What Is the Best Way to Display the Native Windows Explorer Context Menu for Files in VB.NET?

Question

What Is the Best Way to Display the Native Windows Explorer Context Menu for Files in VB.NET?I'm developing a VB.NET application and aiming to replicate the native context menu of Windows Explorer (the menu shown when you right-click a file in Windows Explorer). My objective is to show the exact same menu in my application, including all system-defined options and third-party extensions.

There is a ready-made library for this task that, by giving the file path and the location of the menu, can display the actual menu of that file in the program.

Answer 1

For example, a test on a Button Click with Notepad :

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Text

Public Class Form1
    Public Enum HRESULT As Integer
        S_OK = 0
        S_FALSE = 1
        E_NOINTERFACE = &H80004002
        E_NOTIMPL = &H80004001
        E_FAIL = &H80004005
        E_UNEXPECTED = &H8000FFFF
        E_OUTOFMEMORY = &H8007000E
    End Enum

    <DllImport("Shell32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Shared Function ILCreateFromPath(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> pszPath As String) As IntPtr
    End Function

    <DllImport("Shell32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Shared Sub ILFree(pidl As IntPtr)
    End Sub

    <ComImport>
    <Guid("000214e4-0000-0000-c000-000000000046")>
    <InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)>
    Interface IContextMenu
        Function QueryContextMenu(hmenu As IntPtr, indexMenu As UInteger, idCmdFirst As UInteger, idCmdLast As UInteger, uFlags As UInteger) As HRESULT
        <PreserveSig()>
        Function InvokeCommand(ByRef pici As CMINVOKECOMMANDINFO) As HRESULT
        <PreserveSig()>
        Function GetCommandString(idCmd As UInteger, uType As UInteger, pReserved As IntPtr, pszName As StringBuilder, cchMax As UInteger) As HRESULT
    End Interface

    <ComImport>
    <Guid("000214f4-0000-0000-c000-000000000046")>
    <InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)>
    Interface IContextMenu2
        Inherits IContextMenu
        Overloads Function QueryContextMenu(hmenu As IntPtr, indexMenu As UInteger, idCmdFirst As UInteger, idCmdLast As UInteger, uFlags As UInteger) As HRESULT
        <PreserveSig()>
        Overloads Function InvokeCommand(ByRef pici As CMINVOKECOMMANDINFO) As HRESULT
        <PreserveSig()>
        Overloads Function GetCommandString(idCmd As UInteger, uType As UInteger, pReserved As IntPtr, pszName As StringBuilder, cchMax As UInteger) As HRESULT
        <PreserveSig()>
        Function HandleMenuMsg(uMsg As UInteger, wParam As Integer, lParam As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    End Interface

    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Structure CMINVOKECOMMANDINFO
        Public cbSize As Integer
        Public fMask As Integer
        Public hwnd As IntPtr
        Public lpVerb As IntPtr
        Public lpParameters As IntPtr
        Public lpDirectory As IntPtr
        Public nShow As Integer
        Public dwHotKey As Integer
        Public hIcon As IntPtr
    End Structure

    Public Const CMF_NORMAL As Integer = &H0
    Public Const CMF_DEFAULTONLY As Integer = &H1
    Public Const CMF_VERBSONLY As Integer = &H2
    Public Const CMF_EXPLORE As Integer = &H4
    Public Const CMF_NOVERBS As Integer = &H8
    Public Const CMF_CANRENAME As Integer = &H10
    Public Const CMF_NODEFAULT As Integer = &H20
    Public Const CMF_INCLUDESTATIC As Integer = &H40
    Public Const CMF_ITEMMENU As Integer = &H80
    Public Const CMF_EXTENDEDVERBS As Integer = &H100
    Public Const CMF_DISABLEDVERBS As Integer = &H200
    Public Const CMF_ASYNCVERBSTATE As Integer = &H400
    Public Const CMF_OPTIMIZEFORINVOKE As Integer = &H800
    Public Const CMF_SYNCCASCADEMENU As Integer = &H1000
    Public Const CMF_DONOTPICKDEFAULT As Integer = &H2000
    Public Const CMF_RESERVED As Integer = &HFFFF0000
    Public Const SW_SHOWNORMAL As Integer = 1
    Public Const GCS_VERBA As Integer = &H0
    Public Const GCS_HELPTEXTA As Integer = &H1
    Public Const GCS_VALIDATEA As Integer = &H2
    Public Const GCS_VERBW As Integer = &H4
    Public Const GCS_HELPTEXTW As Integer = &H5
    Public Const GCS_VALIDATEW As Integer = &H6
    Public Const GCS_VERBICONW As Integer = &H14
    Public Const GCS_UNICODE As Integer = &H4

    <DllImport("Shell32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Shared Function SHBindToParent(pidl As IntPtr, ByRef riid As Guid, ByRef ppv As IShellFolder, ByRef ppidlLast As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    End Function

    <ComImport, InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown), Guid("000214E6-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")>
    Interface IShellFolder
        Function ParseDisplayName(hwnd As IntPtr, pbc As IntPtr, <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> pszDisplayName As String, <[In], Out> ByRef pchEaten As UInteger, <Out> ByRef ppidl As IntPtr, <[In], Out> ByRef pdwAttributes As SFGAO) As HRESULT
        Function EnumObjects(hwnd As IntPtr, grfFlags As SHCONTF, <Out> ByRef ppenumIDList As IEnumIDList) As HRESULT
        Function BindToObject(pidl As IntPtr, pbc As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid, <Out> <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.[Interface])> ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
        Function BindToStorage(pidl As IntPtr, pbc As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid, <Out> <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.[Interface])> ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
        Function CompareIDs(lParam As IntPtr, pidl1 As IntPtr, pidl2 As IntPtr) As HRESULT
        Function CreateViewObject(hwndOwner As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid, <Out> <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.[Interface])> ByRef ppv As Object) As HRESULT
        Function GetAttributesOf(cidl As UInteger, apidl As IntPtr, <[In], Out> ByRef rgfInOut As SFGAO) As HRESULT
        Function GetUIObjectOf(hwndOwner As IntPtr, cidl As UInteger, ByRef apidl As IntPtr, <[In]> ByRef riid As Guid, <[In], Out> ByRef rgfReserved As UInteger, <Out> ByRef ppv As IntPtr) As HRESULT
        Function GetDisplayNameOf(pidl As IntPtr, uFlags As SHGDNF, <Out> ByRef pName As STRRET) As HRESULT
        Function SetNameOf(hwnd As IntPtr, pidl As IntPtr, <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> pszName As String, uFlags As SHGDNF, <Out> ByRef ppidlOut As IntPtr) As HRESULT
    End Interface

    Public Enum SHCONTF
        SHCONTF_CHECKING_FOR_CHILDREN = &H10
        SHCONTF_FOLDERS = &H20
        SHCONTF_NONFOLDERS = &H40
        SHCONTF_INCLUDEHIDDEN = &H80
        SHCONTF_INIT_ON_FIRST_NEXT = &H100
        SHCONTF_NETPRINTERSRCH = &H200
        SHCONTF_SHAREABLE = &H400
        SHCONTF_STORAGE = &H800
        SHCONTF_NAVIGATION_ENUM = &H1000
        SHCONTF_FASTITEMS = &H2000
        SHCONTF_FLATLIST = &H4000
        SHCONTF_ENABLE_ASYNC = &H8000
    End Enum

    Public Enum SFGAO
        CANCOPY = &H1
        CANMOVE = &H2
        CANLINK = &H4
        STORAGE = &H8
        CANRENAME = &H10
        CANDELETE = &H20
        HASPROPSHEET = &H40
        DROPTARGET = &H100
        CAPABILITYMASK = &H177
        ENCRYPTED = &H2000
        ISSLOW = &H4000
        GHOSTED = &H8000
        LINK = &H10000
        SHARE = &H20000
        [READONLY] = &H40000
        HIDDEN = &H80000
        DISPLAYATTRMASK = &HFC000
        STREAM = &H400000
        STORAGEANCESTOR = &H800000
        VALIDATE = &H1000000
        REMOVABLE = &H2000000
        COMPRESSED = &H4000000
        BROWSABLE = &H8000000
        FILESYSANCESTOR = &H10000000
        FOLDER = &H20000000
        FILESYSTEM = &H40000000
        HASSUBFOLDER = &H80000000
        CONTENTSMASK = &H80000000
        STORAGECAPMASK = &H70C50008
        PKEYSFGAOMASK = &H81044000
    End Enum

    Public Enum SHGDNF
        SHGDN_NORMAL = 0
        SHGDN_INFOLDER = &H1
        SHGDN_FOREDITING = &H1000
        SHGDN_FORADDRESSBAR = &H4000
        SHGDN_FORPARSING = &H8000
    End Enum

    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size:=264)>
    Public Structure STRRET
        <FieldOffset(0)>
        Public uType As UInteger
        <FieldOffset(4)>
        Public pOleStr As IntPtr
        <FieldOffset(4)>
        Public uOffset As UInteger
        <FieldOffset(4)>
        Public cString As IntPtr
    End Structure

    <ComImport, InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown), Guid("000214F2-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")>
    Interface IEnumIDList
        <PreserveSig()>
        Function [Next](celt As UInteger, <Out> ByRef rgelt As IntPtr, <Out> ByRef pceltFetched As Integer) As HRESULT
        <PreserveSig()>
        Function Skip(celt As UInteger) As HRESULT
        Sub Reset()
        Function Clone() As IEnumIDList
    End Interface

    <DllImport("User32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Shared Function CreatePopupMenu() As IntPtr
    End Function

    <DllImport("User32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Shared Function TrackPopupMenu(hMenu As IntPtr, uFlags As UInteger, x As Integer, y As Integer, nReserved As Integer, hWnd As IntPtr, prcRect As IntPtr) As UInteger
    End Function

    <DllImport("User32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Public Shared Function DestroyMenu(hMenu As IntPtr) As Boolean
    End Function

    Public Const TPM_LEFTBUTTON As Integer = &H0
    Public Const TPM_RIGHTBUTTON As Integer = &H2
    Public Const TPM_LEFTALIGN As Integer = &H0
    Public Const TPM_CENTERALIGN As Integer = &H4
    Public Const TPM_RIGHTALIGN As Integer = &H8
    Public Const TPM_TOPALIGN As Integer = &H0
    Public Const TPM_VCENTERALIGN As Integer = &H10
    Public Const TPM_BOTTOMALIGN As Integer = &H20
    Public Const TPM_HORIZONTAL As Integer = &H0
    Public Const TPM_VERTICAL As Integer = &H40
    Public Const TPM_NONOTIFY As Integer = &H80
    Public Const TPM_RETURNCMD As Integer = &H100
    Public Const TPM_RECURSE As Integer = &H1
    Public Const TPM_HORPOSANIMATION As Integer = &H400
    Public Const TPM_HORNEGANIMATION As Integer = &H800
    Public Const TPM_VERPOSANIMATION As Integer = &H1000
    Public Const TPM_VERNEGANIMATION As Integer = &H2000
    Public Const TPM_NOANIMATION As Integer = &H4000
    Public Const TPM_LAYOUTRTL As Integer = &H8000
    Public Const TPM_WORKAREA As Integer = &H10000

    Public Const SEE_MASK_ASYNCOK = &H100000
    Public Const CMIC_MASK_ASYNCOK = SEE_MASK_ASYNCOK

    Public Const SEE_MASK_UNICODE = &H4000
    Public Const CMIC_MASK_UNICODE = SEE_MASK_UNICODE

    Public Const WM_INITMENUPOPUP As Integer = &H117
    Public Const WM_DRAWITEM As Integer = &H2B
    Public Const WM_MEASUREITEM As Integer = &H2C

    Private Function SHGetUIObjectFromFullPIDL(pidl As IntPtr, hwnd As IntPtr, ByRef riid As Guid, ByRef ppv As IntPtr) As HRESULT
        Dim pidlChild As IntPtr = IntPtr.Zero
        Dim psf As IShellFolder = Nothing
        ppv = IntPtr.Zero
        Dim hr As HRESULT = SHBindToParent(pidl, GetType(IShellFolder).GUID, psf, pidlChild)
        If hr = HRESULT.S_OK Then
            Dim rgfReserved As UInteger = 0
            hr = psf.GetUIObjectOf(hwnd, 1, pidlChild, riid, rgfReserved, ppv)
            Marshal.ReleaseComObject(psf)
        End If

        Return hr
    End Function

    Public m_pContextMenu2 As IContextMenu2 = Nothing

    Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As Message)
        If m.Msg = WM_INITMENUPOPUP Or m.Msg = WM_DRAWITEM Or m.Msg = WM_MEASUREITEM Then
            If m_pContextMenu2 IsNot Nothing Then
                If m_pContextMenu2 IsNot Nothing Then m_pContextMenu2.HandleMenuMsg(CUInt(m.Msg), CInt(m.WParam), m.LParam)
                Return
            End If
        Else
            MyBase.WndProc(m)
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim sFilePath = "c:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe"
        Dim pItemIDL As IntPtr = ILCreateFromPath(sFilePath)
        If (pItemIDL <> IntPtr.Zero) Then
            Dim pContextMenuPtr As IntPtr = IntPtr.Zero
            Dim hr As HRESULT = SHGetUIObjectFromFullPIDL(pItemIDL, IntPtr.Zero, GetType(IContextMenu).GUID, pContextMenuPtr)
            If (hr = HRESULT.S_OK) Then
                Dim pContextMenu As IContextMenu = TryCast(Marshal.GetObjectForIUnknown(pContextMenuPtr), IContextMenu)
                If (pContextMenu IsNot Nothing) Then
                    Dim hMenu As IntPtr = CreatePopupMenu()
                    hr = pContextMenu.QueryContextMenu(hMenu, 0, 1, &H7FFF, CMF_EXPLORE Or CMF_EXTENDEDVERBS)
                    If (hr = HRESULT.S_OK) Then
                        m_pContextMenu2 = CType(pContextMenu, IContextMenu2)
                        Dim nX As Integer = Cursor.Position.X, nY = Cursor.Position.Y
                        Dim nCmd As UInteger = TrackPopupMenu(hMenu, TPM_LEFTALIGN Or TPM_LEFTBUTTON Or TPM_RIGHTBUTTON Or TPM_RETURNCMD, nX, nY, 0, Me.Handle, IntPtr.Zero)
                        If (nCmd <> 0) Then
                            Dim cmi As CMINVOKECOMMANDINFO = New CMINVOKECOMMANDINFO()
                            cmi.cbSize = Marshal.SizeOf(GetType(CMINVOKECOMMANDINFO))
                            cmi.fMask = 0
                            cmi.fMask = CMIC_MASK_ASYNCOK Or CMIC_MASK_UNICODE
                            cmi.hwnd = Me.Handle
                            'cmi.hwnd = GetDesktopWindow()
                            cmi.lpVerb = CType((nCmd - 1), IntPtr)
                            cmi.lpParameters = IntPtr.Zero
                            cmi.lpDirectory = IntPtr.Zero
                            cmi.nShow = SW_SHOWNORMAL
                            cmi.dwHotKey = 0
                            cmi.hIcon = IntPtr.Zero
                            hr = pContextMenu.InvokeCommand(cmi)
                        End If
                        m_pContextMenu2 = Nothing
                    End If
                    Marshal.ReleaseComObject(pContextMenu)
                    DestroyMenu(hMenu)
                End If
            End If
            ILFree(pItemIDL)
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

Answer 2

Hi @Mansour_Dalir ,

The best approach is to use the IContextMenu.

You can follow the ideas in the following article and then implement it in VB.NET WinForm.

1. Initial foray
2. Displaying the context menu
3. Invocation location
4. Key context
5. Handling menu messages
6. Displaying menu help
7. Invoking the default verb
8. Optimizing for the default command
9. Adding custom commands
10. Composite extensions - groundwork
11. Composite extensions - composition

Best Regards.

Jiachen Li

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