DestroyWindowHWND

DestroyWindowHWND is a routine concept used to destroy a window identified by its window handle (HWND). It is analogous to the Windows API function DestroyWindow and is described in documentation and codebases that expose a named wrapper or alias for the same underlying operation. The primary purpose is to remove the specified window from the screen and to free resources associated with that window.

When invoked with a valid HWND, the function initiates the operating system’s cleanup sequence for the window. This typically involves destroying any child or owned windows, releasing graphical and system resources, and notifying the system of the window’s termination. In Windows-oriented terminology, the destruction sequence includes sending lifecycle messages such as WM_DESTROY and WM_NCDESTROY to the window procedure. After successful destruction, the window handle becomes invalid for future use.

Return value and errors: The function generally returns a boolean value indicating success or failure. On success, the call confirms that the window and its resources were released. On failure, the caller can retrieve more information using an error-getting mechanism (such as GetLastError in the Windows API). Common failure causes include an invalid or already-destroyed handle, or not having ownership rights to destroy the window from the calling thread.

Threading considerations: In typical implementations, the thread that created the window owns it and should perform destruction. Destroying a window from a non-owning thread can fail depending on the platform and specific wrapper behavior.

Usage notes: DestroyWindowHWND is used when a window is no longer needed and immediate resource cleanup is required, as part of application shutdown or dynamic interface changes. It is related to, but distinct from, message-based closure approaches such as posting a close request.

See also: DestroyWindow, HWND, WM_DESTROY, WM_NCDESTROY.