C / C++ / MFC

int index=0;
int index2;

CString mystring;
CString csSecondString;

while(AfxExtractSubString(Item, LPCTSTR(mystring), index++, '#')
{
	if(Item!="")
	{
		
// I'm not familiar with AfxExtractSubString, so I don't know the type of Item...
// adjust as necessary I'll treat it here as a CString.
		int n = csSecondString.Find(Item);
		if (n > -1)
		{
			if (n>0)
			{
				if (csSecondString[n-1] == "[" &&
					csSecondString[n+Item.GetLength()] == "]") 
				{
					// Found item with [] 
				}
			}
		}
	} 
}

<br />
    #define _WIN32_WINDOWS = 0x0410<br />
    #define WINVER         = 0x0400<br />

• Messages sent to a window (see SendMessage),
  
• messages sent to a thread (see PostThreadMessage)

1. A responsive window must be created in the context of a thread that performs a message loop: deep deep inside the MFC code there's such a loop that causes your MFC windows to become alive. Without MFC, it's up to you to write the thing.
   
2. If you're trying to catch a message intended for a window that has not been created by the current thread, then you're out of luck.

// Create any windows dependent on this thread (see CreateWindow)

// Message loop

MSG msg;

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

// Clean up the windows (DestroyWindow)

return;