2022–2026

2026 222

October 2026

1. 29 OctThe support case of a customer who said that all they could see was a black screen
2. 28 OctC++/WinRT overcorrection: Using make_self and immediately converting it to the projected interface
3. 27 OctWhy don’t we run the taskbar and Task Manager at high priority, so they can remain responsive?
4. 26 OctPuzzling out why a program doesn’t work when run from a batch file, but works when double-clicked from Explorer
5. 23 OctWhy didn’t we use the COM static store to clean up the unmarshalable delegate?
6. 22 OctWhy didn’t we use Co­Register­Initialize­Spy to clean up the unmarshalable delegate?
7. 21 OctWhy didn’t we use Ro­Register­For­Apartment­Shutdown to clean up the unmarshalable delegate?
8. 20 OctMicrospeak: Drain the slide, back-up slides
9. 19 OctWhy do we need ud2 when int 6 is right there?
10. 16 OctC++ futures part 5: std:: future and std:: shared_future
11. 15 OctC++ futures part 4: What if I want an immediate on-thread std::async ?
12. 14 OctC++ futures part 3: The mental model for std::async
13. 13 OctC++ futures part 2: The mental model for std::promise , std::packaged_task
14. 12 OctC++ futures part 1: The mental model
15. 9 OctOne way of thinking about access specifiers in C++/WinRT implementation types
16. 8 OctIf one anti-malware software is good, does that make two better?
17. 7 OctHow can undefined opcodes ud0 and ud1 have parameters? How undefined were they?
18. 6 OctWhy does the compiler sometimes use ud2 and sometimes int 3 for code that shouldn’t execute?
19. 5 OctIf somebody tries to hot-patch an already-hot-patched function, how do they avoid conflicts?
20. 2 OctWhy is there no Windows hot-patching support for other architectures like 32-bit ARM and MIPS?
21. 1 OctWindows on Itanium also provided for hot-patching, in an even simpler way

September 2026

1. 30 SepWindows on AArch64 also provides for hot-patching, but it’s much simpler than on x86
2. 29 SepAs a general rule, calling product support while drunk is not recommended
3. 28 SepC++ reminder: Function-local static variables are initialized only once, even if it looks like they get initialized multiple times
4. 25 SepDebugging walkthrough: Access violation on nonsense instruction, episode 3
5. 24 SepNo, really, you need to pass all unhandled messages to DefWindowProc, part 2
6. 23 SepWhen working with Win32 FILETIME , don’t forget that you have std::chrono now
7. 22 SepA brief history of Windows scroll bar shortcuts
8. 21 SepWhat’s the highest legal FILETIME ? Is it safe to use?
9. 18 SepComparing exception behavior of magic statics, std:: call_ once , and std:: async
10. 17 Sepstd::call_once vs. std::async
11. 16 SepMagic statics vs. std::call_once
12. 15 SepWhy do Microsoft job levels start in the high 50’s instead of starting at a sane number like 1?
13. 14 SepWhy didn’t Read­Directory­ChangesW provide a way to correlate the two sides of a rename operation?
14. 11 SepHow can I remove the Close button from my window caption?
15. 10 SepWhy is the x86 undefined instruction called ud2 ? Why 2?
16. 9 SepWhat algorithm did Windows XP use to choose your initial user picture?
17. 8 SepA sample use of the winstart.bat file in Windows 95
18. 7 SepWhy don’t we allow stacks to be sparse, instead of forcing them to be contiguous?
19. 4 SepWhat happens if you change a window class’s GCL_ CB­WND­EXTRA ?
20. 3 SepThe case of the progress callback that never got called when progress happened
21. 2 SepThe perils of binding to value types in XAML
22. 1 SepMicrospeak: Funded / unfunded

August 2026

1. 31 AugAWE does not require PAE, though PAE makes it much more useful
2. 28 AugOn forcing all derived classes to implement a specific non-virtual method, part 2
3. 27 AugOn forcing all derived classes to implement a specific non-virtual method, part 1
4. 26 AugIn the product end game, every change carries significant risk, episode 2
5. 25 AugWhy didn’t the Windows Entertainment Pack just run the MS-DOS version inside an emulator?
6. 24 AugComparing the two holograms on the Windows 95 box
7. 21 AugReducing C++ template bloat by factoring out the type-dependent portions of the function, practical exam
8. 20 AugReducing C++ template bloat by factoring out the type-dependent portions of the function
9. 19 AugOn wrapping a callable in a lambda that just calls it with the same parameters
10. 18 AugWhy did the Microsoft Entertainment Pack for Windows have a special sticker announcing that it also had Tetris?
11. 17 AugHow do functions like alloca allocate memory from the stack?
12. 14 AugForcing an ARM64X executable to run as a specific architecture
13. 13 AugA little helper class for managing LPPROC_ THREAD_ ATTRIBUTE_ LIST s
14. 12 AugThe comments that go into code versus those that go into the pull request description
15. 11 AugThe little-known winstart.bat batch file
16. 10 AugHow can I perform a Copy­File in unbuffered mode?
17. 7 AugCreating a fake agile wrapper that is technically agile but is not useful outside its home apartment, part 5
18. 6 AugCreating a fake agile wrapper that is technically agile but is not useful outside its home apartment, part 4
19. 5 AugCreating a fake agile wrapper that is technically agile but is not useful outside its home apartment, part 3
20. 4 AugCreating a fake agile wrapper that is technically agile but is not useful outside its home apartment, part 2
21. 3 AugCreating a fake agile wrapper that is technically agile but is not useful outside its home apartment, part 1

July 2026

1. 31 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 10
2. 30 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 9
3. 29 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 8
4. 28 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 7
5. 27 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 6
6. 24 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 5
7. 23 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 4
8. 22 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 3
9. 21 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 2
10. 20 JulMaking an agile version of a Windows Runtime delegate in C++/WinRT, part 1
11. 17 JulWhy has the display control panel pointer truncation bug gone unfixed for so long?
12. 16 JulSpeculating on how the buggy control panel extension truncated a value that it had right in front of it
13. 15 JulThe case of the invalid function pointer when shutting down the display control panel
14. 14 JulMicrospeak: Double-click and drill down
15. 13 JulWhy don’t we just make the entire stack out of guard pages?
16. 10 JulThe case of the mysterious changes to integers when there shouldn’t have been any code generation effect
17. 9 JulI’ve decoded a #pragma detect_mismatch error and fixed the mismatch, but I still get the error
18. 8 JulThe other kind of control flow guard check: The combined validate and call
19. 7 JulHow did Windows 95 decide that a setup program ran?
20. 6 JulI opened a file with FILE_ FLAG_ DELETE_ ON_ CLOSE , but now I changed my mind
21. 3 JulHow did we conclude that CcNamespace.dll was the ringleader of a group of DLLs that unloaded prematurely?
22. 2 JulThe case of the thread executing from an unloaded third-party DLL
23. 1 JulIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Changing administrative settings

June 2026

1. 30 Jun2026 mid-year link clearance
2. 30 JunA compatibility note on the abuse of Windows window class extra bytes
3. 29 JunThe evolution of window and class extra bytes in Windows
4. 26 JunThe case of the DLL that was not present in memory despite not being formally unloaded, part 2
5. 25 JunRaymond’s hot take on Hainanese chicken
6. 25 JunThe case of the DLL that was not present in memory despite not being formally unloaded, part 1
7. 24 JunCancellation of Windows Runtime activities is asynchronous
8. 23 JunMicrospeak elaborated: Isn’t escrow just a release candidate by another name?
9. 22 JunIn memory of the man who put red and green squiggles under words
10. 19 JunWhat does it mean when the bottom bit of my HMODULE is set?
11. 18 JunWhy doesn’t Get­Last­Input­Info() return info for the user I’m impersonating?
12. 17 JunWindows stack limit checking retrospective, follow-up
13. 16 JunRetrofitting the WM_ COPY­DATA message onto Windows 3.1
14. 15 JunThe time the x86 emulator team found code so bad that they fixed it during emulation
15. 12 JunHow can I schedule work on a thread pool with low latency?
16. 11 JunUnderstanding the rationale behind a rule when trying to circumvent it
17. 10 JunWhat’s the opposite of Clip­Cursor that lets me exclude the cursor from a region?
18. 9 JunThe Microsoft Company Party where everybody played name tag swap
19. 8 JunRotation revisited: Shuffling more than three blocks, and other small notes
20. 5 JunThe back cover of C++: The Programming Language also raises questions not answered by the front cover
21. 5 JunRotation revisited: Avoiding having to calculate the gcd when doing cycle decomposition
22. 4 JunRotation revisited: Cycle decomposition in clang’s libcxx
23. 3 JunRotation revisited: A shocking discovery about gcc’s unidirectional rotation algorithm
24. 2 JunRotation revisited: Another unidirectional algorithm
25. 1 JunThe placeholder name for the Windows 8 experience was “modern”

May 2026

1. 29 MaySharing the result of a single Windows Runtime IAsyncOperation among multiple coroutines, part 3
2. 28 MaySharing the result of a single Windows Runtime IAsyncOperation among multiple coroutines, part 2
3. 27 MaySharing the result of a single Windows Runtime IAsyncOperation among multiple coroutines, part 1
4. 26 MayIf C# and JavaScript lets me await a Windows Runtime asynchronous operation more than once, why not C++/WinRT?
5. 25 MayA hypothetical redesign of System. Diagnostics. Process to avoid confusion over properties that are valid only when you are the one who called Start
6. 22 MayWhy do you say that a COM STA thread must pump messages if I see sample code creating STA threads and not pumping messages?
7. 21 MayHow do I use Win32 structures from the Windows Runtime?
8. 20 MayThe classic TreeView control lets me sort by name or by lParam, but why not both?
9. 19 MayWhat is the history of the ERROR_ ARENA_ TRASHED error code?
10. 18 MayJust shows that nobody cares about debugging the parity flag any more
11. 15 MayThe case of the Create­File­Mapping that always reported ERROR_ ALREADY_ EXISTS
12. 14 MayA constant-space linear-time algorithm for deleting all but the 10 most recent files in a directory
13. 13 MayThe case of the hang when the user changed keyboard layouts
14. 12 MayWhy do Windows client editions on 32-bit x86 systems artificially limit RAM to 4 GB?
15. 11 MayAdditional notes on controlling which handles are inherited by Create­Process
16. 8 MayDeveloping more confidence when tracking renames via Read­Directory­ChangesW
17. 7 MayWhen you upgrade your resource strings to Unicode, don’t forget to specify the L prefix
18. 6 MayWhy not have changes in API behavior depend on the SDK you link against?
19. 5 MayA dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and IBM organizational structures
20. 4 MayHow do I inform Windows that I’m writing a binary file?
21. 1 MayDeveloping a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 4: Abandonment

April 2026

1. 30 AprDeveloping a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 3: Fairness
2. 29 AprDeveloping a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 2: Taking turns when being grabby
3. 28 AprDeveloping a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 1: A semaphore
4. 27 AprLooking at consequences of passing too few register parameters to a C function on various architectures
5. 24 AprDefending against exceptions in a scope_exit RAII type
6. 23 AprAnother crash caused by uninstaller code injection into Explorer
7. 22 AprMapping the page tables into memory via the page tables
8. 21 AprSure, xor’ing a register with itself is the idiom for zeroing it out, but why not sub?
9. 20 AprHow did code handle 24-bit-per-pixel formats when using video cards with bank-switched memory?
10. 17 AprForgotten message from the past: LB_ INIT­STORAGE
11. 16 AprWhat’s up with window message 0x0091 ? We’re getting it with unexpected parameters
12. 15 AprWhy is there a long delay between a thread exiting and the Wait­For­Single­Object returning?
13. 14 AprWhy was there a red telephone at every receptionist desk?
14. 13 AprFinding a duplicated item in an array of N integers in the range 1 to N − 1
15. 10 AprHow do you add or remove a handle from an active Wait­For­Multiple­Objects ?, part 2
16. 9 AprHow do you add or remove a handle from an active Wait­For­Multiple­Objects ?
17. 8 AprHow do you add or remove a handle from an active Msg­Wait­For­Multiple­Objects ?
18. 7 AprWere there any Windows 3.1 programs that were so incompatible with Windows 95 that there was no point trying to patch them?
19. 6 AprLearning to read C++ compiler errors: Illegal use of -> when there is no -> in sight
20. 3 AprHow can I use Read­Directory­ChangesW to know when someone is copying a file out of the directory?
21. 2 AprWhy doesn’t the system let you declare your own messages to have the same semantics as WM_ COPY­DATA ?
22. 1 AprThe cover of C++: The Programming Language raises questions not answered by the cover

March 2026

1. 31 MarBefore you check if an update caused your problem, check that it wasn’t a problem before the update
2. 30 MarA question about the maximimum number of values in a registry key raises questions about the question
3. 27 MarWhat if a dialog wants to intercept its own message loop?
4. 26 MarWhy doesn’t WM_ ENTER­IDLE work if the dialog box is a Message­Box ?
5. 25 MarHow can I change a dialog box’s message loop to do a Msg­Wait­For­Multiple­Objects instead of Get­Message ?
6. 24 MarWindows 95 defenses against installers that overwrite a file with an older version
7. 23 MarHow can I make sure the anti-malware software doesn’t terminate my custom service?
8. 20 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: arm64, also known as AArch64
9. 19 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: amd64, also known as x86-64
10. 18 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: Alpha AXP
11. 17 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: x86-32 also known as i386, second try
12. 16 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: PowerPC
13. 13 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: MIPS
14. 12 MarWindows stack limit checking retrospective: x86-32, also known as i386
15. 11 MarHow do compilers ensure that large stack allocations do not skip over the guard page?
16. 10 MarA snappy answer when asked about dressing casually at IBM
17. 9 MarThe fine print giveth and the bold print taketh away: The countdown timer
18. 9 MarLearning to read C++ compiler errors: Ambiguous overloaded operator
19. 6 MarWhen Read­Directory­ChangesW reports that a deletion occurred, how can I learn more about the deleted thing?
20. 5 MarThe mystery of the posted message that was dispatched before reaching the main message loop
21. 4 MarAha, I found a counterexample to the documentation that says that Query­Performance­Counter never fails
22. 3 MarJust for fun: A survey of write protect notches on floppy disks and other media
23. 2 MarWhat sort of horrible things happen if my dialog has a non-button with the control ID of IDCANCEL ?

February 2026

1. 27 FebIntercepting messages inside Is­Dialog­Message , fine-tuning the message filter
2. 26 FebIntercepting messages inside Is­Dialog­Message , installing the message filter
3. 25 FebIntercepting messages before Is­Dialog­Message can process them
4. 24 FebCustomizing the ways the dialog manager dismisses itself: Isolating the Close pathway
5. 23 FebCustomizing the ways the dialog manager dismisses itself: Detecting the ESC key, second (failed) attempt
6. 20 FebThe 2026/2027 Seattle Symphony subscription season at a glance
7. 20 FebCustomizing the ways the dialog manager dismisses itself: Detecting the ESC key, first (failed) attempt
8. 19 FebExploring the signals the dialog manager uses for dismissing a dialog
9. 18 FebCould Write­Process­Memory be made faster by avoiding the intermediate buffer?
10. 17 FebMicrospeak: Escrow
11. 16 FebIt rather involved being on the other side of the airtight hatchway: Tricking(?) a program into reading files
12. 13 FebHow can I distinguish between the numeric keypad 0 and the top-row 0 in the WM_ CHAR message?
13. 12 FebHow can I distinguish between the numeric keypad 0 and the top-row 0 in the WM_ KEY­DOWN message?
14. 11 FebHow do I suppress the hover effects when I put a Win32 common controls ListView in single-click mode?
15. 10 FebHow did Windows 95 get permission to put the Weezer video Buddy Holly on the CD?
16. 9 FebWhat should I do if a wait call reports WAIT_ ABANDONED ?
17. 6 FebHow can I prevent the user from changing the widths of ListView columns in version 5 of the common controls?, part 2
18. 5 FebHow can I prevent the user from changing the widths of ListView columns in version 5 of the common controls?
19. 4 FebSuper Bowl LX creates an opportunity for symphonic friendly wagering
20. 4 FebHow can I prevent the user from changing the widths of ListView columns?
21. 3 FebSome small stories about the giant satellite dish antenna that was behind Microsoft Building 11
22. 2 FebStudying compiler error messages closely: Input file paths

January 2026

1. 30 JanWhy not store the SAFEARRAY reference count as a hidden allocation next to the SAFEARRAY ?
2. 29 JanHow can I retain access to the data in a SAFEARRAY after my method returns?
3. 28 JanWhy did I lose the data even though I called Safe­Array­Add­Ref ?
4. 27 JanA digression on the design and implementation of Safe­Array­Add­Ref and extending APIs in general
5. 26 JanWhat’s the difference between Safe­Array­Access­Data and Safe­Array­Add­Ref ?
6. 23 JanC++ has scope_exit for running code at scope exit. C# says “We have scope_exit at home.”
7. 22 JanA simple helper function for attaching a progress handler to a Windows Runtime IAsync­Action­With­Progress or IAsync­Operation­With­Progress
8. 21 JanOn the proper usage of a custom Win32 dialog class
9. 20 JanMicrospeak: On fire, putting out fires
10. 19 JanWhat was the secret sauce that allows for a faster restart of Windows 95 if you hold the shift key?
11. 16 JanHow can I get the tab index number from a dialog box control?
12. 15 JanWhen programs assume that the system will never change, episode 4: Stealing strings
13. 14 JanClipping the focus item when looking for its on-screen location, part 3
14. 13 JanClipping the focus item when looking for its on-screen location, part 2
15. 12 JanClipping the focus item when looking for its on-screen location
16. 9 JanUsing Active Accessibility to find out where the focus item is
17. 8 JanUsing Active Accessibility to find out where the Windows caret is
18. 7 JanHow can I find out where the Windows caret is?
19. 6 JanSwapping two blocks of memory that reside inside a larger block, in constant memory, refinement
20. 5 JanHow can you swap two non-adjacent blocks of memory using only forward iterators?
21. 2 JanHow can you swap two adjacent blocks of memory using only forward iterators?
22. 1 JanSwapping two blocks of memory that reside inside a larger block, in constant memory

2025 273

December 2025

1. 31 Dec2025 year-end link clearance
2. 31 DecUnderstanding and mitigating a stack overflow in our task sequencer
3. 30 DecAdditional notes on color-keyed overlays as a way of doing smooth video rendering
4. 29 DecThe Gävle Goat (Gävlebocken) succumbs in 2025 to a new menace
5. 29 DecHow can I detect that the system is running low on memory? Or that my job is running low on memory?
6. 26 DecWhy are we worried about memory access semantics? Full barriers should be enough for anybody
7. 25 DecReading the fine print, episode 4: Holiday promotions
8. 25 DecWhy is the last letter of my string not making it to the clipboard?
9. 24 DecWhy does my Ctrl + M accelerator key activate when I press the Enter key?
10. 23 DecWhen irate product support customers demand to speak to Bill Gates
11. 22 DecAll the other cool languages have try … finally . C++ says “We have try … finally at home.”
12. 19 DecA shortcut gives me a weird path for a program shortcut that doesn’t point to the executable, so what is it?
13. 18 DecConcluding thoughts on our deep dive into Windows clipboard text conversion
14. 17 DecDeducing the consequences of Windows clipboard text formats on UTF-8
15. 16 DecWhy is the Windows clipboard taking the scenic route when converting from CF_ TEXT to CF_ OEM­TEXT ?
16. 15 DecMisunderstanding what the Cricket Celebration Bowl is
17. 15 DecThe Windows clipboard automatic text conversion algorithm is path-dependent
18. 12 DecResolving an ambiguity in the Windows clipboard automated text conversion table
19. 11 DecStudying the various locale mismatch scenarios in Windows clipboard text format synthesis
20. 10 DecHow does Windows synthesize the CF_ LOCALE clipboard format?
21. 9 DecHow does Windows synthesize CF_ UNICODE­TEXT from CF_ TEXT and vice versa?
22. 8 DecHow does Windows synthesize CF_ OEM­TEXT from CF_ TEXT and vice versa?
23. 5 DecHow can my process read its own standard output?
24. 4 DecHow can I read the standard output of an already-running process?
25. 3 DecHow do I check whether the user has permission to create files in a directory?
26. 2 DecMicrospeak: Big rocks
27. 1 DecHow do I get my edit control text to be autoselected when I choose it to be the default focus in my dialog?

November 2025

1. 28 NovHow can I have a Win32 drop-down combo box with a read-only edit control?
2. 27 NovMessage-only windows are for messaging, not as a convenient victim for hosting UI
3. 26 NovAt what point in the Windows development cycle is it too late to change the text of a translatable string?
4. 25 NovThe apocryphal origins of the Hot Dog Stand color scheme
5. 24 NovWhy does XAML break down when I have an element that is half a billion pixels tall?
6. 21 NovMaybe somebody can explain to me how weak references solve the ODR problem
7. 20 NovIn the commit-on-demand pattern, what happens if an access violation straddles multiple pages?
8. 19 NovIs Write­Process­Memory faster than shared memory for transferring data between two processes?
9. 18 NovMicrospeak: Little-r
10. 17 NovHow can I detect that Windows is running in S-Mode, redux
11. 14 NovI can use WM_ COPY DATA to send a block of data to another window, but how does it send data back?
12. 13 NovCould we use CTAD to simplify the use of WRL’s Callback function?
13. 12 NovNon-recursively deleting a binary tree in constant space: Rotating the tree
14. 11 NovBehind the scenes on how Windows 95 application compatibility patched broken programs
15. 10 NovHow did Windows 3.1 distinguish two different programs that happened to share the same executable name?
16. 7 NovNon-recursively deleting a binary tree in constant space: Restructuring the tree
17. 6 NovNon-recursively deleting a binary tree in constant space: Synthesizing the parent pointer
18. 5 NovNon-recursively deleting a binary tree in constant space: Traversal with parent pointers
19. 4 NovThe Microsoft SoftCard for the Apple II: Getting two processors to share the same memory
20. 3 NovWhy does SHFormat­Date­Time take an unaligned FILETIME ?

October 2025

1. 31 OctMicrospeak: turn into a pumpkin
2. 30 OctTrying to build a XAML tree in code throws a “No installed components were detected” exception
3. 29 OctWhat to do when you have a crash in the runtime control flow guard check
4. 28 OctHow did the Windows 95 user interface code get brought to the Windows NT code base?
5. 27 OctDubious security vulnerability: Denial of service by loading a very large file
6. 24 OctThe early history of the Windows Runtime PropertyValue and why there is a PropertyType.Inspectable that is never used
7. 23 OctWindows Runtime design principle: Properties can be set in any order
8. 22 OctWhat makes cheap_ steady_ clock faster than std:: chrono:: high_ resolution_ clock ?
9. 21 OctMicrospeak: The hockey stick on wheels
10. 20 OctWhat about the icons in pifmgr.dll?
11. 17 OctUsing RAII to remedy a defect where not all code paths performed required exit actions, follow-up
12. 16 OctUsing RAII to remedy a defect where not all code paths performed required exit actions
13. 15 OctWhy can you increment a reference count with relaxed semantics, but you have to decrement with release semantics?
14. 14 OctI remember taking a screen shot of a video, and when I opened it in Paint, the video was playing in it! What witchcraft is this?
15. 13 OctAPI design principle: Don’t tempt people to divide by zero
16. 10 OctThe self-assignment principle for Windows Runtime properties: Don’t change behavior based on whether a property has been written to
17. 9 OctThe self-assignment principle for Windows Runtime properties applies to default values
18. 8 OctWindows Runtime API design principles around read-write properties: Idempotence and self-assignment
19. 7 OctRemembering the end of support for VRML in Internet Explorer
20. 6 OctCode comments should apply to the state of the system at the point the comment “executes”
21. 3 OctCan we get weak functions for static linking? The Visual C++ compiler says “We have weak functions at home”
22. 2 OctThe problem with inferring from a function call operator is that there may be more than one
23. 1 OctHow do I convert a FILETIME to a C++ clock like std::system_clock or winrt::clock ?

September 2025

1. 30 SepMicrospeak: Convicted
2. 29 SepHow can I enumerate the overflow icons in the Notification Area without showing them?
3. 26 SepWhy didn’t Windows 95 setup install a miniature Windows 95 so that it could be written as a 32-bit program?
4. 25 SepSamples note: Use comments to describe what code does, not what you wish the code would do
5. 24 SepWhy is Windows still tinkering with critical sections?
6. 23 SepAnother lesson learned from the Windows 98 on-stage USB blue screen
7. 22 SepWhy was Windows 3.0’s WinHelp called an online help system when it ran offline?
8. 19 SepLearning to read C++ compiler errors: Not a legal base class
9. 18 SepCan I close a duplicate handle while I’m waiting on the original?
10. 17 SepHow can I get my shell thumbnail extractors to run in the same process?
11. 16 SepTranslating the STATUS_ STACK_ BUFFER_ OVERRUN status code into customer-ready text
12. 15 SepWhy is the name of the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 hard-coded into the Bluetooth drivers?
13. 12 SepHow can I convert a third party in-process server so it runs in the COM surrogate?
14. 11 SepWhy can’t std::apply figure out which overload I intend to use? Only one of then will work!
15. 10 SepThe documentation says that CompanyName version information is required, but my program seems to work without it, so how required is it?
16. 9 SepA suggestion to people who assign nicknames to meeting rooms
17. 8 SepWhy didn’t Windows 95 simply special-case the laptops that locked up when it executed the HLT instruction?
18. 5 SepThe case of the crash on a null pointer even though we checked it for null
19. 4 SepHow can I write a C++/WinRT IAsyncOperation<T> where T is not a Windows Runtime type?, part 2
20. 3 SepHow can I write a C++/WinRT IAsyncOperation<T> where T is not a Windows Runtime type?, part 1
21. 2 SepDubious security vulnerability: Remembering passwords for recently-opened ZIP files
22. 1 SepThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 16: Second attempt to use a list

August 2025

1. 29 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 15: A custom shared pointer
2. 28 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 14: Nonthrowing moves with the shared tracking pointer
3. 27 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 13: Restoring the strong exception guarantee
4. 26 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 12: A shared tracking pointer
5. 25 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 11: Repairing assignment
6. 22 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 10: Proper conversion
7. 21 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 9: Conversion
8. 20 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 8: Tracking const objects
9. 19 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 7: Non-modifying trackers, second try
10. 18 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 6: Non-modifying trackers
11. 15 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 5: Copying our tracking pointer
12. 14 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 4: Using a circular doubly linked list
13. 13 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 3: Using a std::vector
14. 12 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 2: Using a std::list
15. 11 AugThoughts on creating a tracking pointer class, part 1: Concept art
16. 8 AugUnder what conditions could a Read­File or Write­File fail to transfer all of the bytes, and how do I detect that?
17. 7 AugHow can I detect that Windows is running in S-Mode?
18. 6 AugHow do I disable pieces of the property sheet for a service in the Services MMC snap-in?
19. 5 AugWhy are Windows semiannual updates named H1 and H2?
20. 4 AugHow can I read more than 4GB of data from a file in a single call to Read­File ?
21. 1 AugTwo related questions about keeping track of PIDs of IPC clients

July 2025

1. 31 JulA consequence of the weird wReserved value at the start of the DECIMAL structure
2. 30 JulIn C++/WinRT, how can I await multiple coroutines and capture the results?, part 0
3. 29 JulWhy is there a window with no name blocking Windows shutdown?
4. 28 JulAPI design note: Don’t make up multiple names for the same thing
5. 25 JulHow can I confirm in the Windows debugger that I’m looking at a COMDAT-folded function?
6. 24 JulHow can I wait until a named object (say a mutex) is created?
7. 23 JulExploring possible solutions to the inconsistency in how Windows searches case-insensitively for named resources
8. 22 JulBeing more adamant about reporting that C++/WinRT was unable to resume execution on a dispatcher thread
9. 21 JulWhat happens if C++/WinRT is unable to resume execution on a dispatcher thread?
10. 18 JulThe case of the invalid instruction exception on an instruction that should never have executed
11. 17 JulIf the Window Runtime PropertyValue is for boxing non-inspectables, why is there a PropertyValue.CreateInspectable?
12. 16 JulThe Fundamental Failure-Mode Theorem: Systems lie about their proper functioning
13. 15 JulPerhaps not a recommended usage for an emergency power outlet
14. 14 JulThere is a std:: chrono:: high_ resolution_ clock , but no low_ resolution_ clock
15. 11 JulDetecting and reporting all unhandled C++ exceptions as well as all unhandled structured exceptions
16. 10 JulOur first attempt to detect and report all unhandled C++ exceptions as well as all unhandled structured exceptions
17. 9 JulWhen I install an unhandled structured exception filter, why doesn’t std:: terminate get called?
18. 8 JulA walkthrough of the original Microsoft Building 3
19. 7 JulDubious security vulnerability: If I perform this complex series of manual steps, I can crash a program I am running
20. 4 JulWhy doesn’t LVIF_ INDENT work without an image list?
21. 3 JulGerman language cheat sheet: On changing quantities
22. 3 JulIf the Format­Message function fails, and I requested that it allocate a buffer, do I have to free the buffer?
23. 2 JulUnintended yet somehow entirely expected consequences of marking a COM interface as local
24. 1 JulThe sizzle reel that says things that nobody understands

June 2025

1. 30 Jun2025 mid-year link clearance
2. 30 JunEmbracing the power of the empty set in API design: Requesting zero items
3. 27 JunWhy do I get errors or warnings about some weird symbol called ?main@@YAHP$01E$AAV?$Array@PE$AAVString@Platform…, part 3
4. 26 JunWhy do I get errors about some weird symbol called ?main@@YAHP$01E$AAV?$Array@PE$AAVString@Platform…, part 2
5. 25 JunYour information has been permanently deleted, for small values of permanently
6. 25 JunWhy do I get errors about some weird symbol called ?main@@YAHP$01E$AAV?$Array@PE$AAVString@Platform…, part 1
7. 24 JunAbusing copyright strings to trick software into thinking it’s running on your competitor’s PC
8. 23 JunThe MIDL compiler still has trouble with double greater-than signs, sadly
9. 20 JunThe case of the invalid handle error when a handle is closed while a thread is waiting on it
10. 19 JunLearning to read C++ compiler errors: Ambiguous symbol errors after including a header file
11. 18 JunYou have to tell Get- and Set­Security­Info the object type, you can’t make it guess
12. 17 JunFunding the Egghead store shopping spree took a little extra legwork
13. 16 JunWriting a helper class for generating a particular category of C callback wrappers around C++ methods
14. 13 JunThread pool threads are like preschool: Leave things the way you found them
15. 12 JunWhy does Windows even have Interlocked functions when we have std::atomic ?
16. 11 JunRemoving the MAX_PATH restriction on paths applies only to paths
17. 10 JunApplication compatibility for Windows 95 crashed a cash register
18. 9 JunDubious security vulnerability: Tricking a program into running non-elevated
19. 6 JunWhy does C++ think my class is copy-constructible when it can’t be copy-constructed?
20. 5 JunWhy do some Windows functions fail if I pass an unaligned Unicode string?
21. 4 JunRiffing on a typo in the name of the opera Turandot
22. 4 JunHow can I programmatically find the network path by which a folder has been shared?
23. 3 JunThe symbolism of the magnifying glass is not universal
24. 2 JunStating the obvious about debugging an invalid parameter error when freeing memory

May 2025

1. 30 MayUsing an oracle to see where your code is producing the wrong output
2. 29 MayThe case of creating new instances when you wanted to use the same one
3. 28 MayHow do I convert a WIC bitmap back to a GDI HBITMAP ?
4. 27 MayWhat was origin of the code name Redpill for Windows 8 feature lockout?
5. 26 MayWhy does Enum­Process­Modules report no modules on a process that was created suspended?
6. 23 MayHow can I detect if one of my helper processes is launching child processes?
7. 22 MayHow can I create a window the size of the screen without it being treated as a fullscreen window?
8. 21 MaySilly parlor tricks: Promoting a 32-bit value to a 64-bit value when you don’t care about garbage in the upper bits
9. 20 MayWhy does Windows report my processor speed twice, with slightly different values?
10. 19 MaySecret passages on Microsoft main campus, episode 3
11. 16 MayWhat’s with the weird wReserved value at the start of the DECIMAL structure?
12. 15 MayHow do I force RunOnce commands to run in a specific order?
13. 14 MayIf I mark my thread pool callback as long-running, does it still count toward the thread pool thread limit?
14. 13 MayWhat is the developer set-up for developing Windows for multiple processor architectures?
15. 12 MayDubious security vulnerability: A program does not run correctly if you run it the wrong way, redux
16. 9 MayHow can I wait for Clipboard History to recognize a clipboard change before I change it again?
17. 8 MayWhy doesn’t Clipboard History capture rapid changes to clipboard contents?
18. 7 MayWhat were the MS-DOS programs that the moricons.dll icons were intended for?
19. 6 MayWhat were the MS-DOS programs that Windows used the progman.exe stock icons for?
20. 5 MayWhat were the intended uses of those icons in moricons.dll ?
21. 2 MayUsing type aliasing to avoid the ODR problem with conditional compilation, part 2
22. 1 MayUsing C++ type aliasing to avoid the ODR problem with conditional compilation, part 1

April 2025

1. 30 AprWhy does Windows have trouble finding my Win32 resource if it contains an accented character?
2. 29 AprProtecting Windows users from Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation
3. 28 AprWhy did Windows 7, for a few months, log on slower if you have a solid color background?
4. 25 AprIf we can have std::atomic<std::shared_ptr> , why not std::atomic<com_ptr> ?
5. 24 AprWhen I define a window class with no default cursor, what is the explanation for the cursors that appear in my client area?
6. 23 AprWhat resource ID should I give my application’s main icon?
7. 22 AprMicrospeak: top of mind
8. 21 AprThe ongoing story of seconds on the taskbar
9. 18 AprThe case of the feature flag that didn’t stay on long enough, part 2
10. 17 AprThe case of the feature flag that didn’t stay on long enough, part 1
11. 16 AprUsing the classical model for linking to provide unit test overrides
12. 15 AprThere was a lot of imagined dropping tablets in swimming pools
13. 14 AprDubious security vulnerability: Once I have tricked the user into running a malicious shortcut, I can install malware
14. 11 AprThe case of the UI thread that hung in a kernel call
15. 10 AprFunction overloading is more flexible (and more convenient) than template function specialization
16. 9 AprWhy can’t I use SEC_ LARGE_ PAGES with a file-based file mapping?
17. 8 AprThe Goldilocks zone of software stability
18. 7 AprOn priority inversion in the use of a spinlock to ensure atomic access to a shared_ptr
19. 4 AprAdding delays to our task sequencer, part 3
20. 3 AprAdding delays to our task sequencer, part 2
21. 2 AprAdding delays to our task sequencer, part 1
22. 1 AprThe return of Building 7

March 2025

1. 31 MarIf one program blocks shutdown, then all programs block shutdown, revisited
2. 28 MarThe 2025/2026 Seattle Symphony subscription season at a glance
3. 28 MarFixing exception safety in our task_ sequencer
4. 27 MarOn launching a dialog when a specific combo box item is selected
5. 26 MarWhy does INVALID_ HANDLE_ VALUE cast through a LONG_PTR first?
6. 25 MarWe’ll fly you to Atlanta, Texas, and getting to your hotel in Atlanta, Georgia is your problem
7. 25 MarA note on the USB-to-PS/2 mouse adapter that came with Microsoft mouse devices
8. 24 MarOn how different Windows ABIs choose how to pass 32-bit values in 64-bit registers
9. 21 MarThe case of the critical section that let multiple threads enter a block of code
10. 20 MarWhat could cause a memory corruption bug to disappear in safe mode?
11. 19 MarYou can’t simulate keyboard input with PostMessage, revisited
12. 18 MarWhy didn’t Windows 95 setup use a miniature version of Windows 95 as its fallback GUI?
13. 17 MarDubious security vulnerability: A program does not run correctly if you run it the wrong way
14. 14 MarThe case of COM failing to pump messages in a single-threaded COM apartment
15. 13 MarMaking sure that a DLL loads only from your application directory
16. 12 MarWhat are the thread safety requirements of HSTRING and BSTR ?
17. 11 MarWhat an insightful observation, you get to wear “the hat”
18. 10 MarHow do I destroy an ABI pointer that I extracted from a C++/WinRT object?
19. 7 MarTo some people, time zones are just a fancy way of sounding important, episode 2
20. 6 MarHow can I choose a different C++ constructor at runtime?
21. 5 MarI tried to subscribe to a C++/WinRT event, but my callback was never called
22. 4 MarMicrospeak: Respin
23. 3 MarLexically scoped functions accessing parent locals: The display

February 2025

1. 28 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 8
2. 27 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 7
3. 26 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 6
4. 25 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 5
5. 24 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 4
6. 21 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 3
7. 20 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 2
8. 19 FebC++/WinRT implementation inheritance: Notes on winrt::implements , part 1
9. 18 FebYour statement is now available, just two hidden flyouts and five clicks away
10. 17 FebAPI design note: Beware of adding an “Other” enum value
11. 14 FebInvestigating an argument-dependent lookup issue and working around it
12. 13 FebA sample implementation of the weak reference pattern for COM callbacks
13. 12 FebAsync-Async revisited: What about cancellation?
14. 11 FebDid the Windows 95 setup team forget that MS-DOS can do graphics?
15. 10 FebHow does Explorer find the “first” icon in a file
16. 7 FebUsing alternate locales to get more interesting case mapping than the C
17. 6 FebThe default C locale is not a very interesting one
18. 5 FebOn exactly when XAML bindings are evaluated if an element is not yet loaded
19. 4 FebThe original name for Flexible Single Master Operations in Active Directory
20. 3 FebOn trying to log an exception as it leaves your scope

January 2025

1. 31 JanCreating a generic insertion iterator, part 2
2. 30 JanCreating a generic insertion iterator, part 1
3. 29 JanHow do I create an inserter iterator that does unhinted insertion into an associative container like std::map ?
4. 28 JanMy electric toothbrush was acting up, so I tried to reboot it
5. 27 JanA pattern for obtaining a single value while holding a lock
6. 24 JanA brief and incomplete comparison of memory corruption detection tools
7. 23 JanMemory corruption from outside the process looks like space aliens
8. 22 JanBe mindful of temporal terms in documents: What is the reference point in time?
9. 21 JanWhy is there a bulge on my bicycle tire when I inflate it?
10. 21 JanWhy doesn’t the Windows blue screen of death prominently identify the company that created the driver that crashed?
11. 20 JanReminder: When a C++ object fails to construct, the destructor does not run
12. 17 JanThe case of the crash when trying to erase an element from a std::set
13. 16 JanIn a C++ class template specialization, how can I call the unspecialized version of a method?
14. 15 JanHow does Get­User­Default­Geo­Name choose between ISO 3166-1 and UN M.49 codes?
15. 14 JanMicrospeak: The walk-on topic
16. 13 JanA simplified overview of ways to add or update elements in a std::map
17. 10 JanWhy does inadvertently passing a std::string instead of a char const* to a variadic function crash on x86-32 but not x86-64?
18. 9 JanInside STL: Waiting for a std::atomic<std::shared_ptr<T>> to change, part 2
19. 8 JanInside STL: Waiting for a std::atomic<std::shared_ptr<T>> to change, part 1
20. 7 JanGesellschaft zur Stärkung der Verben: The German Society for the Irregularization of Verbs
21. 7 JanEmergency power resets on Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Acer laptops
22. 6 JanHow can I tell whether a change to a control was due to the user or due to my program?
23. 3 JanForcing an ERROR_ KEY_ DELETED error when trying to open HKEY_ CURRENT_ USER\ Software
24. 2 JanCould I be getting ERROR_ KEY_ DELETED for HKEY_ CURRENT_ USER\ Software when the user logs off?
25. 1 JanHow is it possible to get ERROR_ KEY_ DELETED when I’m creating a key?

2024 267

December 2024

1. 31 Dec2024 year-end link clearance
2. 31 DecMaking sure the Microsoft Visual C++ compiler chooses the right source encoding
3. 30 DecHow various git diff viewers represent file encoding changes in pull requests
4. 27 DecIn C++, failure to meet the requirements does not always mean that you fail if you don’t meet the requirements
5. 26 DecWhy are Win32 resources strings bundled at all? And why bundles of 16?
6. 25 DecHow can I check if two GUIDs are equal when they are provided as strings?
7. 24 DecA design flaw in the Windows 3D Pipes screen saver pointed out by a customer
8. 23 DecA common proposed solution to certain categories of IFNDR: Getting the linker to verify identical functions
9. 20 DecHow do I register a file type for a scripting language so that users get a warning when they run an untrusted script?
10. 19 DecInside STL: The atomic shared_ptr
11. 18 DecIs there a way to split the git history of a file or combine the histories of two files without a merge commit?
12. 17 DecMicrospeak terms that didn’t take hold: airspace, synthetics, and AOI
13. 16 DecWhy do we have header files <pshpackN.h> and <poppack.h> instead of just issuing the pragma directly?
14. 13 DecConverting to a derived class from the future: How to cast from a base class to an incomplete derived class?
15. 12 DecAPI naming principles for conditional operations: On, When, and If
16. 11 DecWhat is the CONTINUE_IF_FAILED equivalent of RETURN_IF_FAILED ?
17. 10 DecIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Disabling anti-malware scanning
18. 9 DecLearning to read C++ compiler errors: Failing to create a shared_ptr
19. 6 DecLearning to read C++ compiler errors: Nonsensical errors from a function declaration
20. 5 DecWon’t waiting for multiple threads one at a time introduce a severe performance issue?
21. 4 DecWhy does my DLL reference count go up by one every time I create and exit a thread?
22. 3 DecTricks from product support: We’re not smart enough to debug the problem, can you help us?
23. 2 DecNews flash: Desire for loud cars correlates with psychopathy and sadism
24. 2 DecAn analogy about register preservation rules in calling conventions

November 2024

1. 29 NovAssessing the attack complexity of a race condition security vulnerability
2. 28 NovWhy does my program successfully take foreground only when running under the debugger?
3. 27 NovChecking whether a URI refers to a Web site root
4. 26 NovMicrospeak: Real estate and Airspace
5. 25 NovHow can I know when a window has processed a message that I posted to it?
6. 22 NovIn C++, how can I make a default parameter be the this pointer of the caller?, revisited
7. 21 NovHow can I detect which menu my item was invoked from?
8. 20 NovHow do I determine whether Explorer is showing or hiding file extensions?
9. 19 NovA wrinkle in how Windows 95 setup bootstrapped its initial GUI step
10. 18 NovThe operations for reading and writing single elements for C++ standard library maps
11. 15 NovHow do I put a non-copyable, non-movable, non-constructible object into a std::optional ?
12. 14 NovSolving the puzzle of trying to put an object into a std::optional
13. 13 NovThe puzzle of trying to put an object into a std::optional
14. 12 NovWhy did Windows 95 setup use three operating systems?
15. 11 NovDebugger breakpoints are usually implemented by patching the in-memory copy of the code
16. 8 NovThe case of a program that crashed on its first instruction
17. 7 NovWhy do I observe reads from a memory-mapped file when writing large blocks?
18. 6 NovHow do I declare an operator overload for my Windows Runtime class?
19. 5 NovWhat’s the difference between Display size and Screen size in the Windows 95 display control panel?
20. 4 NovOn the limits of time travel in the face of undefined behavior in C
21. 1 NovOn locale-aware substring matching, either case-sensitive or case-insensitive

October 2024

1. 31 OctWhat has case distinction but is neither uppercase nor lowercase?
2. 30 OctI have enabled “take ownership” permission, but I still cannot obtain write access
3. 29 OctReverse-engineering what a “short” section is
4. 28 OctHow useful is the hint passed to the std:: unordered_… collections?
5. 25 OctHow can I explicitly specialize a templated C++ constructor, follow-up notes
6. 24 OctIt rather involved being on the other side of the airtight hatchway: Defeating ASLR after you’ve gained RCE via ROP
7. 23 OctHow do I create a Windows Runtime IRandom­Access­Stream around a bunch of bytes or a classic COM IStream ?
8. 22 OctDid Windows 95 shrink the default font size of windowed MS-DOS apps?
9. 21 OctWhy does adding WS_ MINIMIZE­BOX change how my window behaves when the user presses Win + D ?
10. 18 OctEvaluating tail call elimination in the face of return address protection, part 2
11. 17 OctEvaluating tail call elimination in the face of return address protection, part 1
12. 16 OctEffects of classic return address tricks on hardware-assisted return address protection
13. 15 OctA quick introduction to return address protection technologies
14. 14 OctOn naming things: The tension between naming something for what it is, what it does, or how it is used
15. 11 OctHow can I explicitly specialize a templated C++ constructor?
16. 10 OctA correction to the awaitable lock for C++ PPL tasks
17. 9 OctIf threads are created without a message queue, why can I post to them immediately upon creation?
18. 8 OctMicrospeak: Run to ground
19. 7 OctA popular but wrong way to convert a string to uppercase or lowercase
20. 4 OctHow does the linker decide whether to call WinMain or wWinMain ?
21. 3 OctHow can I detect whether the user is running as an elevated administrator (as opposed to a natural administrator)?
22. 2 OctA function for creating an absolute security descriptor from a self-relative one
23. 1 OctMisunderstanding the “Prevent access to registry editing tools” policy

September 2024

1. 30 SepPulling a single item from a C++ parameter pack by its index, remarks
2. 27 SepThe case of the crash when destructing a std::map
3. 26 SepIf you’re going to specify the LVS_SORTASCENDING or LVS_SORTDESCENDING style, you had better be telling the truth
4. 25 SepAnother example of the Windows Runtime interop pattern: Using the UserConsentVerifier from a Win32 program
5. 24 SepThe UserConsentVerifier confirms that the user is there, but it doesn’t protect any data
6. 23 SepGoing beyond the empty set: Embracing the power of other empty things
7. 20 SepHow can I check that all the changes in a git branch have been cherry-picked or rebased into its upstream branch?
8. 19 SepMy window has the WS_ EX_ NOACTIVATE extended style, but it got activated anyway
9. 18 SepMore on the mysterious [default_interface] attribute in Windows Runtime classes
10. 17 SepIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Posting completions to somebody else’s I/O completion port
11. 16 SepSome notes on Win32 carets
12. 13 SepThe case of the fail-fast crashes coming from the power management system
13. 12 SepHow can I tell whether two programs will share drive letter mappings?
14. 11 SepThe case of the string being copied from a mysterious pointer to invalid memory, revisited
15. 10 SepDoes the Resource Compiler have a separate preprocessor or doesn’t it?
16. 9 SepGitHub trick to find the commit that deleted a file
17. 6 SepThe case of the image that came out horribly slanted: Negative stride
18. 5 SepThe case of the image that came out horribly slanted: Taking the pitch into account
19. 4 SepThe case of the image that came out horribly slanted: Diagnosis
20. 3 SepWhy did Windows 95 use blue screen error messages instead of hard error messages?
21. 2 SepThe Co­Initialize­Security function demands an absolute security descriptor

August 2024

1. 30 AugIn the Windows kernel, what is a LUID, and what makes it loo-ey?
2. 29 AugHow is the Windows.Foundation.Uri.Domain property different from Host?
3. 28 AugOn the strange status of wchar_t in classic MIDL
4. 27 AugThe Microsoft/IBM joint development was built on mutual respect, wait, is respect the right word?
5. 26 AugThoughts on finding the essential elements of a set
6. 23 AugWhat if I need to wait for more than MAXIMUM_ WAIT_ OBJECTS threads?
7. 22 AugThe role of the activation factory in the Windows Runtime
8. 21 AugWhat does ERROR_ KEY_ DELETED mean?
9. 20 AugAnother tribute to Microsoft history hiding in Building 41
10. 19 AugConstructing nodes of a hand-made linked list, how hard can it be?
11. 16 AugThe case of the missing ordinal 380
12. 15 AugInstead of putting a hash in the Portable Executable timestamp field, why not create a separate field for the hash?
13. 14 AugTemporarily dropping a lock: The anti-lock pattern
14. 13 AugA look back at one of the (many) projects code-named Highlander
15. 12 AugEmbracing the power of the empty set in API design (and applying this principle to selectors and filters)
16. 9 AugWhat does it even mean to Close a Windows Runtime asynchronous operation or action?
17. 8 AugWhy do I get E_ ACCESS­DENIED when trying to access my brokered Windows Runtime object?COM is double-checking the trust level.
18. 7 AugHow do I know when the user has finished interacting with the Accounts­Settings­Pane ?
19. 6 AugIt rather involved being on the other side of the airtight hatchway: Disabling a security feature as an administrator
20. 5 AugWhat are the dire consequences of registering a RunOnce command from my RunOnce command?
21. 2 AugThe difference between undefined behavior and ill-formed C++ programs
22. 1 AugWhat’s the difference between Data­Package­View. Get­Uri­Async and Data­Package­View. Get­Web­Link­Async ?

July 2024

1. 31 JulHow to compress out interior padding in a std::pair and why you don’t want to
2. 30 JulThere is no mystery over who wrote the Blue Screen of Death, despite what some may want you to believe
3. 29 JulWhy don’t Windows Imaging Component pixel format GUIDs continue their nice pattern?
4. 26 JulWhat can I do if IMlangConvertCharset is unable to convert from code page 28591 directly to UTF-8?
5. 25 JulIn my Visual Studio project, I set my Conformance mode to permissive, but it’s still not permissive
6. 24 JulAPI naming principle: If there is no direct object, then the direct object is the source object
7. 23 JulUnquoted service paths: The new frontier in script kiddie security vulnerability reports
8. 22 JulOrganizing the five creation dispositions of the Create­File function
9. 19 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 9
10. 18 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 8
11. 17 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 7
12. 16 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 6
13. 15 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 5
14. 12 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 4
15. 11 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 3
16. 10 JulCreating an already-completed asynchronous activity in C++/WinRT, part 2
17. 9 JulCreating an already-completed asynchonous activity in C++/WinRT, part 1
18. 8 JulWhat’s the point of std:: monostate ? You can’t do anything with it!
19. 5 JulHow do I produce a Windows Runtime asynchronous activity from C++/WinRT?
20. 4 JulHow do I produce a Windows Runtime asynchronous activity from C#?
21. 3 JulHow do I produce a Windows Runtime asynchronous activity from C++/CX?
22. 2 JulThe history of Alt +number sequences, and why Alt + 9731 sometimes gives you a heart and sometimes a snowman
23. 1 JulIf I register the same shell extension as both a context menu extension and a drag/drop extension, how do I know which one the system is using?

June 2024

1. 28 Jun2024 mid-year link clearance
2. 28 JunWriting a remove_all_pointers type trait, part 2
3. 27 JunWriting a remove_all_pointers type trait, part 1
4. 26 JunIs there a built-in way in C++/WinRT to get the string name for a Windows Runtime enum?
5. 25 JunMicrospeak: Fun fork
6. 24 JunFinding a specific value in a sequence of integers that changes by at most 1
7. 21 JunThe Windows Runtime winrt:: hstring and the C++ std:: wstring are inter-assignable
8. 20 JunHow to convert between different types of counted-string string types
9. 19 JunOn the sadness of treating counted strings as null-terminated strings
10. 18 JunThe time smart quotes prevented the entire Office division from committing code
11. 17 JunHow can I view the list of symbols available in a library?
12. 14 JunLock-free reference-counting a TLS slot using atomics, part 3
13. 13 JunLock-free reference-counting a TLS slot using atomics, part 2
14. 12 JunLock-free reference-counting a TLS slot using atomics, part 1
15. 11 JunThe origin story of the Windows 3D Pipes screen saver
16. 10 JunHow do I get the name of a SID, and what does it mean when the conversion fails?
17. 7 JunWhat’s the deal with std::type_identity ?
18. 6 JunCan INI files be Unicode? Yes, they can, but it has to be your idea
19. 5 JunHow 16-bit Windows cached INI files for performance
20. 4 JunWhy does Global­Lock max out at 255 locks?
21. 3 JunMore on harmful overuse of std:: move

May 2024

1. 31 MayA graphical depiction of the steps in building a C++ executable, with XAML and packaging
2. 30 MayA graphical depiction of the steps in building a C++ executable, enhanced for classic Win32
3. 29 MayA graphical depiction of the steps in building a C++ executable, basics
4. 28 MayHow can I force a DLL to register itself if it won’t respond to regsvr32 ?
5. 27 MayIs there any difference between String­From­IID and String­From­CLSID ?
6. 24 MaySetting the contents of a Windows Runtime Vector from C++/WinRT in one call
7. 23 MayCreating a prepopulated Windows Runtime Vector from C++/WinRT without going through an explicit std:: vector
8. 22 MayIf you have to create a Windows Runtime Vector from C++/WinRT, do it as late as possible
9. 21 MayA blurry photo of the legendary USB Cart of Death
10. 20 MayIf you know what interface you want, just pass it directly to CoCreateInstance
11. 17 MayWhy can’t I find the injected name of a templated class’s templated base class?
12. 16 MayPulling a single item from a C++ parameter pack by its index
13. 15 MayBuilding the most efficient device selector query that selects no devices
14. 14 MayThe confidential coffee maker was not the only source of shenanigans at the IBM Boca office
15. 13 MayBefore you try to change something, make sure you can change nothing
16. 10 MayAn informal comparison of the three major implementations of std::string
17. 9 MayAsking for a DispatcherQueue from a GUI thread you created
18. 8 MayAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 7: Just doing it one at a time
19. 7 MayAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 6: Capturing the handles efficiently
20. 6 MayAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 5: Generalizing the awaiter
21. 3 MayAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 4: Building our own awaiter
22. 2 MayAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 3: Going beyond two
23. 1 MayAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 2: Continuing with two

April 2024

1. 30 AprAwaiting a set of handles with a timeout, part 1: Starting with two
2. 29 AprAwaiting a set of handles in C++/WinRT
3. 26 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 8
4. 25 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 7
5. 24 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 6
6. 23 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 5
7. 22 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 4
8. 19 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 3
9. 18 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 2
10. 17 AprAdding state to the update notification pattern, part 1
11. 16 AprIn search of the Ballmer Peak, and other results from SIGBOVIK 2024
12. 16 AprDubious security vulnerability: Program allows its output to be exfiltrated
13. 15 AprWhat were the tax consequences of letting Windows 95 team members keep a piece of software as long as they tested it?
14. 12 AprThe case of the string being copied from a mysterious pointer to invalid memory
15. 11 AprWhy do STANDARD_ RIGHTS_ READ , STANDARD_ RIGHTS_ WRITE , and STANDARD_ RIGHTS_ EXECUTE have the same values?
16. 10 AprHow can I find out which process has locked me out of the clipboard?
17. 9 AprIf I enumerate all the processes and add up all the Get­Gui­Resources , why doesn’t it match the GR_ GLOBAL value?
18. 8 AprHow does the classic Win32 ListView handle incremental searching?
19. 5 AprThe case of the exception that a catch (…) didn’t catch
20. 4 AprIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: System corruption caused by an administrator
21. 3 AprWindows debugger trick: Breaking when a specific debugger message is printed
22. 2 AprThe history of computing, as told by the hallways of Microsoft Building 41
23. 1 AprSubroutine calls in the ancient world, before computers had stacks or heaps

March 2024

1. 29 MarHow can I tell C++ that I want to discard a nodiscard value?
2. 28 MarI called Create­Environment­Block with a process’s token, but I didn’t get that process’s environment
3. 27 MarSome choices for encrypting data so that it can be decrypted only by the same user or computer
4. 26 MarDubious security vulnerability: Manual operations can cause a program to hang
5. 25 MarWhy isn’t C++ using my default parameter to deduce a template type?
6. 22 MarWhy does my thread get a broken string as its initial parameter?
7. 21 MarUsing the Display­Information class from a desktop Win32 application, part 2
8. 20 MarUsing the Display­Information class from a desktop Win32 application, part 1
9. 19 MarHow well does C++/WinRT com_ptr support class template argument deduction (CTAD)?
10. 18 MarHow well does wil com_ptr support class template argument deduction (CTAD)?
11. 15 MarHow well does WRL ComPtr support class template argument deduction (CTAD)?
12. 14 MarHow well does ATL CComPtr support class template argument deduction (CTAD)?
13. 13 MarHow well does MFC IPTR / CIP support class template argument deduction (CTAD)?
14. 12 MarHow well does _com_ptr_t support class template argument deduction (CTAD)?
15. 11 MarClass template argument deduction (CTAD) and C++ COM wrappers: Initial explorations
16. 8 MarThe 2024/2025 Seattle Symphony subscription season at a glance
17. 8 MarHow can I force a copy of a C++ value?
18. 7 MarIn C++/WinRT, you shouldn’t destroy an object while you’re co_await ing it
19. 6 MarHow do I make an expression non-movable? What’s the opposite of std::move ?
20. 5 MarIn domain\user syntax, you can often use the period as an abbreviation for “this computer”
21. 4 MarIs shadowing a member variable from a base class a bad thing? Maybe, but maybe not.
22. 1 MarC++/WinRT performance trap: Switching to Windows Runtime too soon

February 2024

1. 29 FebIf a parameter isn’t used, what should I pass?
2. 28 FebOn the whole idea of giving away a reference to yourself at destruction
3. 27 FebMitigating attacks based on knowing the length of a Windows Hello PIN
4. 26 FebA C# LINQ one-liner to check if exactly one of a set of conditions is met
5. 23 FebGotcha: Be careful how you shut down your dispatcher queues
6. 22 FebGotcha: Don’t forget to shut down your dispatcher queues
7. 21 FebOnce your object reaches final_release , you are committed to destructing it (eventually)
8. 20 FebMicrospeak: Closing out, duping out
9. 19 FebWhy can’t I trigger a manual blue screen crash by injecting the magic key sequence?
10. 16 FebIf you’re just going to sit there doing nothing, at least do nothing correctly
11. 15 FebRegistered command lines are just command lines, not a programming language
12. 14 FebFunctions that return the size of a required buffer generally return upper bounds, not tight bounds
13. 13 FebIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Attacking a domain administrator from the local administrator
14. 12 FebHow can I get the Windows Runtime HttpClient to display a basic authentication prompt?
15. 9 FebOn the virtues of the trailing comma
16. 8 FebHow do I suppress the error box that appears when a LoadLibrary fails?
17. 7 FebWhy doesn’t my program get fancy drag/drop effects in high contrast mode with CLSID_ Drag­Drop­Helper ?
18. 6 FebOn using milliseconds as a measure of network latency
19. 5 FebHow can I close a thread pool and cancel all work that had been queued to it?
20. 2 FebThe case of the invalid parameter error from Measure­Override
21. 1 FebUsing virtual memory placeholders to allocate contiguous address space for multiple purposes

January 2024

1. 31 JanHow can I add an environment variable to a process launched via Shell­Execute­Ex or IContext­Menu ?
2. 30 JanSmoothing over the differences (and defects) in the various implementations of IMemory­Buffer
3. 29 JanA comparison of various implementations of the Windows Runtime IMemory­Buffer
4. 26 JanHow can I expose a pre-existing block of memory as a Windows Runtime object without copying the data?
5. 25 JanHow can I give away a COM reference just before my object destructs?
6. 24 JanThe dangerous implementations of the IMemory­Buffer­Reference.Closed event
7. 23 JanThe useless IMemory­Buffer­Reference.Closed event
8. 22 JanAccessing a block of memory represented by a Windows Runtime IMemoryBuffer
9. 19 JanThe case of the fail-fast trying to log a caught exception
10. 18 JanImplementing two-phase initialization with ATL
11. 17 JanGetting a strong reference from the this pointer too soon
12. 16 JanWhat is a hard error, and what makes it harder than an easy error?
13. 15 JanC++/WinRT gotcha: Not all exceptions derive from hresult_error
14. 12 JanIn C++/WinRT, how can I await multiple coroutines and capture the results?, part 3
15. 11 JanIn C++/WinRT, how can I await multiple coroutines and capture the results?, part 2
16. 10 JanIn C++/WinRT, how can I await multiple coroutines and capture the results?, part 1
17. 9 JanAfter I accidentally denied access to everyone, how do I get access back?
18. 8 JanHow do I prevent my C++/WinRT implementation class from participating in COM aggregation?
19. 5 JanThe case of the vector with an impossibly large size
20. 4 JanHow can I specify icons for my app to use on the Start menu in high contrast mode?
21. 3 JanWhy doesn’t my code compile when I change a shared_ptr<T>(p) to an equivalent make_shared<T>(p) ?
22. 2 JanIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Attacking another program by modifying its memory
23. 1 JanHow do I prevent my ATL class from participating in COM aggregation? DECLARE_ NOT_ AGGREGATABLE didn’t work

2023 268

December 2023

1. 29 Dec2023 year-end link clearance
2. 29 DecHow to allocate address space with a custom alignment or in a custom address region
3. 28 DecOn calling Afx­Connection­Advise with bAddRef set to FALSE
4. 27 DecWhat does it mean when the compiler says that it can’t convert something to itself?
5. 26 DecDon’t keep state in your XAML item templates; put the state in the items
6. 25 DecThat time the Word team sent presents to the children of WordPerfect’s executive vice president
7. 22 DecIf I don’t have any items, what error should my IFolderView::Items method return?
8. 21 DecHow do I get access to the wParam and lParam of the WM_ QUERY­END­SESSION method from my MFC message handler?
9. 20 DecIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Spoofing another program
10. 19 DecMicrospeak: Locked and loaded
11. 18 DecIn 2023, the Gävle Goat faces a new threat to its survival
12. 18 DecIf the RegisterClass function takes ownership of the custom background brush, why is it leaking?
13. 15 DecHow do I specify an optional string parameter to a Windows Runtime method?
14. 14 DecHow do I specify an optional parameter to a Windows Runtime method?
15. 13 DecHow can I work around the absence of default parameters in the Windows Runtime?
16. 12 DecWhat happens if I define one environment variable in terms of the value of another environment variable?
17. 11 DecThe mysterious second parameter to the x86 ENTER instruction
18. 8 DecA simpler version of the task sequencer that doesn’t promise fairness
19. 7 DecIn C++, how can I make a default parameter be the this pointer of the caller?
20. 6 DecIn C++, how can I make a member function default parameter depend on this ?
21. 5 DecWhat was the code name for 64-bit Windows?
22. 4 DecWhat is a static chain pointer in the context of calling convention ABI?
23. 1 DecWhy does the Windows Portable Executable (PE) format have both an import section and input directory?

November 2023

1. 30 NovWhy does the Windows Portable Executable (PE) format have separate tables for import names and import addresses?, part 2
2. 29 NovWhy does the Windows Portable Executable (PE) format have separate tables for import names and import addresses?, part 1
3. 28 NovA reported vulnerability about getting paid apps for free is really about paying for free apps
4. 27 NovIn Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, what is a “grabber”?
5. 24 NovOn harmful overuse of std::move
6. 23 NovOn the need to keep most event sources alive if you want them to raise events
7. 22 NovHow can I convert a Windows Runtime Software­Bitmap to a WIC bitmap?
8. 21 NovMicrospeak revisited: Line of sight
9. 20 NovIf you’re going to crash on an unhandled exception, you may as well do it sooner rather than later
10. 17 NovThe theory behind the IHttpFilter interface
11. 16 NovWhat happened to the custom exception description I threw from a C++/WinRT IAsyncAction?
12. 15 NovWhy does calling a coroutine allocate a lot of stack space even though the coroutine frame is on the heap?
13. 14 NovStarting on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Running a program that leaks memory
14. 13 NovWhat is the difference between UuidToString, StringFromCLSID, StringFromIID, and StringFromGUID2?
15. 10 NovThe case of the invalid argument exception from a method that takes no arguments
16. 9 NovA clarification on the multithreading constraints of the Encrypt­Message function
17. 8 NovHow can I get information about media playing on the system, and optionally control their playback?
18. 7 Nov“Stop sharing this folder” is not the same as “Never share this folder”
19. 6 NovWhy doesn’t reduction by modulo work for floating point values?
20. 3 NovWhy does unsafe multithreaded use of an std:: unordered_ map crash more often than unsafe multithreaded use of a std:: map ?
21. 2 NovHow come my custom exception message is lost when it is thrown from a IAsyncAction^ ?
22. 1 NovMore notes on use of the DS_ CONTROL style

October 2023

1. 31 OctWhat is the thread reaper?
2. 30 OctWhat are the dire consequences of not removing all the properties that were set via SetProp ?
3. 27 OctHow to support a COM interface conditionally in WRL
4. 26 OctHow to support a COM interface conditionally in C++/WinRT
5. 25 OctThe format of icon resources, revisited
6. 24 OctWhy is there a hash of a weak password in the Windows cryptographic libraries?
7. 23 OctHow do I add a non-copyable, non-movable object to a std::map or std::unordered_map ?
8. 20 OctOn the failed unrealized promise of Reg­Override­Predef­Key
9. 19 OctWhat’s the difference between setting a page’s protection to PAGE_NOACCESS and freeing it?
10. 18 OctHow can I check if I’m on a DispatcherQueue’s thread if I can’t call HasThreadAccess?
11. 17 OctMicrospeak: The As-Appropriate (AA) interviewer
12. 16 OctAPI design principle: Reading a property or adding an event handler should not alter observable behavior
13. 13 OctOn detecting improper use of std:: enable_ shared_ from_ this
14. 12 OctI created an overloaded operator for my C++/WinRT class, but it’s not working
15. 11 OctWhy does IFileDialog still show non-filesystem folders when I pass FOS_ FORCE­FILE­SYSTEM ?
16. 10 OctIt rather required being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Knowing the domain administrator password
17. 9 OctIs there any performance advantage to marking a page read-only if I had no intention of writing to it anyway?
18. 6 OctA very belated improvement to the filtering of the Browse for Folder dialog so it shows only drive letters
19. 5 OctHow can I get WideCharToMultiByte to convert strings encoded in UTF-16BE?
20. 4 OctOn the confusing names for the Windows service SID types
21. 3 OctA complaint about Links the Cat, the Office assistant
22. 2 OctHow do I manually update a remote tracking branch, say, to undo a fetch?

September 2023

1. 29 SepTemplate meta-programming: Avoiding saying a type before it is complete
2. 28 SepC++/WinRT gotcha: get_strong() will produce a broken strong reference if destruction has already begun
3. 27 SepThe dangers of releasing the last strong reference from within its own callback
4. 26 SepWhy is kernel32.dll running in user mode and not kernel mode, like its name implies?
5. 25 SepGetQueueStatus and the queue state
6. 22 SepWhen I try to call an exported function, the target crashes when it tries to call any Windows function
7. 21 SepHow does Explorer calculate the “Date” of a file?
8. 20 SepWhy does my C++/WinRT project get unresolved externals for constructors?
9. 19 SepWhy did the 16-bit _lopen and _lcreat function return -1 on failure instead of 0?
10. 18 SepWhen looking to free up disk space, don’t forget your symbol file caches
11. 15 SepHow can I prevent myself from using a parameter after I’ve extracted all value from it?
12. 14 SepI accidentally performed an operation on INVALID_ HANDLE_ VALUE , and it worked: What just happened?
13. 13 SepHow do I perform a case-insensitive comparison of two strings in the Deseret script?
14. 12 SepThe odd cadence of narrative engineering design documents
15. 11 SepAny sufficiently advanced uninstaller is indistinguishable from malware
16. 8 SepOn transferring or copying ABI pointers between smart pointers
17. 7 SepA freestanding JavaScript function that uses this is easily mistaken for a constructor
18. 6 SepDetecting whether a tree-like data structure contains a cycle
19. 5 SepWhen documentation cautions that something may not happen, that suggests that it normally does happen
20. 4 SepJust for fun: What happens when you shift a register by more than the register size?
21. 1 SepHow do I find out more about the fail-fast exception that occurs when an exception in a PPL task goes unobserved?

August 2023

1. 31 AugDiagnosing a crash when trying to call ReadFile via language interop
2. 30 AugHow can I programmatically obtain the value of the “Make text bigger” slider?
3. 29 AugThe popularity of DOS/4GW made Windows 95 game compatibility a little easier, but with higher stakes
4. 28 AugJust for fun: Which processors prefer sign-extended loads, and which prefer zero-extended loads?
5. 25 AugOn writing loops in continuation-passing style, part 4
6. 24 AugOn writing loops in PPL and continuation-passing style, part 3
7. 23 AugOn writing loops in PPL and continuation-passing style, part 2
8. 22 AugOn writing loops in PPL and continuation-passing style, part 1
9. 21 AugInside STL: The different types of shared pointer control blocks
10. 18 AugPhantom and indulgent shared pointers
11. 17 AugWhat it means when you convert between different shared_ptr s
12. 16 AugInside STL: The shared_ptr constructor and enable_shared_from_this
13. 15 AugInside STL: The shared_ptr constructor vs make_shared
14. 14 AugInside STL: Smart pointers
15. 11 AugInside STL: The array
16. 10 AugInside STL: The deque, implementation
17. 9 AugInside STL: The deque, design
18. 8 AugInside STL: The unordered_map, unordered_set, unordered_multimap, and unordered_multiset
19. 7 AugInside STL: The map, set, multimap, and multiset
20. 4 AugInside STL: The lists
21. 3 AugInside STL: The string
22. 2 AugInside STL: The vector
23. 1 AugInside STL: The pair and the compressed pair

July 2023

1. 31 JulMisinterpreting the misleadingly-named STATUS_ STACK_ BUFFER_ OVERRUN
2. 28 JulHow to split off an older copy of a file while preserving git line history
3. 27 JulPerfect forwarding forwards objects, not braced things that are trying to become objects
4. 26 JulOn the various ways of creating Windows Runtime delegates in C++/WinRT and C++/CX
5. 25 JulBefore you try to do something, make sure you can do nothing
6. 24 JulWhy does IAsyncAction or IAsyncOperation. GetResults() produce a E_ ILLEGAL_ METHOD_ CALL exception?
7. 21 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime map in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 3
8. 20 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime map in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 2
9. 19 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime map in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 1
10. 18 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime vector in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 4
11. 17 JulCloning a Windows Runtime vector in the face of possible concurrent modification, denial of service?
12. 14 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime vector in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 3
13. 13 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime vector in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 2
14. 12 JulHow to clone a Windows Runtime vector in the face of possible concurrent modification, part 1
15. 11 JulWhy does the compiler complain about a missing constructor when I’m just resizing my std::vector to a smaller size?
16. 10 JulHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, concluding remarks
17. 7 JulHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, finding the awaiter
18. 6 JulHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, wrapping the awaitable
19. 5 JulHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, preallocating the coroutine frame
20. 4 JulHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, memory allocation failure
21. 3 JulHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, symmetric transfer

June 2023

1. 30 Jun2023 mid-year link clearance
2. 30 JunHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, custom promise
3. 29 JunHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, peeling away at a tuple
4. 28 JunHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, false hope
5. 27 JunHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, unhelpful lambda
6. 26 JunHow to wait for multiple C++ coroutines to complete before propagating failure, initial plunge
7. 23 JunWhat can go wrong if you release an SRWLock from a thread different from the one that acquired it?
8. 22 JunHow can I find out the last time a user logged on from C++?
9. 21 JunThe case of the make_shared on a C++/WinRT type
10. 20 JunWhy is Windows using only even-numbered processors?
11. 19 JunWhy am I being told about a signed/unsigned comparison, and why only sometimes, and how can I fix it?
12. 16 JunThe case of the invalid handle despite being managed by an RAII type, part 2
13. 15 JunThe case of the invalid handle despite being managed by an RAII type
14. 14 JunHow expensive is it to create a Windows performance counter?
15. 13 JunSIDs are really just another a fancy way of creating unique IDs in a decentralized way
16. 12 JunThe move constructor that you have to declare, even though you don’t want anyone to actually call it
17. 9 JunReordering C++ template type parameters for usability purposes, and type deduction from the future
18. 8 JunHow can I register a program to auto-relaunch if it crashes or is terminated?, redux
19. 7 JunPulling sleight of hand tricks in a security vulnerability report, episode 2
20. 6 JunHow can I make WiFi passwords per-user rather than per-system?
21. 5 JunIt’s great that you provide operator overloads, but it’s also nice to have names
22. 2 JunC++/WinRT event handlers that are lambdas with weak pointers to the parent class, part 3
23. 1 JunC++/WinRT event handlers that are lambdas with weak pointers to the parent class, part 2

May 2023

1. 31 MayC++/WinRT event handlers that are lambdas with weak pointers to the parent class, part 1
2. 30 MayHow do I change the directory Windows uses for user profiles? revisited
3. 29 MayOn writing functions that accept any specialization of a C++ template type
4. 26 MayGetting a strong reference from the this pointer too late
5. 25 MayHow can I trigger a recalc of the mouse cursor after I changed some of my internal application state?, follow-up
6. 24 MayDon’t name your header file security.h either
7. 23 MayOn creating (and using) a transforming iterator
8. 22 MaySpeeding up the insertion of a sorted (or mostly-sorted) key list into a std::map or other ordered associative container
9. 19 MayOn catching exceptions in PPL tasks
10. 18 MayWhat is the opposite of LVM_SORTITEMS ?
11. 17 MayHow do I free the pointers returned by functions like Get­Token­Information ?
12. 16 MayIt appears that I’ve never made a complete visit to the Pacific Northwest
13. 16 MaySummary of the duck-typing requirements of C++ COM wrappers
14. 15 MayWhat are the duck-typing requirements of C++/WinRT com_ptr ?
15. 12 MayWhat are the duck-typing requirements of wil com_ptr ?
16. 11 MayWhat are the duck-typing requirements of WRL ComPtr ?
17. 10 MayWhat are the duck-typing requirements of ATL CComPtr ?
18. 9 MayWhat are the duck-typing requirements of MFC IPTR ?
19. 8 MayWhat are the duck-typing requirements of _com_ptr_t ?
20. 5 MayThe case of the crash in a C++/WinRT coroutine: Unpeeling the onion
21. 4 MayWhy does XAML complain that none of the overloads of winrt::to_hstring could be used?
22. 3 MayWhat can I do if I don’t want my file version number to be a sequence of four integers?
23. 2 MayWhy does Task Manager disappear briefly when you switch it into or out of Always on top ?
24. 1 MayHow is it even possible to cheat on a musical performance practical exam?
25. 1 MayA quick note about WRL’s Chain­Interfaces template class

April 2023

1. 28 AprOn the finer points of cancelling timers and wait objects in Windows thread pool
2. 27 AprWhat’s up with this new memory_ order_ consume memory order?
3. 26 AprOne way to defer work when a re-entrant call is detected
4. 25 AprA code comment noting the steps to take when a 256th enum field is added
5. 24 AprWhy is std::hardware_destructive_interference_size a compile-time constant instead of a run-time value?
6. 21 AprProtecting a broker from a failing delegate
7. 20 AprProtecting a broker from a failing event handler
8. 19 AprThe case of the unhandled exception in a brokered Windows Runtime component
9. 18 AprNo, it is not a security vulnerability that there is no certificate of appreciation for reporting a bug
10. 17 AprHow can I find the invalid class when C++/WinRT tells me that the class may not be final?
11. 14 AprHow can I convert a WIC bitmap to a Windows Runtime SoftwareBitmap? part 4: Handing it over
12. 13 AprHow can I convert a WIC bitmap to a Windows Runtime SoftwareBitmap? part 3: Filling the SoftwareBitmap directly
13. 12 AprHow can I convert a WIC bitmap to a Windows Runtime SoftwareBitmap? part 2: Via a buffer
14. 11 AprHow can I convert a WIC bitmap to a Windows Runtime SoftwareBitmap? part 1: Via an encoded stream
15. 10 AprWhy is there a large gap between some of the Windows system metrics indices?
16. 7 AprThe case of the PasswordVault.Add call that the customer thinks was hung
17. 6 AprAn ignored exception can be misinterpreted as a hang, particularly in coroutines
18. 5 AprHow do I modify the contents of a boxed Windows Runtime value?
19. 4 AprWhat is the maximum size of a process environment block?
20. 3 AprC++17 creates a practical use of the backward array index operator

March 2023

1. 31 MarWhat is this [uuid(…)] in front of my C++ class declaration?
2. 30 MarIf you want to watch games on your tractor, please use your own iPad
3. 30 MarHow can I box a std::optional into a C++/WinRT IInspectable ?
4. 29 MarThe WM_GETDLGCODE message is a query message and should not modify state
5. 28 MarHow can I try to escape the disease-ridden hot-tubs known as the TEMP and Downloads directories?
6. 27 MarUsing the contents of a file to define an MSBuild property
7. 24 MarAdventures in application compatibility: The case of the jump into the middle of an instruction from nowhere
8. 23 MarHow unique must the uIdSubclass parameter be when I call Set­Window­Subclass ?
9. 22 MarWhy am I getting a weird error about promise_type when I try to write a coroutine? part 2
10. 21 MarWhy does the usage of the initial registers of a Win32 process depend on whether it is a 32-bit or 64-bit process?
11. 20 MarOn the proper care and feeding of the enigmatic Get­Distance­Of­Closest­Language­In­List function
12. 17 MarExploiting C++/WinRT CRTP: Property and event declarations
13. 16 MarMind your C++/WinRT namespaces
14. 15 MarHow can I create a git feature branch that can merge into multiple other branches?
15. 14 MarDid Vienna ever exist or was it just misinformation?
16. 13 MarThe 2023/2024 Seattle Symphony subscription season at a glance
17. 13 MarWhat is the expression language used by the Resource Compiler for non-preprocessor expressions?
18. 10 MarWhen should I use CS_GLOBALCLASS ?
19. 9 MarFrom a Windows app, how can I check whether there is an app installed that implements a particular URI scheme?, part 2
20. 8 MarFrom a Windows app, how can I check whether there is an app installed that implements a particular URI scheme?
21. 7 MarMicrospeak: Baseball card
22. 6 MarI can create a read-only page, but why not a write-only page?
23. 3 MarEnumerating Windows clipboard history in PowerShell
24. 2 MarEnumerating Windows clipboard history in C++/WinRT and C#
25. 1 MarIf you want to sort a Windows Runtime collection, you may first want to capture it into something a bit easier to manipulate

February 2023

1. 28 FebOnce you give away the farm, you can’t take it back: Recovering from a rogue administrator
2. 27 FebThe unintentionally-expanding scope of the SEM_NOGPFAULTERRORBOX flag
3. 24 FebUnderstanding a mysterious RPC_ E_ WRONG­THREAD exception when we’re on the right thread
4. 23 FebWhy am I getting an unhandled exception from my C++ function that catches all exceptions?
5. 22 FebAvoiding the redundancy of adding the object files to both the primary project and its unit test
6. 21 FebMicrospeak: Light reading (ironic)
7. 20 FebThe case of the mysterious "out of bounds" error from CreateUri and memmove
8. 17 FebWhat happens if you co_await a std::future, and why is it a bad idea?
9. 16 FebWhat does it mean when my cross-thread COM call fails with RPC_ E_ SYS_ CALL_ FAILED ?
10. 15 FebWhat are the potentially-erroneous results if you don’t pass NULL as the lpNumberOfBytesRead when issuing overlapped I/O?
11. 14 FebWhy are the Windows chassis hardware button hotkeys so strange?
12. 13 FebAdventures in application compatibility: The case of the display control panel crash on exit
13. 10 FebThe case of the RPC_ E_ DISCONNECTED error thrown from await_ resume
14. 9 FebA more direct and mistake-free way of creating a process in a job object
15. 8 FebHow can I get the original target of a shortcut without applying any 32-bit adjustments?
16. 7 FebThe frustration of finding a suitable time to hold a meeting when the participants are evenly spaced around the globe
17. 6 FebIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Reading the user’s saved passwords
18. 3 FebInside C++/WinRT: Coroutine completions: Cancellation propagation
19. 2 FebHyperlinking to Hutchison Whampoa Limited is still forbidden
20. 2 FebInside C++/WinRT: Coroutine completions: Avoiding reentrant completion
21. 1 FebInside C++/WinRT: Coroutine completion handlers: Disconnection

January 2023

1. 31 JanInside C++/WinRT: Apartment switching: Error reporting
2. 30 JanInside C++/WinRT: Apartment switching: COM without COM
3. 27 JanInside C++/WinRT: Apartment switching: Unwinding the stack
4. 26 JanInside C++/WinRT: Apartment switching: Bypassing the context callback
5. 25 JanInside C++/WinRT: Apartment switching: Unblocking the outgoing thread
6. 24 JanInside C++/WinRT: Apartment switching: The basic idea
7. 23 JanInside C++/WinRT: Coroutine completions: The oversimplified version
8. 20 JanHow can I call a method on a derived class from a base class, say, to get a strong reference to the containing object?
9. 19 JanWindows Runtime asynchronous operations can fail in two different ways, so make sure you get them both
10. 18 JanIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Attacking a user by modifying that user’s files
11. 17 JanA trio of dubious denial-of-service security vulnerability reports which are just style points piled on top of nothing
12. 16 JanMaking C++ primitive types meaningfully movable when they have sentinel values
13. 13 JanAdventures in application compatibility: Querying for an internal interface
14. 12 JanHow should I interpret the various values of NLM_CONNECTIVITY ?
15. 11 JanWhat does it mean when I get a mismatch from MSVC for _COROUTINE_ABI ?
16. 10 JanIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Administrator attacking a domain account on the local system
17. 9 JanOn leading underscores and names reserved by the C and C++ languages
18. 6 JanDubious security vulnerability: Granting access to SIDs that don’t exist yet
19. 5 JanHow can I force a user to have a specific SID prefix, so that they go into a particular group?
20. 4 JanUsing perfect (and imperfect) forwarding to simplify C++ wrapper classes
21. 3 JanIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Gaining code execution from a Trojan horse
22. 2 JanOpinionated notes on the Windows.Data.Json namespace

2022 268

December 2022

1. 30 Dec2022 year-end link clearance
2. 30 DecWhen I create a waitable timer with a callback, do I have to wait alertably on that specific timer before the callback will run?
3. 29 DecHow can I detect programmatically whether Windows is an N or KN version?
4. 28 DecAfter importing a TLB, how do I convert from one type of _com_ptr_t to another?
5. 27 DecWhy can’t I print when I boot Windows into audit mode?
6. 26 DecThe worst-selling Microsoft software product of all time: OS/2 for the Mach 20
7. 23 DecThe case of the recursively hung WM_DRAW­CLIPBOARD message
8. 22 DecIs there a fixed virtual address that the system promises never to use for anything, so I can use it?
9. 21 DecRunning some UI code on a timer at a higher priority than your usual timer messages, or without coalescing
10. 20 DecWhy doesn’t the BitLocker wizard let me save the BitLocker key on an encrypted drive?
11. 19 DecOn the large number of ways of expressing Microsoft Visual C++ compiler versions
12. 16 DecWhy doesn’t Windows use the 64-bit virtual address space below 0x00000000`7ffe0000 ?
13. 15 DecInside C++/WinRT: IReference<T>
14. 14 DecIn C++/WinRT, how do I create or consume an IReference<T> that wraps a particular value?
15. 13 DecThank you for conference announcement, but it would help if you told me what your conference was about
16. 12 DecWhat does it mean when the compiler tells me that promise_type : is not a member of coroutine_traits<void> ?
17. 9 DecHow can I do the opposite of compare_exchange and exchange if the value is different ?
18. 8 DecIf you’re going to wrap a Windows Runtime event, you may as well let the wrapped event source manage the token
19. 7 DecReminder: If you intend to use a C++/WinRT namespace, you must include that namespace’s header file
20. 6 DecTrouble connecting to Web sites and services because of certificate errors? Check if you’re being held captive
21. 5 DecInstead of a C++ template parlor trick, why not just add support based on whether the header file has already been included?
22. 2 DecC++ template parlor tricks: Using a type before it is defined
23. 1 DecNot even trying to cross an airtight hatchway: Calling a function in your own process by synthesizing a function pointer

November 2022

1. 30 NovI used FILE_FLAG_SEQUENTIAL_SCAN but it didn’t seem to speed up my sequential scanning
2. 29 NovDubious security vulnerability: Reading the files in the WindowsApps folder
3. 28 NovWhat kind of caller diagnostic information can I get from exceptions thrown by C++/WinRT and wil?, C++20 edition
4. 28 NovThe case of the application that used thread local storage it never allocated
5. 25 NovHow do I pass a raw pointer to a Windows Runtime function?
6. 24 NovHow does JavaScript represent output parameters in the Windows Runtime?
7. 23 NovSometimes perfect forwarding can be too perfect: Lazy conversion is lazy
8. 22 NovMicrospeak: Breaking into jail
9. 21 NovWhat kind of caller diagnostic information can I get from exceptions thrown by C++/WinRT and wil?
10. 18 NovOn Windows Runtime asynchronous operations with critical progress reports
11. 17 NovHow soon is too soon to report progress from a C++/WinRT coroutine that implements a Windows Runtime asynchronous operation with progress?
12. 16 NovWhy won’t C++/WinRT let me co_await a CoreDispatcher or DispatcherQueue ?
13. 15 NovIt’s important to get the most difficult part out of the way by putting it in the title
14. 15 NovHow does Windows decide whether your computer has limited or full Internet access?
15. 14 NovC++ constexpr parlor tricks: How can I obtain the length of a string at compile time?
16. 11 NovIf I issue multiple overlapped I/O requests against the same region of a file, will they execute in the order I issued them?
17. 10 NovOn the dangers of giving a product feature the name “new”
18. 9 NovWhy don’t Windows functions begin with a pointless MOV EDI,EDI instruction on x86-64?
19. 8 NovWhy is there a system sound called Asterisk? What sound does an Asterisk make anyway?
20. 7 NovMy niece is just here for the food
21. 7 NovIn the debugger, how can I get from a projected type back to the C++/WinRT implementation?
22. 4 NovWhy am I getting a RPC_E_WRONG_THREAD exception when I’m on the right thread?
23. 3 NovHow does the dialog manager calculate the average width of a character?
24. 2 NovA history of the fd_set , FD_SETSIZE , and how it relates to WinSock
25. 1 NovWhat is a “Select Administrator”? Is that some special elite kind of administrator?

October 2022

1. 31 OctHow can I test my geolocation code on a system without a GPS?
2. 28 OctSetting properties in C++/WinRT is done by a function call, but you need to call the function the right way
3. 27 OctWhy am I seeing two WRITE requests at the same offset from a single call to WriteFile?
4. 26 OctWhat can or should I do with the cursor handle returned by SetCursor ?
5. 25 OctWhy are many Windows user interface elements positioned at multiples of 4 or 8 pixels?
6. 24 OctWhy can’t I programmatically inspect the check boxes in the Security property sheet any more?
7. 21 OctWhat happens if my C++ exception handler itself raises an exception?
8. 20 OctIs it true that raising a structured exception from a structured exception handler terminates the process?
9. 19 OctWhy is there a make_unique ? Why not just overload the unique_ptr constructor?
10. 18 OctWhy is there a passwords.txt file on my system that’s filled with somebody else’s passwords?
11. 17 OctHow can I check the integrity level of my process?
12. 14 OctThe case of the memory corruption from a coroutine that already finished
13. 13 OctHow can I check whether the user’s network connection is roaming or metered?
14. 12 OctOne possible reason why your program crashes when submitted to the Microsoft Store, but it runs fine on your machine
15. 11 OctClicking past the warning that you are about to cross the airtight hatchway: Vulnerable file type that you are warned about
16. 10 OctOn the overloading of the address-of operator & in smart pointer classes
17. 7 OctHow can I perform a CopyFile, but also flush the file buffers before the destination handle is closed?
18. 6 OctThe Import Address Table is now write-protected, and what that means for rogue patching
19. 5 OctThe gotcha of the C++ temporaries that don’t destruct as eagerly as you thought
20. 4 OctStarting on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Overwhelming the system
21. 3 OctFeel free to stop using IMultiLanguage2::DetectInputCodepage

September 2022

1. 30 SepDebugging coroutine handles: Looking for the source of a one-byte memory corruption
2. 29 SepI did that merge-as-cherry-pick thing, but my change still didn’t merge correctly
3. 28 SepWhy does COM express GUIDs in a mix of big-endian and little-endian? Why can’t it just pick a side and stick with it?
4. 27 SepMicrospeak: Break glass
5. 26 SepWhat does the C++ error “A pointer to a bound function may only be used to call the function” mean?
6. 23 SepWhy am I receiving SHCNE_ UPDATE­DIR notifications that my code never generates?
7. 22 SepHow can I get WRL to link my object into its activation factory?
8. 21 SepHow can I trigger a recalc of the mouse cursor after I changed some of my internal application state?
9. 20 SepJanet Jackson had the power to crash laptop computers, follow-up
10. 19 SepWhy load fs:[0x18] into a register and then dereference that, instead of just going for fs:[n] directly?
11. 16 SepSerializing asynchronous operations in C++/WinRT, gotchas and final assembly
12. 15 SepSerializing asynchronous operations in C++/WinRT
13. 14 SepCreating a lazy-start C++/WinRT coroutine from an eager-start one, part 2
14. 13 SepCreating a manual-start C++/WinRT coroutine from an eager-start one, part 1
15. 12 SepSerializing asynchronous operations in C#
16. 9 SepThe case of the APC that never arrives
17. 8 SepHow do I consume raw COM interfaces from a Windows Runtime metadata file?
18. 7 SepIt rather involved being on the other side of this airtight hatchway: Replacing a service binary
19. 6 SepCommonly-supported Windows shortcuts for pasting without formatting
20. 5 SepIs there any meaningful way to compare two Time Travel Debugging positions?
21. 2 SepThe case of the recursively-acquired non-recursive lock, and how to avoid the unintentional reentrancy
22. 1 SepWhy am I getting a null pointer crash when trying to call a method on my C++/WinRT object?

August 2022

1. 31 AugThe x86-64 processor (aka amd64, x64): Whirlwind tour
2. 30 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 25: The ARM64EC ABI
3. 29 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 24: Code walkthrough
4. 26 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 23: Common patterns
5. 25 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 22: Other kinds of classic prologues and epilogues
6. 24 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 21: Classic function prologues and epilogues
7. 23 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 20: The classic calling convention
8. 22 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 19: Miscellaneous instructions
9. 19 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 18: Return address protection
10. 18 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 17: Manipulating flags
11. 17 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 16: Conditional execution
12. 16 AugJanet Jackson had the power to crash laptop computers
13. 15 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 15: Control transfer
14. 12 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 14: Barriers
15. 11 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 13: Atomic access
16. 10 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 12: Memory access and alignment
17. 9 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 11: Loading addresses
18. 8 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 10: Loading constants
19. 5 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 9: Sign and zero extension
20. 4 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 8: Bit shifting and rotation
21. 3 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 7: Bitfield manipulation
22. 2 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 6: Bitwise operations
23. 1 AugThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 5: Multiplication and division

July 2022

1. 29 JulThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 4: Addition and subtraction
2. 28 JulThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 3: Addressing modes
3. 27 JulThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 2: Extended register operations
4. 26 JulThe AArch64 processor (aka arm64), part 1: Introduction
5. 25 JulYes, the 8086 wanted to be mechanically translatable from the 8080, but why not add the ability to indirect through AX, CX and DX?
6. 22 JulUsing C++/WinRT’s final_release to control which thread destructs your object
7. 21 JulMaking sure that people use make_unique and make_shared to make your object
8. 20 JulMy class derives from std::enable_ shared_ from_ this , but shared_ from_ this() doesn’t work
9. 19 JulMicrospeak: The one-pager
10. 18 JulC++ coroutine gotcha: Falling off the end of a function-level catch
11. 15 JulProcessing a ValueSet or PropertySet even in the face of possible mutation, part 4
12. 14 JulProcessing a ValueSet or PropertySet even in the face of possible mutation, part 3
13. 13 JulProcessing a ValueSet or PropertySet even in the face of possible mutation, part 2
14. 12 JulProcessing a ValueSet or PropertySet even in the face of possible mutation, part 1
15. 11 JulHow can I provide a Windows Runtime ValueSet or PropertySet while non-intrusively monitoring changes to it?
16. 8 JulWindows Runtime observable collections don’t mix well with multithreading
17. 7 JulHow can I write a coroutine that produces a result but keeps on running?
18. 6 JulThe empty Windows Runtime string is not just a pretty face
19. 5 JulHow to write like Raymond: Intentional typographical errors, part 2
20. 4 JulThe case of the constructor that was being ignored
21. 1 JulUnder what conditions can I modify the memory that I received in the form a STGMEDIUM ?

June 2022

1. 30 Jun2022 mid-year link clearance
2. 30 JunHow can I build a URL query string in the Windows Runtime?
3. 29 JunHow can I parse URL query string in the Windows Runtime?
4. 28 JunMicrospeak: Inside baseball
5. 27 JunStarting on the other side of the airtight hatchway: Attacking the batch file parser
6. 24 JunThe case of the mysterious over-release from deep inside the marshaling infrastructure
7. 23 JunWriting a marshal-by-value marshaler, part 2
8. 22 JunUnderstanding the marshaling flags: The free-threaded marshaler
9. 21 JunWriting a compound marshaler
10. 20 JunOn the importance of managing the stream pointer when manipulating marshal data
11. 17 JunWriting a marshal-by-value marshaler, part 1
12. 16 JunThe skeleton marshaler that does default marshaling
13. 15 JunAn initial look at the mechanics of how COM marshaling is performed
14. 14 JunWhat are the various usage patterns for manually-marshaled interfaces?
15. 13 JunAdventures in application compatibility: The case of the PC-relative indirect jump that reads from nowhere
16. 10 JunHow do I retrieve an extremely large range of cells from Excel if the clipboard functions all time out?
17. 9 JunHow can I wait more than 30 seconds for a delay-rendered clipboard format to become rendered?
18. 8 JunIs there a maximum size for Windows clipboard data? Because I’m getting null for something I know should be there
19. 7 JunHow to write like Raymond: Contacting another team for the first time
20. 6 JunAn opinionated comparison of C++ frameworks for consuming and implementing Windows Runtime types
21. 3 JunAssessing a read-after free for security implications: The string comparison
22. 2 JunConverting between Windows FILETIME and Unix time_t without having to type the magic number 116444736000000000
23. 1 JunThe case of the COM reference that suddenly went bad in the middle of a coroutine

May 2022

1. 31 MayThe activeCodePage manifest element can be used for more than just setting UTF-8 as the active code page
2. 30 MayOn passing iterables of iterables in the Windows Runtime
3. 27 MayWhy do rescued stack traces often have instability at the start?
4. 26 MayRescuing a stack trace the lazy way on x86-64 (aka amd64) after the debugger gave up
5. 25 MayHow can I get my FileSavePicker to open in the same folder that was picked by the FileOpenPicker or FolderPicker ?
6. 24 MayWhat is the CreateExplorerShellUnelevatedTask scheduled task?
7. 23 MayHow does Windows decide whether a newly-created window should use LTR or RTL layout?
8. 20 MayWriting a sort comparison function, part 4: descending sort
9. 19 MayWriting a sort comparison function, part 3: spaceships
10. 18 MayWriting a sort comparison function, part 2: avoid unnecessary expense
11. 17 MayWriting a sort comparison function, part 1: basics
12. 16 MayHow can I synthesize a C++20 three-way comparison from two-way comparisons?
13. 13 MayShould I pay attention to the warning that I’m std::move ‘ing from a trivial type? Part 2
14. 12 MayShould I pay attention to the warning that I’m std::move ‘ing from a trivial type? Part 1
15. 11 MayOn ways of finding out when a C++/WinRT IAsyncAction has run to completion
16. 10 MayA brief summary of the various versions of the Security Descriptor Definition Language (SDDL)
17. 9 MayWhy does my overridable Windows Runtime method turn into a protected method, and how can I work around it?
18. 6 MayOn awaiting a task with a timeout in C++/WinRT
19. 5 MayOn awaiting a task with a timeout in C#
20. 4 MayProducing an empty Windows Runtime type in C++/WinRT
21. 3 MayWhat are these SIDs of the form S-1-15-3-xxx?
22. 2 MayWhat are these SIDs of the form S-1-15-2-xxx?

April 2022

1. 29 AprThe case of the failed exchange of the vtable slot
2. 28 AprWhat’s up with std::piecewise_construct and std::forward_as_tuple ?
3. 27 AprHow do I decode a #pragma detect_mismatch error?
4. 26 AprBe careful with that thing, it’s a confidential coffee maker
5. 25 AprHow can I force a WriteFile or ReadFile to complete synchronously or hang, in order to test something?
6. 22 AprTrying to create a factory that remembers the parameters to pass to another method
7. 21 AprHow do I access and customize the IInspectable methods of a Windows Runtime class written in C++/WinRT?
8. 20 AprClass template argument deduction may be the new hotness, but we’ll always have maker functions
9. 19 AprThe Applesoft Compiler (TASC): We have the source code, in a sense
10. 18 AprThe x86 architecture is the weirdo, part 2
11. 15 AprHow can I co_await on a Windows Runtime async action or operation with a timeout?
12. 14 AprHow can I tell the WIL RETURN_ IF_ FAILED macro that some errors are ignorable?
13. 13 AprA survey of how implementations of Windows Runtime events deal with errors
14. 12 AprNotes on BitLocker and the TPM and the pre-boot password or PIN
15. 11 AprNow that computers have more than 4MB of memory, can we get seconds on the taskbar?
16. 8 AprPlease repeat yourself: The noexcept(noexcept(…)) idiom
17. 7 AprIf I am getting a DllNotFoundException from Windows 10 N, how do I get the missing DLLs?
18. 6 AprAll Windows threadpool waits can now be handled by a single thread
19. 5 AprAdventures in application compatibility: The case of the RAII type that failed to run its destructor
20. 4 AprHow are Windows Runtime GUIDs represented in JavaScript?
21. 1 AprThe std::invoke function does more than invoke functions

March 2022

1. 31 MarShould I translate my window class names?
2. 30 MarWhy am I getting the error message “This is only for weak ref support” when I try to create a C++/WinRT weak reference?
3. 29 MarHow to become a Senior Detective, according to Murderville
4. 29 MarWhy are there separate Program Files and Program Files (x86) directories?
5. 28 MarWhy is every other line of my file mysteriously changed to nonsense Chinese characters?
6. 25 MarThe 2022/2023 Seattle Symphony subscription season at a glance
7. 25 MarBehind C++/WinRT: How does C++/WinRT get the list of implemented interfaces?
8. 24 MarBehind C++/WinRT: How does C++/WinRT decide which interfaces are implemented?
9. 23 MarWhy does C++/WinRT say that first_interface is not a member of winrt::impl::interface_list<> ?
10. 22 MarA hypothetical magical musical power: The one-piece wonder
11. 22 MarHow do I un-ignore an Outlook email thread, and how does it work?
12. 21 MarInjected class names: The C++ feature you didn’t even realize that you were using
13. 18 MarMaking our multiple-interface query more C++-like, part 2
14. 17 MarMaking our multiple-interface query more C++-like, part 1
15. 16 MarReducing chattiness by querying for multiple interfaces at once, part 2
16. 15 MarReducing chattiness by querying for multiple interfaces at once, part 1
17. 14 MarHow expensive is PssCaptureSnapshot? How fast is it? How much memory does it consume?
18. 11 MarOptimizing code to darken a bitmap, part 5
19. 10 MarOptimizing code to darken a bitmap, part 4
20. 9 MarOptimizing code to darken a bitmap, part 3
21. 8 MarOptimizing code to darken a bitmap, part 2
22. 7 MarOptimizing code to darken a bitmap, part 1
23. 4 MarIf the slim reader/writer lock (SRWLOCK) doesn’t remember who the shared lock owner is, does that mean it’s okay to acquire it recursively?
24. 3 MarFiltering out fake keyboards from the GetRawInputDeviceList function
25. 2 MarHow can I detect whether the system has a keyboard attached? On the GetRawInputDeviceList function
26. 1 MarHow does Windows decide what instructions to provide for unlocking the PC?

February 2022

1. 28 FebZero-cost exceptions aren’t actually zero cost
2. 25 FebHow can I monitor changes to the reference count of a C++/WinRT object?
3. 24 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 9: Asynchronous release, assembling a solution
4. 23 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 8: Asynchronous release, the problems
5. 22 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 7: Being called directly when the operation completes
6. 21 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 6: Learning about completion without polling
7. 18 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 5: The unreliable server
8. 17 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 4: Doing work while waiting for the asynchronous operation
9. 16 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 3: Abandoning the operation after a timeout
10. 15 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 2: Abandoning the operation
11. 14 FebCOM asynchronous interfaces, part 1: The basic pattern
12. 11 FebNotes on COM aggregation: How do you implement tear-offs in an aggregated object?
13. 10 FebNotes on COM aggregation: Obtaining a pointer to your aggregated partner without introducing a reference cycle
14. 9 FebHow can I find out which processor architectures are supported via emulation by the current system?
15. 8 FebThe cats sitting on a fence in early builds of Windows 8
16. 7 FebOn finding the average of two unsigned integers without overflow
17. 4 FebThe case of the stack overflow exception when the stack is nowhere near overflowing
18. 3 FebA closer look at the stack guard page
19. 2 FebGotcha: C++/WinRT weak_ref.get() doesn’t get the weak reference; it gets the strong reference
20. 1 FebHow do I customize the color of the Windows blue screen?

January 2022

1. 31 JanWhy does the Windows debugger engine show a bunch of hex digits after one of the DLL names?
2. 28 JanHow can I recognize whether two handles refer to the same underlying file?
3. 27 JanHow can I recognize file systems that don’t support 64-bit unique file identifiers?
4. 26 JanWhat are these weird internal Visual C++ runtime functions named NLG?
5. 25 JanI deleted a file from Explorer, but it came back when I refreshed, and I get Access Denied if I try to delete it again
6. 24 JanThe MainWindowHandle property is just a guess based on heuristics
7. 21 JanFixing the crash that seems to be on a std::move operation
8. 20 JanThe mystery of the crash that seems to be on a std::move operation
9. 19 JanThe error code you get might not be the one you want
10. 18 JanHow to write like Raymond: The typing-saver
11. 17 JanC# and C++ type aliases and their consequences
12. 14 JanResolving confusion over how to return from a C++ coroutine
13. 13 JanThe oracle always tells the truth, even when it is wrong: COM method calls with a user-defined type as a return value
14. 12 JanStanding on the shoulders of giants: Let the compiler tell you what the ABI is
15. 11 JanJumping into the middle of an instruction is not as strange as it sounds
16. 10 JanHow can I detect that a thread pool work item is taking too long?
17. 7 JanHow do I upgrade a 32-bit tick count to a 64-bit one?
18. 6 JanFilling in some gaps in the story of Space Cadet Pinball on 64-bit Windows
19. 5 JanHow do I prevent folder verbs intended for file system directories from showing up in my shell extension’s virtual folder’s context menu?
20. 4 JanMy Excel spreadsheet doesn’t scroll even though I can use the arrows to move around
21. 3 JanSpeculation on the design decisions that led to the common ABI for C++ coroutines