cchReturnBuffer1

cchReturnBuffer1 is a programming variable name used in C and C++ code to represent the character count related to a return buffer. The prefix cch is a conventional shorthand for count of characters, a naming habit inherited from Hungarian notation. ReturnBuffer1 identifies the first buffer designed to receive textual data returned by a function. The naming convention helps indicate both the buffer's purpose and its size semantics within the codebase.

In typical Windows API style code, a caller allocates a character buffer and a corresponding length variable, such as wchar_t ReturnBuffer1[256]; DWORD cchReturnBuffer1 = 256;. A function that fills the buffer may use cchReturnBuffer1 to report the number of characters written or to indicate that more space is needed. When the initial size is insufficient, the length variable is updated to reflect the required size and the buffer is reallocated.

Important considerations include whether the length accounts for the terminating null character, and whether the count is in wide characters or bytes. The exact meaning of cchReturnBuffer1 is defined by its API or codebase, so developers should consult the relevant documentation. The variable is commonly used alongside a second buffer variable (cchReturnBuffer2) in cases where multiple return values are captured.