When installing ProEssentials, the setup program installs the ProEssentials DLL into the system directory. It also installs a header file and import library into the C:\ProEssentials6\VC directory. The relevant files are:

Launch Visual C++ and use the File / New... menu to launch the [New] project dialog. Select [Win32 Application], supply a project name [MyFirst] and appropriate project location.

Selecting [OK] goes to the next page.  Now Select [Hello World] .

1) Copy "PEGRPAPI.H" and "PEGRP32D.LIB" from the C:\ProEssentials6\VC directory to where the [MyFirst] project is located.

2) Use the [Project / Add To Project / Files...] menu to add "PEGRPAPI.H" and "PEGRP32D.LIB" to the [MyFirst" project.

Note, if using Standard or Lite versions, use "PEGRPDS.LIB" or "PEGRPDL.LIB".

Open the file "myfirst.cpp" and near the top add the lines:

The include statement adds the ProEssentials header file which contains constants and function declarations.

The variable hPE is used to store the Window's handle for the ProEssentials control.

Note: Within an MFC application, you'll generally add the include statement to the view class's ".cpp" file and add the variable m_hPE to the view class's ".h" file as a member variable of the view's class.

Within the InitInstance function, add one line of code to initialize hPE to NULL. This is needed because we'll be adding code into the WM_SIZE and WM_DESTROY switches which assume a non-NULL hPE represents a ProEssentials control has been constructed.

Next, within the WndProc function, add the lines:

These will be needed within the WM_CREATE and WM_SIZE switches.

Next, we add handlers for the WM_CREATE, and WM_SIZE message handlers.

WM_CREATE contains the ProEssentials creation code. The ProEssentials function PEcreate is similar to the Windows CreateWindow function, and if successful, returns a Windows handle which is stored in hPE.

PEnset is a ProEssentials function that sets 32 bit type properties such as INTEGER, BOOL and HANDLE.

Next a nested for loop passes data via PEvsetcellEx and the property YData. Note variable f is type float and this is important because PEvsetcellEx works by reading data at a void pointer's location and memory at this location must be of the type expected.

Next, PEszset is the ProEssentials function used to set textual type properties. Note, PEszsetA and/or PEszsetW may be called to work specifically with short-char or wide-char data. Else the presence of the UNICODE pragma will control if PEszset automatically maps to PEszsetA or PEszsetW.

PEvsetcell is then used to set the Subset Legend text for both subsets.

PEnset is then used to set various properties controlling visual aspects.

PEreinitialize and PEresetimage tell ProEssentials you're done setting properties.

The code in the WM_SIZE message handler causes the ProEssentials control to always consume the entire Windows client area.

The code in the WM_DESTROY message handler destroys the ProEssentials control and frees resources via PEdestroy.

Use Visual C++'s Build / Build myfirst.exe menu (short cut F7) and then Build / Execute myfirst.exe (short cut Ctrl+F5) and you'll see the resulting Window to the left.

Congratulations, you've just completed your first Visual C++ / ProEssentials implementation.

This example is very simple and you'll likely set other properties such as:

PointLabels which will replace the "1,2,3..." along x axis.

SubsetLineTypes which controls line styles.

SubsetColors which controls line colors.

PlottingMethod which controls the type of chart created, Line, Bar, Area, Point, etc.

MFC User's Note: ProEssentials installs an MFC example [VC6 Example Project]. Within an MFC implementation, you'll generally add a HWND m_hPE member variable inside the View Class's declaration and then ProEssentials creation code within the View Class's  OnCreate handler after the base class call. You'll use the OnDestroy message handler to call PEdestroy.