An executable to popup a balloon tip in notification area on Windows, written in C++.

notification.cpp

// To popup a balloon tip in notification area.
// 
// Usage:
//   notification.exe [title] [content] [timeout]
//   * custom icon can be used when named "notify.ico", which should stay
//     in the current directory.
//
// How to compile:
//     g++ notification.cpp -o notification.exe -lshlwapi
//   Passed on mingw(http://nuwen.net/mingw.html).

#include <windows.h>
#include <tchar.h>
#include <string>
#include <sstream>
#include <vector>
#include <iostream>
#include "Shlwapi.h"

#define TRAYICON_ID 100
#define WM_NICB WM_USER+100

const char g_szClassName[] = "NOTIFYICON";
std::string szCmdline;
LPSTR g_lpCmdline;
NOTIFYICONDATA NotifyIconSetting;

std::vector<std::string> &split(const std::string &s, char delim, std::vector<std::string> &elems) {
    std::stringstream ss(s);
    std::string item;
    while (std::getline(ss, item, delim)) {
        elems.push_back(item);
    }
    return elems;
}


std::vector<std::string> split(const std::string &s, char delim) {
    std::vector<std::string> elems;
    split(s, delim, elems);
    return elems;
}

void BalloonTip(HWND hwnd){
    NotifyIconSetting.cbSize = sizeof(NOTIFYICONDATA);
    NotifyIconSetting.hWnd = hwnd;
    NotifyIconSetting.uID = TRAYICON_ID;
    NotifyIconSetting.uFlags = NIF_ICON | NIF_MESSAGE | NIF_TIP;
    NotifyIconSetting.uCallbackMessage = WM_NICB;
    NotifyIconSetting.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_INFORMATION);
    if(PathFileExists("notify.ico")){
        NotifyIconSetting.hIcon = 
            (HICON)::LoadImage(NULL, "notify.ico", IMAGE_ICON,0,0,LR_DEFAULTSIZE|LR_LOADFROMFILE);
    }
    Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_ADD, &NotifyIconSetting);

    NotifyIconSetting.uFlags = NIF_INFO;

    std::vector<std::string> vCmdlineParts = split(szCmdline, ' ');
    int i = 0;
    std::string szNotificationTitle = "Usage";
    std::string szNotificationContent = 
        "Cmdline Arguments:\n1: Title;\n2: Content;\n3: Timeout (defalut 5000ms);\n* Custom Icon named \"notify.ico\".";
    int iTimeout = 5000;
    for(std::string sz : vCmdlineParts){
        switch(i++){
            case 0:
                szNotificationTitle = sz;
                break;
            case 1:
                szNotificationContent = sz;
                break;
            case 2:
                iTimeout = std::stoi(sz);
                break;
        }
    }
    _tcscpy(NotifyIconSetting.szInfoTitle, szNotificationTitle.c_str());
    _tcscpy(NotifyIconSetting.szInfo, szNotificationContent.c_str());
    Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_MODIFY, &NotifyIconSetting);
    Sleep(iTimeout);

    Shell_NotifyIcon(NIM_DELETE, &NotifyIconSetting);
}

LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam){
    switch(msg){
        case WM_CREATE:
            BalloonTip(hwnd);
            exit(0);
        break;
        case WM_CLOSE:
            DestroyWindow(hwnd);
        break;
        case WM_DESTROY:
            PostQuitMessage(0);
        break;
        default:
            return DefWindowProc(hwnd, msg, wParam, lParam);
    }
    return 0;
}

int WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE, LPSTR lpCmdline, int nCmdShow){
    WNDCLASSEX wc;
    HWND hwnd;
    MSG msg;
    g_lpCmdline = lpCmdline;
    szCmdline = lpCmdline;

    wc.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
    wc.style = 0;
    wc.lpfnWndProc = WndProc;
    wc.cbClsExtra = 0;
    wc.cbWndExtra = 0;
    wc.hInstance = hInstance;
    wc.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);
    wc.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
    wc.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_WINDOW+1);
    wc.lpszMenuName = NULL;
    wc.lpszClassName = g_szClassName;
    wc.hIconSm = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);

    if(!RegisterClassEx(&wc)){
        MessageBox(0, "Window Registration Failed!", "Error!", MB_ICONEXCLAMATION | MB_OK);
        return 0;
    }

    hwnd = CreateWindowEx(0, g_szClassName, "",
        0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
        NULL, NULL, hInstance, NULL);

    if(hwnd == NULL){
        MessageBox(NULL, "Window Creation Failed!", "Error!",
            MB_ICONEXCLAMATION | MB_OK);
        return 0;
    }

    // ShowWindow(hwnd, nCmdShow);
    // UpdateWindow(hwnd);

    while(GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0) > 0) {
        TranslateMessage(&msg);
        DispatchMessage(&msg);
    }

    return msg.wParam;
}