How to use Shell32 within a C# application?

Question

What should I include within a C# application in order to make Shell32 work?

Edit:

My application can't recognize shell32. What references or lib should I include? What I'm trying to do is:

Shell32.Shell shell = new Shell32.Shell(); 

What I'm getting as an error:

Error 1 The type or namespace name 'Shell32' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

Nehru

Shell32.Shell shell = new Shell32.Shell(); Error 1 The type or namespace name 'Shell32' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) – Nehru

Looks like you are trying to use an external library. Shell32 is not a standard component of .NET framework. Have you copied the sample from somewhere? – Basel

@David I believe what OP is looking for is "what using statements are required..." @Shaza, if this is correct you need to look at P/Invoke. Shell32 is a invoked using reflection as an unmanaged .dll. More can be found here: #2134203 – Treillage

Answer 1

Just add a reference to Shell32.dll from the Windows\System32 folder and use it:

Shell32.Shell shell = new Shell32.Shell();
shell.MinimizeAll();

Litharge

I am using 64 bit OS and buiding app as x86, so should I take reference from same Windows/system32 or from "C:\Windows\SysWOW64". Shell32.dll size is diff in both folder. – Barbarbarbara

You can also add a reference to Microsoft Shell controls and Automation from the COM tab in the Reference Manager (Add Reference Dialog Window) in Visual Studio 2010 and above... not sure which earlier versions have this though. – Sirius

@Sheridan: My "Microsoft Shell Controls And Automation" reports it is Version 1.0 from Windows 7 SP1. So I assume this is at least available as far back as Win7 SP1. – Headstone

@JoeB Windows 10 Creator Update here, still version 1.0 – Voile

Adding a reference to Microsoft Shell controls and Automation is equivalent to adding shell32.dll from "Windows\System32". The resulting reference is the same and contains only the Guid of the DLL. – Jacynth

Answer 2

maybe this can help:

1. Right click project
2. Click Add reference
3. Click .COM tab in Add reference dialogue
4. Select Microsoft Shell Controls and Automation
5. Click OK

your shell32 is ready to use...

Korea

Answer 3

This solution does not compile under windows 8 and later. For that, a workaround can be found here:

using Shell32;

private Shell32.Folder GetShell32Folder(string folderPath)
{
    Type shellAppType = Type.GetTypeFromProgID("Shell.Application");
    Object shell = Activator.CreateInstance(shellAppType);
    return (Shell32.Folder)shellAppType.InvokeMember("NameSpace",
        System.Reflection.BindingFlags.InvokeMethod, null, shell, new object[] { folderPath });
}

Hangnail

Answer 4

1. Right click your project in the solution explorer.
2. Choose "Add Reference..." from the drop-down menu.
3. Click the "Browse" tab.
4. Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 directory.
5. Choose the shell32.dll file. and press the "OK" button.

You now have the appropriate reference for using Shell32.Shell.

Interdictory

Answer 5

Add to your project a reference to the COM library Microsoft Shell Controls and Automation. Additionally, ensure that the code using Shell32.Shell is running in a single threaded apartment, e.g. by adding the [STAThread] attribute to Main.

Fiveandten

Answer 6

The class shown below should help with some of the methods of shell32 in C# . you should add the reference of "Microsoft Shell command and automation" with the reference window by righting clicking the project .

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;

    namespace MusicMuttPrototype
    {
        public class clsShellFileInfo
        {
            public Exception errorException;
            public enum FileDetailInfo
            {
                Name = 0,
                Year = 15,
                Size = 1,
                Track_Number = 19,
                Type = 2,
                Genre = 20,
                Date_Modified = 3,
                Duration = 27,
                Date_Created = 4,
                Bit_Rate = 28,
                Date_Accessed = 5,
                Protected = 23,
                Attributes = 6,
                Camera_Model = 24,
                Status = 7,
                Date_Picture_Taken = 25,
                Owner = 8,
                Dimensions = 26,
                Author = 9,
                Not_used = 27,
                Title = 10,
                Not_used_file = 28,
                Subject = 11,
                //Not_used = 29,
                Category = 12,
                Company = 30,
                Pages = 13,
                Description = 31,
                Comments = 14,
                File_Version = 32,
                Copyright = 15,
                Product_Name_Chapter = 33,
                //Scripting Quicktest Profess11ional Page 63 
                Artist = 16,
                Product_Version = 34,
                Album_Title = 17,
                Retrieves_the_info_tip_inf = -1
            }

            public string getFileDetails(string fileFolder, string filePath, FileDetailInfo infotype)
            {
                string strReturnval = "";
                try
                {
                    Shell32.Shell fileshell = new Shell32.Shell();
                    Shell32.Folder fileshellfolder = fileshell.NameSpace(fileFolder);
                    Shell32.FolderItem Item = fileshellfolder.ParseName(filePath);
                    strReturnval = fileshellfolder.GetDetailsOf(Item, (int)infotype);
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {

                    errorException = ex;
                }
                return strReturnval;
            }


        }
    }

Insobriety

Answer 7

If you don't need the full set of API calls, you maybe better off creating a COM import stub class. See how Mike Ward who wrote Desk Drive did it.

Link 1

Link 2

Gundry

i like this. i found a msdn tutorial on this, and a ms tool to generate them. the page is called: "COM Interop Part 1: C# Client Tutorial", in case my link breaks. and here is the link: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/… – Teacake

Answer 8

C# .Net I do not understand the full question but this is working for me.

[DllImport("Shell32.dll")]
        public static extern int ShellExecuteA(int hwnd, string lpOperation, string lpFile, int lpParameters, int lpDirecotry, int nShowCmd);

private void pictureBox1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            int open;
            open = ShellExecuteA(0, "open", "https://google.com", 0, 0, 1);
        }

Using a picturebox to open a link.

Outcome