Resources: New Shell Interfaces
New Shell Interfaces for Windows Vista
An extensive set of COM interfaces have been added to the Shell in Windows Vista® and greatly extend its built-in capabilities. These interfaces offer such features as: updated versions of existing interfaces (for instance IDeskBand2), new interfaces that expose functionalities that exist in previous versions of Windows but were not exposed by the shell (such as common file dialogs), and interfaces for new Vista UI components or operating system functionality (such as Known Folders, Dynamic Autoplay, and property and preview handlers).
The following is a list of the new interfaces added to the Shell in Windows Vista.
Interface |
Description |
|---|---|
ICreateObject IEnumObjects IObjectProvider IRelatedItem IShellItem2 IEnumShellItems IShellItemArray IShellItemFilter IShellItemResources IEnumFullIDList IEnumResources IVisualProperties ISyncDatabase ISyncDatabaseGenerateActionsCB ITransferSource ITransferAdviseSink ITransferDestination |
Provide methods to work generically with Shell objects, items, and associated actions. |
IColumnManager IFolderView2 IFolderViewSettings IShellView3 IOrderView INavigationPaneDataSource IEnumerableView ISearchFolderItemFactory IResultsFolder |
Provide methods that work with Shell views and special Shell folders. |
INameSpaceTreeControl INameSpaceTreeAccessible INameSpaceTreeControlCustomDraw INameSpaceTreeControlDropHandler INameSpaceTreeControlEvents INamespaceWalkCB2 |
Provide methods to work with items in a namespace, display the items in tree, and respond to user actions on these displayed items. |
IApplicationAssociationRegistration IApplicationAssociationRegistrationUI IAssocHandlerInvoker IEnumAssocHandlers |
Provide methods to work with application file extensions and associated application handlers. |
IFileIsInUse IFileOperation IFileOperationProgressSink IInitializeNetworkFolder ISyncReconciliationAction ISyncReconciliationList |
Provide methods for working directly with files and folders. |
IKnownFolder IKnownFolderManager |
Provide methods to work with Known Folders. |
IPropertyDescription IPropertyDescriptionList IPropertyEnumType IPropertyEnumTypeList IObjectWithPropertyKey IPropertyChange IPropertyChangeArray IPropertySystem |
Provide methods to work with properties (metadata organized as name/value pairs). |
IPropertyStore IPropertyStoreCapabilities IDelayedPropertyStoreFactory IDestinationStreamFactory IPropertyStoreFactory IPropertyStoreCache INamedPropertyStore IInitializeWithFile IInitializeWithItem IInitializeWithStream IPersistSerializedPropStorage |
Provide methods to work with property stores and property handlers. |
IPreviewHandler IPreviewHandlerFrame IPreviewHandlerVisuals IPreviewHostSurrogateClient IPreviewHostSurrogateSink |
Provide methods to work with rich previews. |
IThumbnailCache IThumbnailCacheSetupHelper IThumbnailCapture IThumbnailProvider |
Provide methods to obtain and work with document thumbnails. |
IBandHost IDeskBand2 IDeskBandInfo ITrayDeskBand |
Provide methods to work with band UI components. |
IDefaultExtractIconInit ITranscodeImage ISharedBitmap IImageList2 |
Provide methods to work with graphical UI objects, such as icons and bitmaps. |
IUserNotification2 IUserNotificationCallback |
Provides methods that display ToolTip information to the user in a balloon that appears in the status area of the taskbar and notifications when a user clicks on a balloon. |
ICommDlgBrowser3 IDialog IFileDialog IFileDialogControlEvents IFileDialogCustomize IFileDialogEvents IFileOpenDialog IFileSaveDialog IOperationsProgressDialog |
Provide methods for working with modal and modeless dialogs, common file dialogs, and progress dialogs. |
IExplorerBrowser IExplorerBrowserEvents IExplorerCommand IExplorerCommandProvider |
Provide methods to work with the Windows Explorer browser object. |
IDynamicHWHandler ISharingConfigurationManager IEnumShareInfo IOpenControlPanel IPublishedApp2 IPublishingWizard2 |
Provide methods to work with the computing environment, including installed hardware, shared resources, Control Panel applets, and installed applications. |
ISyncMgrControl ISyncMgrRegister ISyncMgrEnumItems ISyncMgrSessionCreator ISyncMgrSyncCallback ISyncMgrSyncResult ISyncMgrUIOperation ISyncMgrSynchronize ISyncMgrSynchronizeCallback ISyncMgrSynchronizeInvoke IEnumSyncRelationship ISyncMgrSyncItem IEnumSyncMgrSyncItems ISyncMgrSyncItemInfo ISyncMgrSyncItemContainer ISyncMgrEvent IEnumSyncMgrEvents ISyncMgrEventStore ISyncMgrEventLinkUIOperation ISyncMgrScheduleWizardUIOperation ISyncMgrConflict IEnumSyncMgrConflict ISyncMgrConflictFolder ISyncMgrConflictItems ISyncMgrConflictPresenter ISyncMgrConflictResolutionItems ISyncMgrConflictStore ISyncMgrHandler ISyncMgrHandlerCollection ISyncMgrHandlerInfo ISyncMgrResolutionHandler |
Provide methods to work with the Synchronization Manager UI, to initiate synchronization operations and respond to synchronization events, to resolve conflicts, and create and use synchronization and conflict handlers. |
IEnumExplorerCommand IInputObject2 IQueryContinueWithStatus |
Provide methods to support commands and operations within the Windows Vista Shell, including the command bar, accelerators, drag and drop, and operation status. |
IURL |
Provides methods for retrieving information about a URL. |
ICredentialProvider ICredentialProviderCredential IConnectableCredentialProviderCredential ICredentialProviderCredentialEvents ICredentialProviderFilter |
Provide methods used to work with credential providers and specific user credentials. |
For a detailed listing of the Microsoft Shell interfaces, see "Shell Interfaces" in the MSDN Library.