Chapter Eleven: The User Interface Library

Using the features of SHELL32.DLL, the user interface dynamic-link library, is an easy way to extend the functionality of the Microsoft Windows 95 user interface. SHELL32.DLL provides functions that allow your application to implement drag-and-drop operations, to gather information from the system about other applications and files, and to use some of the interface's special widgets such as taskbar notifications and access bars. (The user interface and its features are sometimes referred to collectively as the shell.)

This chapter discusses the programming techniques necessary to use the functions included in SHELL32.DLL. To illustrate some of what you can do with these functions, I created a small sample named SHELLFUN, which demonstrates the following functionality:

• Drag and drop
• The SHGetFileInfo function
• The ability to add, remove, and modify items in the taskbar notification area
• The ability to add, remove, and reposition an access bar

When you access SHELL32.DLL, you must use the SHELLAPI.H header file. You need to include this file at the beginning of your application in order to use this library's functions and messages.

Using the features of SHELL32.DLL, the user interface dynamic-link library, is an easy way to extend the functionality of the Microsoft Windows 95 user interface. SHELL32.DLL provides functions that allow your application to implement drag-and-drop operations, to gather information from the system about other applications and files, and to use some of the interface's special widgets such as taskbar notifications and access bars. (The user interface and its features are sometimes referred to collectively as the shell.)

This chapter discusses the programming techniques necessary to use the functions included in SHELL32.DLL. To illustrate some of what you can do with these functions, I created a small sample named SHELLFUN, which demonstrates the following functionality:

• Drag and drop
• The SHGetFileInfo function
• The ability to add, remove, and modify items in the taskbar notification area
• The ability to add, remove, and reposition an access bar

When you access SHELL32.DLL, you must use the SHELLAPI.H header file. You need to include this file at the beginning of your application in order to use this library's functions and messages.