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How to call the Find / Replace DialogBox API (REALLY)

An example of *really* how to call the Find and Find/Replace DialogBoxes using the API and attaching it to your Textbox or RichTextbox!

Assumes
Here it is guys! Let me know what you think... Since the object of this was to get the Find & Find/Replace dialog boxes working without crashing, I documented that part well. I also included some find and replace code to do the actual replacement in the textbox or RichTextBox, but I didn't do a "backwards search" or a "replace all"... When these buttons are clicked the subroutine fires a messagebox to let you know where to actually put the code... ;-) On to the code... This is a full demonstration.

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1) Start a new project. 
2) Add a textbox to Form1... You can make it MultiLine with scrollbars if you want. 
3) Add two command buttons to Form1. 
4) Add the following code to the Form1 Declarations Section: 
'------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  Private Sub Command1_Click() 
    ShowFindDialog FindDialogBox, Me, Text1 
  End Sub 
   
  Private Sub Command2_Click() 
    ShowFindDialog ReplaceDialogBox, Me, Text1 
  End Sub 
'------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


5) Add a module to the program and then paste the following code into the Declarations Section of the module: 

'------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  Public Const GWL_WNDPROC = (-4) 
  Public Const WM_LBUTTONDOWN = &H201 
  Public Const FR_NOMATCHCASE = &H800 
  Public Const FR_NOUPDOWN = &H400 
  Public Const FR_NOWHOLEWORD = &H1000 
  Public Const EM_SETSEL = &HB1 
  Public Const MaxPatternLen = 50 'Maximum Pattern Length 
  Public Const GD_MATCHWORD = &H410 
  Public Const GD_MATCHCASE = &H411 
  Public Const GD_SEARCHUP = &H420 
  Public Const GD_SEARCHDN = &H421 
  Public Const BST_UNCHECKED = &H0 
  Public Const BST_CHECKED = &H1 
  Public Const BST_INDETERMINATE = &H2 
   
  Public Type FINDREPLACE 
    lStructSize As Long     '  size of this struct 0x20 
    hwndOwner As Long      '  handle to owner's window 
    hInstance As Long      '  instance handle of.EXE that 
                  '  contains cust. dlg. template 
    flags As Long        '  one or more of the FR_?? 
    lpstrFindWhat As Long    '  ptr. to search string 
    lpstrReplaceWith As Long  '  ptr. to replace string 
    wFindWhatLen As Integer   '  size of find buffer 
    wReplaceWithLen As Integer '  size of replace buffer 
    lCustData As Long      '  data passed to hook fn. 
    lpfnHook As Long      '  ptr. to hook fn. or NULL 
    lpTemplateName As Long   '  custom template name 
  End Type 
   
  Public Enum FR_DIALOG_TYPE 
    FindDialogBox = 0 
    ReplaceDialogBox = 1 
  End Enum 
   
  Public Declare Function FindText Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "FindTextA" _ 
    (pFindreplace As FINDREPLACE) As Long 
  Public Declare Function ReplaceText Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "ReplaceTextA" _ 
    (pFindreplace As FINDREPLACE) As Long 
  Public Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "SetWindowLongA" _ 
    (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long, ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" _ 
    (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function CallWindowProc Lib "user32" Alias "CallWindowProcA" _ 
    (ByVal lpPrevWndFunc As Long, ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal Msg As Long, _ 
    ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function GetDlgItem Lib "user32" (ByVal hDlg As Long, _ 
    ByVal nIDDlgItem As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" _ 
    (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" _ 
    (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, _ 
    ByVal lParam As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function SetFocus Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function IsDlgButtonChecked Lib "user32" _ 
    (ByVal hDlg As Long, ByVal nIDButton As Long) As Long 
  Public Declare Function CheckDlgButton Lib "user32" _ 
    (ByVal hDlg As Long, ByVal nIDButton As Long, ByVal wCheck As Long) As Long 
   
   
  Global gOldFindDlgWndHandle As Long 
  Global gOldCancelDlgWndHandle As Long 
  Global gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle As Long 
  Global gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle As Long 
  Global frText As FINDREPLACE 
  Global gHDlg As Long 
  Global gFindObj As Object 
  Global ghFindCmdBtn As Long     'handle of 'Find Next' command button 
  Global ghCancelCmdBtn As Long    'handle of 'Cancel' command button 
  Global ghReplaceCmdBtn As Long   'handle of 'Replace' command button 
  Global ghReplaceAllCmdBtn As Long  'handle of 'Replace All' command button 
  Global gIsDlgReplaceBox As Boolean 
  Function FindTextHookProc(ByVal hDlg As Long, ByVal uMsg As Long, _ 
    ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As Long) As Long 
    '========================================================= 
    ' This is the window hook function for the Find/Replace 
    ' dialog boxes. All of the hooks are handled here! 
    '========================================================= 
   
    Dim strPtnFind As String    'pattern string 
    Dim hFindTxtBox As Long     'handle of the FIND text box in dialog box 
    Dim strPtnReplace As String   'pattern string 
    Dim hReplaceTxtBox As Long   'handle of the REPLACE text box in dialog box 
    Dim ptnLen As Integer      'actual length read by GetWindowString 
    Dim lMatchWord As Boolean    'match word switch 
    Dim lMatchCase As Boolean    'match case switch 
    Dim lSearchUp As Boolean    'search up switch 
    Dim lSearchDn As Boolean    'search down switch 
    Dim iVal As Long 
     
    strPtnFind = Space(MaxPatternLen) 
    strPtnReplace = Space(MaxPatternLen) 
   
    Select Case uMsg 
      Case WM_LBUTTONDOWN 
        '========================================================= 
        ' We have trapped a button down event! 
        '========================================================= 
            
         'DEBUG - FIND ALL OF THE DIALOG ITEMS... 
         'For iVal = 0 To 65535 
         '  hFindTxtBox = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, iVal) 
         '  If Not hFindTxtBox = 0 Then 
         '    strPtnFind = Space(MaxPatternLen) 
         '    ptnLen = GetWindowText(hFindTxtBox, strPtnFind, MaxPatternLen) 
         '    Debug.Print "ITEM " + CStr(iVal) + " - " + strPtnFind 
         '  End If 
         'Next iVal 
         
         'Get the switches from the dialog box 
         lMatchWord = IIf(IsDlgButtonChecked(gHDlg, GD_MATCHWORD) = 1, True, False) 
         lMatchCase = IIf(IsDlgButtonChecked(gHDlg, GD_MATCHCASE) = 1, True, False) 
         lSearchUp = IIf(IsDlgButtonChecked(gHDlg, GD_SEARCHUP) = 1, True, False) 
         lSearchDn = IIf(IsDlgButtonChecked(gHDlg, GD_SEARCHDN) = 1, True, False) 
         
         'Get the FIND pattern string 
         hFindTxtBox = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, &H480) 
         ptnLen = GetWindowText(hFindTxtBox, strPtnFind, MaxPatternLen) 
         strPtnFind = Left$(strPtnFind, ptnLen) 
         
         'Get the REPLACE pattern string IF PRESENT 
         hReplaceTxtBox = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, &H481) 
         If Not hReplaceTxtBox = 0 Then 
           ptnLen = GetWindowText(hReplaceTxtBox, strPtnReplace, MaxPatternLen) 
           strPtnReplace = Left$(strPtnReplace, ptnLen) 
         End If 
         
         'Call the correct default window procedure 
         'Then Customize the window procedure 
         Select Case hDlg 
           Case ghFindCmdBtn: 'POST PROCESS FIND BUTTON 
             If gOldFindDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
               FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldFindDlgWndHandle, _ 
                 hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
             End If 
             Call EventFindButton(strPtnFind, lMatchWord, lMatchCase, _ 
              lSearchUp, lSearchDn) 
             
           Case ghCancelCmdBtn: 'PRE PROCESS CANCEL BUTTON 
             Call EventCancelButton 
             If gOldCancelDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
               FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldCancelDlgWndHandle, _ 
                 hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
             End If 
             
           Case ghReplaceCmdBtn: 'POST PROCESS REPLACE BUTTON 
             If gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
               FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle, _ 
                 hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
             End If 
             Call EventReplaceButton(strPtnFind, strPtnReplace, lMatchWord, _ 
              lMatchCase, lSearchUp, lSearchDn) 
             
           Case ghReplaceAllCmdBtn: 'POST PROCESS REPLACE ALL BUTTON 
             If gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
               FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle, _ 
                 hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
             End If 
             Call EventReplaceAllButton(strPtnFind, strPtnReplace, lMatchWord, _ 
              lMatchCase, lSearchUp, lSearchDn) 
         End Select 
           
      Case Else 
        'Call the correct default window procedure 
        Select Case hDlg 
          Case ghFindCmdBtn: 
            If gOldFindDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
              FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldFindDlgWndHandle, _ 
                hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
            End If 
          Case ghCancelCmdBtn: 
            If gOldCancelDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
              FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldCancelDlgWndHandle, _ 
                hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
            End If 
          Case ghReplaceCmdBtn: 
            If gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
              FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle, _ 
                hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
            End If 
          Case ghReplaceAllCmdBtn: 
            If gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle <> 0 Then 
              FindTextHookProc = CallWindowProc(gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle, _ 
                hDlg, uMsg, wParam, lParam) 
            End If 
        End Select 
    End Select 
  End Function 
   
  Private Sub EventCancelButton() 
    '========================================================= 
    ' This SUB gets called from FindTextHookProc 
    ' when Find/Replace "CANCEL" button is pressed 
    '========================================================= 
    Dim lngReturnValue As Long 
    'UNHOOK ALL OF THE WINDOW HOOKS!!! 
    If Not ghFindCmdBtn = 0 Then lngReturnValue = SetWindowLong(ghFindCmdBtn, _ 
      GWL_WNDPROC, gOldFindDlgWndHandle) 
    If Not ghReplaceCmdBtn = 0 Then lngReturnValue = SetWindowLong(ghReplaceCmdBtn, _ 
      GWL_WNDPROC, gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle) 
    If Not ghReplaceAllCmdBtn = 0 Then lngReturnValue = SetWindowLong(ghReplaceAllCmdBtn, _ 
      GWL_WNDPROC, gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle) 
    lngReturnValue = SetWindowLong(ghCancelCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC, gOldCancelDlgWndHandle) 
     
    'Cleanup the global find object 
    Set gFindObj = Nothing 
  End Sub 
   
  Private Sub EventFindButton(FindString As String, MatchWord As Boolean, _ 
    MatchCase As Boolean, SearchUp As Boolean, SearchDn As Boolean) 
    '========================================================= 
    ' This SUB gets called from FindTextHookProc 
    ' when Find/Replace "FIND" button is pressed 
    ' gFindObj is the object we need to do stuff to... 
    '========================================================= 
    Dim sp As Integer        'start point of matching string 
    Dim ep As Integer        'end point of matchiing string 
     
    With gFindObj 
      SetFocus .hwnd 
      If SearchDn = True Or gIsDlgReplaceBox = True Then 'WE'RE DOING A FORWARD SEARCH! 
        sp = InStr(IIf(.SelStart = 0, 1, .SelStart) + .SelLength, .Text, _ 
          IIf(MatchWord, " " + Trim$(FindString) + " ", FindString), _ 
          IIf(MatchCase, vbBinaryCompare, vbTextCompare)) 
        sp = IIf(sp = 0, -1, sp - 1) 
        If sp = -1 Then 
          MsgBox "Cannot find " + Chr$(34) + FindString + Chr$(34) + ".", _ 
            vbExclamation, "Find" 
        Else 
          .SelStart = sp 
          .SelLength = IIf(MatchWord, Len(" " + Trim$(FindString) + " "), Len(FindString)) 
        End If 
      Else 'WE'RE DOING A BACKWARD SEARCH 
        MsgBox "I DIDNT CODE A BACKWARDS SEARCH ;-)", vbInformation, "Find" 
      End If 
    End With 
  End Sub 
   
  Private Sub EventReplaceAllButton(FindString As String, ReplaceString As String, _ 
    MatchWord As Boolean, MatchCase As Boolean, SearchUp As Boolean, SearchDn As Boolean) 
    '========================================================= 
    ' This SUB gets called from FindTextHookProc 
    ' when Find/Replace "REPLACE ALL" button is pressed 
    ' gFindObj is the object we need to do stuff to... 
    '========================================================= 
     
    MsgBox "I didn't code a REPLACE ALL Function, but this shows the event firing ;-)" + vbCrLf + _ 
      "Here are the variables passed into the subroutine... Happy Coding!" + vbCrLf + _ 
      "MatchWord=" + CStr(MatchWord) + vbCrLf + _ 
      "MatchCase=" + CStr(MatchCase) + vbCrLf + _ 
      "SearchUp=" + CStr(SearchUp) + vbCrLf + _ 
      "SearchDn=" + CStr(SearchDn) + vbCrLf + _ 
      "FindString=" + FindString + vbCrLf + _ 
      "ReplaceString=" + ReplaceString 
  End Sub 
   
  Private Sub EventReplaceButton(FindString As String, ReplaceString As String, _ 
    MatchWord As Boolean, MatchCase As Boolean, SearchUp As Boolean, SearchDn As Boolean) 
    '========================================================= 
    ' This SUB gets called from FindTextHookProc 
    ' when Find/Replace "REPLACE" button is pressed 
    ' gFindObj is the object we need to do stuff to... 
    '========================================================= 
     
    With gFindObj 
      'WE'RE DOING A FORWARD SEARCH ALWAYS! 
      SetFocus .hwnd 
      'Replace the highlighted text, if any 
      If Not .SelLength = 0 Then 
        .SelText = ReplaceString 
        .SelLength = 0 
      End If 
      'Find the next occurrence 
      sp = InStr(IIf(.SelStart = 0, 1, .SelStart) + .SelLength, .Text, _ 
        IIf(MatchWord, " " + Trim$(FindString) + " ", FindString), _ 
        IIf(MatchCase, vbBinaryCompare, vbTextCompare)) 
      sp = IIf(sp = 0, -1, sp - 1) 
      If sp = -1 Then 
        MsgBox "At end of text.", vbInformation, "Find" 
      Else 
        .SelStart = sp 
        .SelLength = IIf(MatchWord, Len(" " + Trim$(FindString) + " "), Len(FindString)) 
      End If 
      .SetFocus 
    End With 
  End Sub 
   
  Public Sub ShowFindDialog(DialogType As FR_DIALOG_TYPE, ParentObject As Object, _ 
    TargetObject As Object, Optional DefaultFindText, Optional DefaultReplaceText, _ 
    Optional DialogBoxFlags) 
    '============================================================================ 
    ' This subroutine is a wrapper to call the FIND and FIND/REPLACE DialogBoxes 
    ' 
    ' Arguments are: 
    ' 
    '  DialogType     : 0=Show FindDialogBox, 1=Show ReplaceDialogBox 
    ' 
    '  ParentObject    : Form that will be the parent of the DialogBox 
    ' 
    '  TargetObject    : Textbox object to search/replace text 
    ' 
    '  DefaultFindText   : OPTIONAL Initializes the "Find Text" TextBox 
    ' 
    '  DefaultReplaceText : OPTIONAL Initialized the "Replace Text" Textbox 
    ' 
    '  DialogBoxFlags   : OPTIONAL Turns off items in the DialogBox 
    '             Values can be: 
    '              FR_NOMATCHCASE Or FR_NOUPDOWN Or FR_NOWHOLEWORD 
    '============================================================================ 
   
    Dim szFindString As String   'initial string to find 
    Dim szReplaceString As String  'initial string to find 
    Dim strFindArr() As Byte    'for API use 
    Dim strReplaceArr() As Byte   'for API use 
    Dim iVal As Long        'position indicator in the loop 
     
     
    'Get the default strings to plug into the dialogbox, if present 
    szFindString = IIf(IsMissing(DefaultFindText) = True, "", CStr(DefaultFindText)) + Chr$(0) 
    ReDim strFindArr(0 To Len(szFindString) - 1) 
    For iVal = 1 To Len(szFindString) 
      strFindArr(iVal - 1) = Asc(Mid(szFindString, iVal, 1)) 
    Next iVal 
    szReplaceString = IIf(IsMissing(DefaultReplaceText) = True, "", CStr(DefaultReplaceText)) + Chr$(0) 
    ReDim strReplaceArr(0 To Len(szReplaceString) - 1) 
    For iVal = 1 To Len(szReplaceString) 
      strReplaceArr(iVal - 1) = Asc(Mid(szReplaceString, iVal, 1)) 
    Next iVal 
   
    'Fill in the frText data... 
    With frText 
      .flags = IIf(IsMissing(DialogBoxFlags) = True, 0, DialogBoxFlags) 
      .lpfnHook = 0& 
      .lpTemplateName = 0& 
      .lStructSize = Len(frText) 
      .hwndOwner = ParentObject.hwnd 
      .hInstance = App.hInstance 
      .lpstrFindWhat = VarPtr(strFindArr(0)) 
      .wFindWhatLen = Len(szFindString) 
      .lpstrReplaceWith = VarPtr(strReplaceArr(0)) 
      .wReplaceWithLen = Len(szReplaceString) 
      .lCustData = 0 
    End With 
   
    'Set the object we're going to be doing the find/replace with 
    Set gFindObj = TargetObject 
   
    'Show the dialog box. 
    If DialogType = FindDialogBox Then 
      gHDlg = FindText(frText) 
      gIsDlgReplaceBox = False 
    Else 
      gHDlg = ReplaceText(frText) 
      gIsDlgReplaceBox = True 
    End If 
     
    'Set the "Search Down" radio button. 
    CheckDlgButton gHDlg, GD_SEARCHUP, BST_UNCHECKED 
    CheckDlgButton gHDlg, GD_SEARCHDN, BST_CHECKED 
   
    'Get the handles of the dialog box 
    ghFindCmdBtn = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, 1) 'FIND BUTTON 
    ghCancelCmdBtn = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, 2) 'CANCEL BUTTON 
    ghReplaceCmdBtn = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, 1024) 'REPLACE BUTTON 
    ghReplaceAllCmdBtn = GetDlgItem(gHDlg, 1025) 'REPLACE ALL BUTTON 
   
    'Hook all of the necessary default window procedures for the dialog box. 
    If Not ghFindCmdBtn = 0 Then 
      gOldFindDlgWndHandle = GetWindowLong(ghFindCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC) 
      If SetWindowLong(ghFindCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC, AddressOf FindTextHookProc) = 0 _ 
        Then gOldFindDlgWndHandle = 0 
    End If 
     
    If Not ghCancelCmdBtn = 0 Then 
      gOldCancelDlgWndHandle = GetWindowLong(ghCancelCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC) 
      If SetWindowLong(ghCancelCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC, AddressOf FindTextHookProc) = 0 _ 
        Then gOldCancelDlgWndHandle = 0 
    End If 
     
    If Not ghReplaceCmdBtn = 0 Then 
      gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle = GetWindowLong(ghReplaceCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC) 
      If SetWindowLong(ghReplaceCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC, AddressOf FindTextHookProc) = 0 _ 
        Then gOldReplaceDlgWndHandle = 0 
    End If 
     
    If Not ghReplaceAllCmdBtn = 0 Then 
      gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle = GetWindowLong(ghReplaceAllCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC) 
      If SetWindowLong(ghReplaceAllCmdBtn, GWL_WNDPROC, AddressOf FindTextHookProc) = 0 _ 
        Then gOldReplaceAllDlgWndHandle = 0 
    End If 
  End Sub 
'------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

6) Run the program and type some text into the textbox. then put the cursor in the textbox at the top of the textbox. 

7) Click "Command1" and the Find Dialog box will show. Try the box out!! 
8) Put the cursor in the textbox back at the beginning of the textbox and click "Command2". The Find/Replace dialog box will show... Try it out! 
I have included setting the search textbox and the replace textbox in this code, so if you wanted to populate it before showing the dialogbox, call ShowFindDialog like this: 

  ShowFindDialog FindDialogBox, Me, Text1, "Find This" 
  ShowFindDialog ReplaceDialogBox, Me, Text1, "Find This", "Replace with this" 
You can also add another optional argument to disable parts of the dialogbox... ;-)