Developing Internet Explorer, browser helper object extensions?

Question

1) I am trying to make a simple BHO in C# like here already answered: https://mcmap.net/q/126485/-how-to-get-started-with-developing-internet-explorer-extensions

2) But unfortunately they all tried less then IE11, where some made it work and some failed too

3) after following everything as mentioned in that answer, i also purchased official code sign but it simply does not working in IE11 Windows 7 64-bit.

You can download my prepared version of Visual studio 2013: which includes all the source code and details for IE11:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/60kg212vkjb7yud/ClassLibrary2.rar

Q. Can anyone please advise/suggest/help how can i make one hello world of this BHO?

I have also tried others sample from codeproject, but still none of them i was able to make work yet, trying since 4 weeks, i am lost, please advise what is wrong in my ClassLibrary2.rar which is not hilighting the text "browser"?

I am completely lost, please advise.

EDIT:

IEAddon.cs

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Microsoft.Win32;
using mshtml;
using SHDocVw;

namespace InternetExplorerExtension
{
  [ComVisible(true)]
  [ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.None)]
  [Guid("D40C654D-7C51-4EB3-95B2-1E23905C2A2D")]
  [ProgId("MyBHO.WordHighlighter")]
  public class WordHighlighterBHO : IObjectWithSite, IOleCommandTarget
  {
    const string DefaultTextToHighlight = "browser";

    IWebBrowser2 browser;
    private object site;

    #region Highlight Text
    void OnDocumentComplete(object pDisp, ref object URL)
    {
      try
      {

        // This will prevent this method being executed more than once.
        if (pDisp != this.site)
          return;

        var document2 = browser.Document as IHTMLDocument2;
        var document3 = browser.Document as IHTMLDocument3;

        var window = document2.parentWindow;
        window.execScript(@"function FncAddedByAddon() { alert('Message added by addon.'); }");

        Queue<IHTMLDOMNode> queue = new Queue<IHTMLDOMNode>();
        foreach (IHTMLDOMNode eachChild in document3.childNodes)
          queue.Enqueue(eachChild);

        while (queue.Count > 0)
        {
          // replacing desired text with a highlighted version of it
          var domNode = queue.Dequeue();

          var textNode = domNode as IHTMLDOMTextNode;
          if (textNode != null)
          {
            if (textNode.data.Contains(TextToHighlight))
            {
              var newText = textNode.data.Replace(TextToHighlight, "<span style='background-color: yellow; cursor: hand;' onclick='javascript:FncAddedByAddon()' title='Click to open script based alert window.'>" + TextToHighlight + "</span>");
              var newNode = document2.createElement("span");
              newNode.innerHTML = newText;
              domNode.replaceNode((IHTMLDOMNode)newNode);
            }
          }
          else
          {
            // adding children to collection
            var x = (IHTMLDOMChildrenCollection)(domNode.childNodes);
            foreach (IHTMLDOMNode eachChild in x)
            {
              if (eachChild is mshtml.IHTMLScriptElement)
                continue;
              if (eachChild is mshtml.IHTMLStyleElement)
                continue;

              queue.Enqueue(eachChild);
            }
          }
        }
      }
      catch (Exception ex)
      {
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
      }
    }
    #endregion
    #region Load and Save Data
    static string TextToHighlight = DefaultTextToHighlight;
    public static string RegData = "Software\\MyIEExtension";

    [DllImport("ieframe.dll")]
    public static extern int IEGetWriteableHKCU(ref IntPtr phKey);

    private static void SaveOptions()
    {
      // In IE 7,8,9,(desktop)10 tabs run in Protected Mode
      // which prohibits writes to HKLM, HKCU.
      // Must ask IE for "Writable" registry section pointer
      // which will be something like HKU/S-1-7***/Software/AppDataLow/
      // In "metro" IE 10 mode, tabs run in "Enhanced Protected Mode"
      // where BHOs are not allowed to run, except in edge cases.
      // see http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ieinternals/archive/2012/03/23/understanding-ie10-enhanced-protected-mode-network-security-addons-cookies-metro-desktop.aspx
      IntPtr phKey = new IntPtr();
      var answer = IEGetWriteableHKCU(ref phKey);
      RegistryKey writeable_registry = RegistryKey.FromHandle(
          new Microsoft.Win32.SafeHandles.SafeRegistryHandle(phKey, true)
      );
      RegistryKey registryKey = writeable_registry.OpenSubKey(RegData, true);

      if (registryKey == null)
        registryKey = writeable_registry.CreateSubKey(RegData);
      registryKey.SetValue("Data", TextToHighlight);

      writeable_registry.Close();
    }
    private static void LoadOptions()
    {
      // In IE 7,8,9,(desktop)10 tabs run in Protected Mode
      // which prohibits writes to HKLM, HKCU.
      // Must ask IE for "Writable" registry section pointer
      // which will be something like HKU/S-1-7***/Software/AppDataLow/
      // In "metro" IE 10 mode, tabs run in "Enhanced Protected Mode"
      // where BHOs are not allowed to run, except in edge cases.
      // see http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ieinternals/archive/2012/03/23/understanding-ie10-enhanced-protected-mode-network-security-addons-cookies-metro-desktop.aspx
      IntPtr phKey = new IntPtr();
      var answer = IEGetWriteableHKCU(ref phKey);
      RegistryKey writeable_registry = RegistryKey.FromHandle(
          new Microsoft.Win32.SafeHandles.SafeRegistryHandle(phKey, true)
      );
      RegistryKey registryKey = writeable_registry.OpenSubKey(RegData, true);

      if (registryKey == null)
        registryKey = writeable_registry.CreateSubKey(RegData);
      registryKey.SetValue("Data", TextToHighlight);

      if (registryKey == null)
      {
        TextToHighlight = DefaultTextToHighlight;
      }
      else
      {
        TextToHighlight = (string)registryKey.GetValue("Data");
      }
      writeable_registry.Close();
    }
    #endregion

    [Guid("6D5140C1-7436-11CE-8034-00AA006009FA")]
    [InterfaceType(1)]
    public interface IServiceProvider
    {
      int QueryService(ref Guid guidService, ref Guid riid, out IntPtr ppvObject);
    }

    #region Implementation of IObjectWithSite
    int IObjectWithSite.SetSite(object site)
    {
      this.site = site;

      if (site != null)
      {
        LoadOptions();

        var serviceProv = (IServiceProvider)this.site;
        var guidIWebBrowserApp = Marshal.GenerateGuidForType(typeof(IWebBrowserApp)); // new Guid("0002DF05-0000-0000-C000-000000000046");
        var guidIWebBrowser2 = Marshal.GenerateGuidForType(typeof(IWebBrowser2)); // new Guid("D30C1661-CDAF-11D0-8A3E-00C04FC9E26E");
        IntPtr intPtr;
        serviceProv.QueryService(ref guidIWebBrowserApp, ref guidIWebBrowser2, out intPtr);

        browser = (IWebBrowser2)Marshal.GetObjectForIUnknown(intPtr);

        ((DWebBrowserEvents2_Event)browser).DocumentComplete +=
            new DWebBrowserEvents2_DocumentCompleteEventHandler(this.OnDocumentComplete);
      }
      else
      {
        ((DWebBrowserEvents2_Event)browser).DocumentComplete -=
            new DWebBrowserEvents2_DocumentCompleteEventHandler(this.OnDocumentComplete);
        browser = null;
      }
      return 0;
    }
    int IObjectWithSite.GetSite(ref Guid guid, out IntPtr ppvSite)
    {
      IntPtr punk = Marshal.GetIUnknownForObject(browser);
      int hr = Marshal.QueryInterface(punk, ref guid, out ppvSite);
      Marshal.Release(punk);
      return hr;
    }
    #endregion
    #region Implementation of IOleCommandTarget
    int IOleCommandTarget.QueryStatus(IntPtr pguidCmdGroup, uint cCmds, ref OLECMD prgCmds, IntPtr pCmdText)
    {
      return 0;
    }
    int IOleCommandTarget.Exec(IntPtr pguidCmdGroup, uint nCmdID, uint nCmdexecopt, IntPtr pvaIn, IntPtr pvaOut)
    {
      try
      {
        // Accessing the document from the command-bar.
        var document = browser.Document as IHTMLDocument2;
        var window = document.parentWindow;
        var result = window.execScript(@"alert('You will now be allowed to configure the text to highlight...');");

        var form = new HighlighterOptionsForm();
        form.InputText = TextToHighlight;
        if (form.ShowDialog() != DialogResult.Cancel)
        {
          TextToHighlight = form.InputText;
          SaveOptions();
        }
      }
      catch (Exception ex)
      {
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
      }

      return 0;
    }
    #endregion

    #region Registering with regasm
    public static string RegBHO = "Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Browser Helper Objects";
    public static string RegCmd = "Software\\Microsoft\\Internet Explorer\\Extensions";

    [ComRegisterFunction]
    public static void RegisterBHO(Type type)
    {
      string guid = type.GUID.ToString("B");

      // BHO
      {
        RegistryKey registryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(RegBHO, true);
        if (registryKey == null)
          registryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.CreateSubKey(RegBHO);
        RegistryKey key = registryKey.OpenSubKey(guid);
        if (key == null)
          key = registryKey.CreateSubKey(guid);
        key.SetValue("Alright", 1);
        registryKey.Close();
        key.Close();
      }

      // Command
      {
        RegistryKey registryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(RegCmd, true);
        if (registryKey == null)
          registryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.CreateSubKey(RegCmd);
        RegistryKey key = registryKey.OpenSubKey(guid);
        if (key == null)
          key = registryKey.CreateSubKey(guid);
        key.SetValue("ButtonText", "Highlighter options");
        key.SetValue("CLSID", "{1FBA04EE-3024-11d2-8F1F-0000F87ABD16}");
        key.SetValue("ClsidExtension", guid);
        key.SetValue("Icon", "");
        key.SetValue("HotIcon", "");
        key.SetValue("Default Visible", "Yes");
        key.SetValue("MenuText", "&Highlighter options");
        key.SetValue("ToolTip", "Highlighter options");
        //key.SetValue("KeyPath", "no");
        registryKey.Close();
        key.Close();
      }
    }

    [ComUnregisterFunction]
    public static void UnregisterBHO(Type type)
    {
      string guid = type.GUID.ToString("B");
      // BHO
      {
        RegistryKey registryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(RegBHO, true);
        if (registryKey != null)
          registryKey.DeleteSubKey(guid, false);
      }
      // Command
      {
        RegistryKey registryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(RegCmd, true);
        if (registryKey != null)
          registryKey.DeleteSubKey(guid, false);
      }
    }
    #endregion
  }
}

Distill

Not sure if it's valid, but I found this: add-in-express.com/programming-internet-explorer/… – Inhalant

Please see my EDIT. Where you can see the screenshot showing our BHO is in IE11 but the page is not showing any hilights of text containing "browser", that is my problem. – Distill

Maybe instead of making us try to read code from a cut-off image, or telling us to download it, you could post your code here and someone could try to help you? – Inhalant

Please see my EDIT section the code for IEAddon.cs ( the whole project is available also in that download link if someone requires ) – Distill

As you can see in the code its mentioend when the page loads and in the page we have a text "browser" it will wrap it with yellow color and show a icon of hand, which is not happening, as you can see in the picture the BHO was loaded in IE11 – Distill

Answer 1

i'm trying to do the same - and i've just noticed that in build log there was an error

Failure adding assembly to the cache: Attempt to install an assembly without a strong name

so i've added *.snk and highlighting worked (using ie11 to, x64), but 'highlight options' menu item isn't working

IEExtension example

Insurgency

it seems that after rebuild 'highlight options' works fine too – Insurgency

WOW- how did you made it work please share lets do it together are you in chat? – Distill

just try to add sign to assembly - project options -> signing tab -> check Sign the assembly -> in select box choose new -> uncheck Protect with password - and thats all. Then just rebild - gacutil now will work fine (check the build output - it should say Assembly successfully added to the cache) – Insurgency

I did tihs in Visual Studio 2013 > Project properties > Signing tab > check mark Sign the assembly selected the key file > no password options selected. And builded/compiled . I can see BHO in IE11 but its not working yet, does not hi-light any text at all in the page. Please advise. – Distill

Can you please confirm you have used this link:dropbox.com/s/60kg212vkjb7yud/ClassLibrary2.rar exactly and without any changes it worked for you on IE11? Can you share a screen shot like it worked or not. Still i could not make it work almost 1 month very frustrated about it. – Distill

IEExtension - this is working on my machine. you should be more carefull with namespaces and assembly name – Insurgency

I got the same error: Failure adding assembly to the cache: Attempt to install an assembly without a strong name and was able to fix it by changing the Windows SDK version of gacutil.exe used (e.g. I was using 7.0A, but needed to use 10.0A to get it working) – Gyn

Answer 2

although your IE11 runs in a 64bit Windows, but the default IE instance is 32bit version. The enhanced protection mode need to be enabled so that IE11 will run in 64bit mode.

Another trick is for 32bit IE, you have to register 32bit extension, and vice versa for 64bit. My suggestion is as follows:

• make sure your IE11 mode is 32bit or 64bit
• register only 32bit or 64bit extension, if both registered, the extension can NOT work either. You have to double check your registry to delete the one un-necessary

Galleass

Answer 3

I warmly suggest you this post of Pavel Zolnikov published in 2002!

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/2219/Extending-Explorer-with-Band-Objects-using-NET-and

It is based on the use of Band objects and is compiled using .Net 2.0. As you will read on the post comments, it works perfectly well for IE 11 and on Windows 7 and Windows 10. Tutorial source code is provided and opens and compiles well with Visual Studio 2013. Enjoy!

Washroom

Thanks, please do not reference link to link to link. Kindly make a complete working project and put Step 1, 2, 3, so that it can be helping all other researchers. From one link to another link is very confusing. – Distill