OverviewFrom my past posts about implementing your own Shell Namespace, there have been some great questions posted by readers.  Many of these stem from the fact that the Namespace example is fairly simple in that it does not implement all of the behavior that is possible in Explorer.  This was done to focus on the core steps in getting ...

OverviewIn my earlier post, I showed how to create a Shell Namespace Extension using the default IShellView implementation (also known as DefView).  One thing you might have noticed from the sample is that the Commands Module is void of even the default items such as “Organize” and “Views”.  If you are developing ...

In the first part of my posts for the IFileOperation interface, I wanted to give an overview of what it is used for and leave the real meat for later.  Now it’s time for the fun stuff.  In this post I want to dig into the use of the IFileOperationProgressSink.   In the MSDN docs for IFileOperation, you will notice that some of ...

In past versions of Windows, when a user encountered a file that is in use by another process, he would be presented with an unfriendly dialog like this:What process is using this file?  What should the user do?  There is nothing actionable for the user on this dialog.  Some savvy users may use a utility to determine which process ...

OverviewWhen implementing a Shell namespace extension, a developer must provide an object that implements the IShellView interface. However, Microsoft® Windows® provides a default implementation of IShellView known as the System Folder View Object (colloquially known as DefView), that can be used in place of a custom implementation. This ...

Part 1 - Introduction  A lot of things happen when a new version of Windows is finished.  Parties are thrown, vacations are had, millions of discs are pressed, boxed, and shipped around the world.  There’s another tradition, however, that you may remember from previous releases.  We call them PowerToys… and I ...

Keyboard shortcuts help maximize efficiency at common tasks, the lesser known ones are even sometimes passed around as expert tips for Windows.  I have to admit that seeing someone in action that knows all the shortcuts and can use them together efficiently is a very impressive sight.  This post is to share some of my personal favorites, ...

We’ve received good feedback about RC1 and how its quality has improved over Beta 2.  We certainly didn’t do this alone though and I want to reveal the powerful, if somewhat secret, force behind a lot of these changes: our Beta Community. Our Beta Community is diverse and ranges from new Mac switchers to long-time Windows ...

Generally speaking, if a tester waits until code has finished being written, they are not going to be able to get the product to their own high level of quality. Time is against you, and developers will eventually start menacing you with nerf rifles when you darken their doorways. The key is instead to smash the bugs before they are coded into ...

Run your applications and dictate a document using Windows Speech.