How to automate Windows Explorer

Jim Walsh · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse files
and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this so
well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's functionality
via automation.

Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the right
direction to implement this?

Thanks,
Jim

Archived from group: microsoft>public>platformsdk>shell

Kyle Alons · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

"Jim Walsh" wrote in message @microsoft.com...
> I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse files
> and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this so
> well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's functionality
> via automation.
>
> Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the right
> direction to implement this?
>

Why not just have the user use Explorer itself?

--
---------------------------------------------------
Automate your software builds with Visual Build Pro
http://www.visualbuild.com/

G Himangi · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

I don't know if there is a way to automate Windows Explorer, but assuming
you want to integrate a file/folder browsing UI inside your own app, you can
take a look at Shell MegaPack suite of components from http://www.ssware.com
Mind you, they are commercial products.

"Jim Walsh" wrote in message @microsoft.com...
> I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse files
> and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this so
> well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's functionality
> via automation.
>
> Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the right
> direction to implement this?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim
>

Sheng Jiang[MVP] · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

you may want to take a look at
www.codeproject.com/shell/AutomateShellWindow.asp
though I am not sure think trick works on Vista or not

--
Sheng Jiang
Microsoft MVP in VC++
"Jim Walsh" wrote in message@microsoft.com...
> I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse files
> and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this so
> well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's functionality
> via automation.
>
> Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the right
> direction to implement this?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim
>

Jim Walsh · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

Follow-up to my original posting:

I looked at EXPLORER.EXE with the VS6 DEPENDS tool. I can see that EXPLORER
takes advantage of COM, using COM components from SHELL32.DLL, BROWSEUI.DLL,
and SHDOCVW.DLL. Interestingly, Internet Explorer also uses the latter two
libraries too.

Seems like the automation objects I am looking for might be in those
libraries.

Does anyone have any good references for these libraries?

Thanks,
Jim

"Jim Walsh" wrote:

> I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse files
> and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this so
> well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's functionality
> via automation.
>
> Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the right
> direction to implement this?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim
>

Jason S · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

On Jul 6, 7:16 pm, Jim Walsh
wrote:
> Does anyone have any good references for these libraries?

Look up IShellFolder, IShellView, IShellBrowser etc.

This is one area where the MSDN docs actually seem to be useful. Some
of the following are probably not quite what you want (what are you
trying to do?), but it probably helps to see the big picture:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-US/library/aa969388.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa289172(vs.71).aspx
http://www.codeproject.com/shell/explorer.asp
http://www.codeproject.com/shell/shellextguide1.asp
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms632479.aspx

Chris Becke · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

"Jim Walsh" wrote in message @microsoft.com...
> I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse files
> and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this so
> well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's functionality
> via automation.

You can't. Explorer.exe is not an automation server.

> Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the right
> direction to implement this?

SHBrowseForFolder is the simplest way to let the user choose a folder.
SHGetOpenFileName lets the user choose a file.

To actually show a treeview / listview like explorer you will need to start
with
SHGetDesktopFolder, and use the members of the returned IShellFolder
interface to populate your treeview and listviews.

If you really desperately want host explorers view, you can get it by
calling IShellFolder::CreateViewObject and asking for the IShellView object.
Invoked correctly this will instantiate the shells view window. It does
however have certain expectations of its environment - there are a number of
interfaces your app will need to support.

Magnus · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

On 9 Juli, 15:55, "Chris Becke" wrote:
>
> If you really desperately want host explorers view, you can get it by
> calling IShellFolder::CreateViewObject and asking for the IShellView object.
> Invoked correctly this will instantiate the shells view window. It does
> however have certain expectations of its environment - there are a number of
> interfaces your app will need to support.

If you are only targeting Vista hosting the explorer browser is a bit
easier with IExplorerBrowser.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms645992.aspx

/Magnus

Karl E. Peterson · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 4836

Magnus wrote:
> If you are only targeting Vista ...

Who, in their right mind, would even contemplate such a thing?

Curious...
--
..NET: It's About Trust!
http://vfred.mvps.org

Sheng Jiang[MVP] · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

Actually IE takes a pidl as a valid address, so you can navigate to a folder
using the IWebBrowser2:: Navigate2 Method.

IE also supports the SID_STopLevelBrowser service, which support
IWebBrowser2 AND IShellBrowser. You can use IShellBrowser::BrowseObject to
browse to a folder, IShellBrowser::QueryActiveShellView to query the actiev
shell view, and use IShellView::SelectItem to select an item. You need to
wait for the DWebBrowserEvents2::DocumentComplete event for the shellview to
be ready. --
Sheng Jiang
Microsoft MVP in VC++
"Jim Walsh" wrote in message@microsoft.com...
> Follow-up to my original posting:
>
> I looked at EXPLORER.EXE with the VS6 DEPENDS tool. I can see that
EXPLORER
> takes advantage of COM, using COM components from SHELL32.DLL,
BROWSEUI.DLL,
> and SHDOCVW.DLL. Interestingly, Internet Explorer also uses the latter two
> libraries too.
>
> Seems like the automation objects I am looking for might be in those
> libraries.
>
> Does anyone have any good references for these libraries?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim
>
>
> "Jim Walsh" wrote:
>
> > I'm developing an application in which I want to let the user browse
files
> > and folders on the hard drive. Since Windows Explorer already does this
so
> > well, I would like to see how I might use Windows Explorer's
functionality
> > via automation.
> >
> > Could someone suggest some documentation that would point me in the
right
> > direction to implement this?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Jim
> >

Magnus · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

On Jul 9, 7:26 pm, "Karl E. Peterson" wrote:
> Magnus wrote:
> > If you are only targeting Vista ...
>
> Who, in their right mind, would even contemplate such a thing?
>

Beats me, it is easier to host the browser there though.

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