?

OK. Hutch gave a definition of a handle. To answer your post I will put it this way. I 'think', but not sure, that a handle is the memory location of where the application is residing in memory during it's run time. That is to say, the Windows Operating System assigns that address as the 'handle' for that window. But, like I said I am not sure. Maybe a handle is nothing more than a random number or perhaps it is the next number from a list of already generated 'handle' numbers that the OS fetches and assigns to the next window that requests it's handle.

[russian]

about your signature...what's with the cigarettes??

[Robert Collins]

about your signature...what's with the cigarettes??

I shouldn't reply to that question since it has nothing to do with the topic but just because you asked I will. It's just an old cliche that was used quite often amoung Assembler programmers when cigarettes were not the topic of so much controversial. I remenber in my first assembly shop that it was quite common to see programmers with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. There was probably one or two non-smokers out of ten to twenty people in the programming department. I'm sure it doesn't apply anymore.

[donkey]

In some cases a handle is a memory location, for example the module handle is the actual memory location of the module. However some handles have nothing to do with memory, for example a file handle may be simply 60, it is normally less than 32768 at any rate, GDI handles do not point to GDI memory, for example a Bitmap handle does not point to the position in memory where the bitmap is stored. So Hutch was right, it is simply a unique way of identifying an object and depending on the version of Windows, the type of object and a few other factors may or may not point to an actual location in memory.

[Robert Collins]

In some cases a handle is a memory location, for example the module handle is the actual memory location of the module. However some handles have nothing to do with memory, for example a file handle may be simply 60, it is normally less than 32768 at any rate, GDI handles do not point to GDI memory, for example a Bitmap handle does not point to the position in memory where the bitmap is stored. So Hutch was right, it is simply a unique way of identifying an object and depending on the version of Windows, the type of object and a few other factors may or may not point to an actual location in memory.

Yes, he was correct in his definition of a handle. I think I was asking about the handle of an application (the program itself) and not so much about file handles or a bitmap, since neither a file or a bitmap is an application. I think you answered my question when you stated "the module handle is the actual memory location of the module". I kind of thought that was it but I just wasn't sure.

Thank you. You resolved my curriosity.

[hutch--]

I am a little wary of the response when the question in the first place was very general.

What is a handle? I mean what is it? I dont want a definition of a handle but what it is.

When I answered you that the term is used for a range of tasks, I have simply told you something that is a matter of fact. The distinction between "definition" and "what it is" is at best ill defined and under pressure collapses down to the same thing. Your question states "handle" in the singular in the form of an abstract so the response in the singular form is "unique ID supplied by the operating system".

Keep in mind that the Campus is for questions and answers, not "Quiz Show" style topics. Our members and moderators put in a reasonable amount of work to help people in the Campus and the Campus is set aside for tasks other than debate so I am moving this topic into the Workshop where it beter suits general discussion.

[Robert Collins]

Sorry about that, hutch. I know that the question was somewhat vague but I didn't know how else to state it. I also gathered by the responces that I didn't come accross very well with the original question.  ::)   

[Statix Star]

The life of the world makes mistakes, you can see a bad dog destroying anything but if you apply discipline, he will stop. After he learnt his lessons.

[Kestrel]

Handle like ID, ID like Handle.

but (at Windows System):

Handle: Allocated by System.
ID: Defined by Coder.

[Statix Star]

about your signature...what's with the cigarettes??

smoking herbs once two weeks is not too bad and it helps you to; calm your nerves. Coffee so they don't sleep they could probably
not sleep during night and study. Is not really healthy not sleeping, the best to calm your nerves is with exercise.