Creating a multi-pane window

[x loto]

I'm writing a program for a friend to help manipulate character data in a forum-based role-playing game of which he is the DM. He isn't as familiar with computers as I am, and after pondering the possibilities I've decided that a Windows program will probably be much easier for him to grasp and use than a console program. The problem that I have is that for me, the reverse is true. :-P

While I consider myself at least a mediocre programmer where the console is concerned, I've done only a miniscule amount of Windows programming in the past and I can't find any of my old homework assignments to see what kind of boilerplate I was using (not that old homework would be terribly useful, but...). I'm finding tons of examples, but very few of them explain any WinGibberish, so I'm left not knowing what things mean, which things I can edit, where the various #definitions are so I can change options, etc. One example used a WHITE_BRUSH...but what if I want green? I had to look through 6 header files to find out there is no GREEN_BRUSH--annoying.

So, in any case, I suppose I'd better get into asking an actual question(s)! These are a couple of the things I want to do:

1) I want to make a menu of the _File, _Edit variety. At least one example I've seen has this, and I may be able to figure out something on my own.... This one is Low Priority for now, and may end up being unnecessary depending on how other things work out.

2) I'd like to have a multi-pane window, with one pane devoted to console-style output. This would be to show things like progress in loading files, and displaying the results of a round of battle. Side question: Would there be a way to connect cout to this...?

There are a lot of other questions I have, but as I learn more I may figure them out as I go. At least getting the console window up and running (even if it has to be in a separate window) will give me enough of a starting point that I can continue to work on the guts of the program while learning how to build its skin.

ALTERNATIVELY:

If Windows API just ends up way over my head for now, I know I could generate some Windows-like graphics if I could just take control over the the console video buffer. (I've done something like this before, but in a graphics program using someone else's graphics library, and it's been a long time.) All my attempts have failed; it's supposed to be at B800:0000, right? So how do I grab hold of it?

All help is appreciated! Thank you!