C# Signature:

/// <summary>
/// Retrieves the handle to the ancestor of the specified window.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="hwnd">A handle to the window whose ancestor is to be retrieved.
/// If this parameter is the desktop window, the function returns NULL. </param>
/// <param name="flags">The ancestor to be retrieved.</param>
/// <returns>The return value is the handle to the ancestor window.</returns>
[DllImport("user32.dll", ExactSpelling = true)]
static extern IntPtr GetAncestor(IntPtr hwnd, GetAncestorFlags flags);

VB.NET Signature:

<DllImport("user32.dll", ExactSpelling:=True)> _
Private Shared Function GetAncestor(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal gaFlags As GetAncestor_Flags) As IntPtr
End Function

User-Defined Types:

GetAncestor_Flags

Notes:

Use the following values for the flags:

private const uint GA_PARENT = 1; // Retrieves the parent window.This does not include the owner, as it does with the GetParent function.

private const uint GA_ROOT = 2; // Retrieves the root window by walking the chain of parent windows.

private const uint GA_ROOTOWNER = 3; // Retrieves the owned root window by walking the chain of parent and owner windows returned by GetParent.

    public const uint GA_PARENT = 1;    // Retrieves the parent window.This does not include the owner, as it does with the GetParent function.
    public const uint GA_ROOT = 2;      // Retrieves the root window by walking the chain of parent windows.
    public const uint GA_ROOTOWNER = 3; // Retrieves the owned root window by walking the chain of parent and owner windows returned by GetParent.

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