Can't use DirectX::Keyboard::ProcessMessage with SetWindowsHookEx (for low-level global keyboard / WH_KEYBOARD_LL)

[rogueyoshi]

The hook succeeds and messages get sent correctly when keys are pressed, but does it somehow get processed differently in ProcessMessage than a normal messaging thread?

// Create messenging thread.
m_pHookThread = new std::thread(&CDirectXWrapper::Hook, this);
m_pHookThread->detach();

void CDirectXWrapper::Hook()
{
    // Install hooks
    m_hHook = SetWindowsHookEx(WH_KEYBOARD_LL, [](const int nCode, const WPARAM wParam, const LPARAM lParam) {
        switch (wParam)
        {
        case WM_ACTIVATEAPP:
            Keyboard::ProcessMessage(nCode, wParam, lParam);
            break;
        case WM_KEYDOWN:
        case WM_SYSKEYDOWN:
        case WM_KEYUP:
        case WM_SYSKEYUP:
            Keyboard::ProcessMessage(nCode, wParam, lParam);
            break;
        }

        return CallNextHookEx(m_hHook, nCode, wParam, lParam);
    }, NULL, 0);

    if (m_hHook == NULL)
    {
        std::wcout << "Keyboard hook failed!" << std::endl;
    }
    else
    {
        std::wcout << "Keyboard hooked!" << std::endl;
    }

    // Messenging loop.
    while (GetMessage(NULL, NULL, 0, 0));
}

[walbourn]

Why use a 'hook' here instead of just putting it into the application's main WndProc?

[rogueyoshi]

The application is actually a DirectShow Source Filter DLL which uses DX11 (with no reference to a usable WndProc) rather than a standalone app. The global hook is needed so that hotkeys can be detected regardless of program focus.

[rogueyoshi]

Also, I should state that any key queryid after the setup is detected as false.

auto kb = m_pDirectXWrapper->GetKeyboardState();
//kb.A for example, would return false even if held.

[walbourn]

I'd recommend against using the DirectX Tool Kit Keyboard and Mouse class in a hook scenario. It's just not the intended use case.