With Subclassing and the Windows hooking mechanism ("hooks"), you can manipulate, modify, or even discard messages bound for other objects within the operating system, in the process changing the way in which the system behaves. Along with this power comes responsibility; Windows is very unforgiving if subclassing and hooking techniques are used incorrectly. Subclassing & Hooking with Visual Basic demonstrates how to use the various techniques that deal with the interception of messages bound for one or more windows or controls: you can leave the intercepted message in its original state or modify it; afterwards, you can send the message to its original destination or discard it. For both VB 6 and VB.NET developers, this book opens up a wealth of possibilities that ordinarily would be completely unavailable, or at least not easy to implement.