Can't show/hide buttons in the main window of my C++ Win32 app [duplicate] - c++

Question

This question already has answers here:
Access a variable from a different switch case (from WM_CREATE to WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC in the WinApi)
(2 answers)
Closed last month.
I have created a basic button in case: WM_CREATE in the windows procedure with the following.
/*The "new_game_button" is declared as type HWND at the
start of the windows procedure function but not initialized.*/
new_game_button = CreateWindow ( "BUTTON", "New Game",
WS_CHILD | WS_BORDER ,
50, 50, 100, 100,
hwnd, NULL, NULL, NULL);
My intent is to create an instructions and "start new game" button as the first thing in my simple tictactoe app. It will immediately show as expected if I give the parameter WS_VISIBLE.
Further in the same case:WM_CREATE if I use the lines
if (!start_Game){ //global variable default is false
ShowWindow( new_game_button, SW_SHOW);
}
The button will show as expected.
Outside of those two cases I cannot get the button to show at a later stage.
Further, if I use one of those two methods to show the button I can never get it to go away using
ShowWindow ( new_game_button, SW_HIDE);
Once the button is showing, it stays for the duration of the programs execution. Doesn't matter which case. Command/Create/Paint
I have tried using
if (start_Game){
ShowWindow( new_game_button, SW_HIDE);
UpdateWindow ( new_game_button );
//UpdateWindow ( hwnd ); tried this as well
}
inside case WM_CREATE.
I have also tried the same SW_HIDE line inside case: WM_COMMAND where a new game is generated (compiles but doesn't hide the button.)
I have tried declaring the button child window outside the WM_CREATE inside the windows procedure function. Then using WM_CREATE to show the window - works -- still WM_COMMAND will not hide the window.
I have also tried creating the button window inside of case:WM_PAINT which works to show the button but not to get rid of it. I have even tried DestroyWindow which just fails. [returns 0]
In trying to understand the behaviour of the button window - I have found that I cannot get
ShowWindow( new_game_button, SW_SHOW);
to work in the case:WM_COMMAND.

Answer 1

You said (in a code comment in the question).
new_game_button is declared as type HWND at the start of the windows procedure function but not initialized.
Each incoming message means a new call to your window procedure. Variables which are local to a function don't retain their value between calls unless they are marked static.
When your window procedure returned from processing WM_CREATE, you lost the value of new_game_button. When you try to use it during WM_COMMAND processing later, it is uninitialized and your program causes undefined behavior by passing it to ShowWindow.

Answer 2

Every comment helped me solve this which I appreciate. I am too new to give reputation sadly.
case WM_CREATE:
{
new_game_button = CreateWindow ("BUTTON", "New Game",
WS_CHILD | WS_BORDER ,
50, 50, 100, 100,
hwnd, (HMENU) 1, NULL, NULL);
if (!start_Game){
ShowWindow( new_game_button, SW_SHOW);
}
}
break;
After I had an ID for the dialog I am able to use GetDlgItem function to show or hide as I please.
new_game_button = GetDlgItem (hwnd, 1);
ShowWindow( new_game_button, SW_HIDE);