What is what in API? Quick question

[invitro]

How do u distinguish what is what in the API viewer. For ex.


Public Declare Function GetFileTime Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetFileTime" (ByVal hFile As Long, lpCreationTime As FILETIME, lpLastAccessTime As FILETIME, lpLastWriteTime As FILETIME) As Long

Public Type FILETIME
dwLowDateTime As Long
dwHighDateTime As Long
End Type

if i wanna use that function, how would i know what hFile would have to equal to?
OR what to set dwLowDateTime and dwHighDateTime to?
Is there some kind of rules u must follow?

Sorry i always used other API code, never figured it out on my own.

Use the MSDN to search for the function and locate the C++ help, this will usually tell you the information.

Example:

GetFileTime
The GetFileTime function retrieves the date and time that a file was created, last accessed, and last modified.

BOOL GetFileTime(
HANDLE hFile, // handle to the file
LPFILETIME lpCreationTime, // address of creation time
LPFILETIME lpLastAccessTime, // address of last access time
LPFILETIME lpLastWriteTime // address of last write time
);

Parameters
hFile
Handle to the files for which to get dates and times. The file handle must have been created with GENERIC_READ access to the file.

lpCreationTime
Pointer to a FILETIME structure to receive the date and time the file was created. This parameter can be NULL if the application does not require this information.

lpLastAccessTime
Pointer to a FILETIME structure to receive the date and time the file was last accessed. The last access time includes the last time the file was written to, read from, or, in the case of executable files, run. This parameter can be NULL if the application does not require this information.

lpLastWriteTime
Pointer to a FILETIME structure to receive the date and time the file was last written to. This parameter can be NULL if the application does not require this information.
Return Values
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks
The FAT and NTFS file systems support the file creation, last access, and last write time values.

Windows 95: The precision of the time for a file in a FAT file system is 2 seconds. The time precision for files in other file systems, such as those connected through a network depends on the file system but may also be limited by the remote device.

Hope it helps