WinAPI What happens if I don't Translate and Dispatch unhandled message - c++

Question

On GetMessage reference from microsoft we have the next example:
BOOL bRet;
while( (bRet = GetMessage( &msg, hWnd, 0, 0 )) != 0)
{
if (bRet == -1)
{
// handle the error and possibly exit
}
else
{
TranslateMessage(&msg);
DispatchMessage(&msg);
}
}
What if I just ignore unhandled messages in the main loop of my program and move on?
Is there any risk to it? Will Windows complain/leak memory/hold resources for longer than necessary if I don't translate+dispatch this message if I don't actually need/want to handle it?

Answer 1

According The Message Loop,
The TranslateMessage function is related to keyboard input. It
translates keystrokes (key down, key up) into characters. You do not
really have to know how this function works; just remember to call it
before DispatchMessage. The link to the MSDN documentation will give
you more information, if you are curious.
The DispatchMessage function tells the operating system to call the
window procedure of the window that is the target of the message. In
other words, the operating system looks up the window handle in its
table of windows, finds the function pointer associated with the
window, and invokes the function.
If I don't translate+dispatch, loop will not be able to handle keyboard input and window messages. For example, the window cannot be moved, cannot be redrawn or closed. This has nothing to do with memory leaks
Having said that, a standard Message loop should be:
while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0))
{
if (!TranslateAccelerator(msg.hwnd, hAccelTable, &msg))
{
TranslateMessage(&msg);
DispatchMessage(&msg);
}
}
Accelerators are what matters here, otherwise known as "short-cut keys". Your program wants to respond to them regardless of which window has the focus. Like F1 shows the program's help file, regardless which control has the focus. You don't want to have to write code that subclasses every control window to recognize F1.
Refer: why exactly TranslateMessage