Win32: How to custom draw an Edit control?

Question

i need to implement the functionality of EM_SETCUEBANNER, where a text hint appears inside an Edit control:

Answer 1

Create a window class of your own that looks like and empty edit control, that draws the cue text and shows a caret and has focus. Create the edit control also, but position it behind your window. (or leave it hidden)

Then when you get the first WM_CHAR message (or WM_KEYDOWN?). You put your window behind the edit conrol, give focus to the edit, and pass the WM_CHAR message on. From then on the edit control will take over.

You can listen to EN_CHANGE notifications from the edit control if you need to go back to showing your cue text when the edit gets empty. But I'd think that it would be fine to go back to the cue text only when the edit looses focus AND is empty.