API programming takes too long

[ilugd]

I am doing some network programming with the win32api and it is taking too long. I am using devcpp and it doesn't have any documentation for the api calls. I downloaded the win32 api help file but it doesn't have docs for getcomputerex call etc. The main trouble i have is when i use a function that should work.

But it doesn't. I search high and low and finally i some #define in an obscure header file with over 200 lines has maybe one value that has to be changed (eg, getcomputernameex wasn't working at all. After spending over 8 hours googling & going though the header files, i found that i had to change the definition of _win32_winnt from 0x0300 to 0x0500 in windef.h) I really wanted to throw something at the monitor that day. Well anyway, what i wanted to know was, is this situation usual and do you all face it or am i doing something wrong?? Are there some sites for such situations with good documention? Is there api documention available (other than msdn, it takes too long to load and is too technical) Also i would like to create a knowledge store or something with this information so that it would help others. Any ideas or pointers to some sites??

I hope this post is not too vague

[mediator]

HI, yea i really don knoow what api programming is...i think its windows programming! Neways but i have faced these header errors a lot when i used to program under VB or VC++. So u can say its usual! That's y I had given up and moved to UNIX programming.
And yes there are a plenty of awesome sites for API and other stuff from which i got help for java and c++.
Google it correctly and u'll find it in 1st ten results

[it_waaznt_me]

ilugd MSDN is the best resource for Windows API calls .. Yeah .. Devcpp is slow if you use code completion .. It will scan all the files you link in your project and that sometime really sucks ..

There was a good book on W32 calls in my library ... I forgot its name .. Will tell you after I find it out .. It was a great book ..

[ilugd]

Devcpp works fast on my system. I guess it is because it is 3 Ghz, and sufficient ram. I dunno. but the main thing is that i am not able to get any documentation. Anyway, as mediator said, i am going to try some more googling.

I finished the ipconfig clone today. (well not will the parameters, but i think it is enough for my purpose). I am now going to modify it so that you can change the ipaddress of the computer. It is not possible directly i hear. I will have use some calls to change the registry. Well that is a completely new field again. I will need all the luck you can wish me.