Visual C++ Windows Shell Programming

The Windows shell is the user interface for Windows 9x and Windows NT 4.0, allowing execution of common tasks such as accessing the file system, launching programs and changing system-wide settings. However, it's net just about user interaction : the shell exposes programming hooks that you can use from your own applications. This book shows you how to work with and extend the functionality of the shell, from tinkering with the Shell API to writing COM objects that get loaded into the address space. Within these pages is a compendium of shell programming techniques. You'll learn how to push the Windows shell to perform complex actions, and customise it using C++ programs. There's coverage of the Shell API, the Windows Scripting Host, and shell and namespace extensions that use the shell's object model. Who is this book for ? This title is for programmers who are experienced in Windows development and familiar with using COM and ATL to create components in Visual C+ +. The book will show you how to use COM and the Shell API to integrate your app1ication with the shell. It is not about making cosmetic changes to the desktop.