C# Signature:

[DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern Boolean GetClassInfoEx(IntPtr hInstance, String lpClassName, ref WNDCLASSEX lpWndClass);
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
static extern bool GetClassInfo(IntPtr hInstance, string lpClassName,
   out WNDCLASS lpWndClass);

VB.NET Signature:

<DllImport("user32", SetLastError:=True)> _
Private Shared Function GetClassInfoEx(hInstance As IntPtr, lpClassName As String, ByRef lpWndClass As WNDCLASSEX) As Boolean
End Function

VB .NET Signature:

Declare Function GetClassInfo Lib "user32.dll" (hInstance As IntPtr, _
   lpClassName As String, <Out> ByRef lpWndClass As WNDCLASS) As Boolean

User-Defined Types:

None.

Notes:

Be sure to set cbSize member of WNDCLASSEX structure before calling the GetClassInfoEx function.

07/30/2008 - The last parameter should be ref instead of out. The function expects an instance.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

IntPtr hinstance = Marshal.GetHINSTANCE(GetType().Module);
String className = "Required Class Name";
WNDCLASSEX wndClass = new WNDCLASSEX { cbSize = (uint)Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(WNDCLASSEX)) };

Please add some!

if (GetClassInfoEx(hinstance, className, ref wndClass))
{
   // Class exists
}

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

System.Windows.Forms.Form.CreateParams.ClassStyle and misc. properties of Form (BackColor, Icon, Menu), Control (Cursor, Name), and Component (Events).

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