Hi...
I am writing a windows explorer toolbar that sets up a standard st of columns (like author, comments, etc..) so the user dosn't have to do it..(later will add more functions for handeling MS office documents etc..)

Now i have a working toolbar and have made my way through explorer to the lSysListView32 and using a LVCOLUMN managed to send the message that inserts the column..

But (allways a but) dose any one know how to tell explorer to populate the column with the info? I am only using standard columns (like author, comments, etc..)

Code So far...

private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
MessageBox.Show("Button Clicked!");
//set the view to detail
SendMessage(Explorer.HWND, LVM_COMMAND, viewREPORT, 0);
//now get the
IntPtr lSHELLDLLDefView = FindWindowEx(Explorer.HWND, 0, "SHELLDLL_DefView", null);
if (lSHELLDLLDefView == null)
{
return;
}
IntPtr lDUIViewWndClassName = FindWindowEx(lSHELLDLLDefView, IntPtr.Zero, "DUIViewWndClassName", IntPtr.Zero);
if (lDUIViewWndClassName == null)
{
return;
}
IntPtr lDirectUIHWND = FindWindowEx(lDUIViewWndClassName, IntPtr.Zero, "DirectUIHWND", IntPtr.Zero);
if (lDirectUIHWND == null)
{
return;
}
IntPtr lCtrlNotifySink = FindWindowEx(lDirectUIHWND, IntPtr.Zero, "CtrlNotifySink", IntPtr.Zero);
if (lCtrlNotifySink == null)
{
return;
}
IntPtr lSysListView32 = FindWindowEx(lCtrlNotifySink, IntPtr.Zero, "SysListView32", IntPtr.Zero);
if (lSysListView32 == null)
{
return;
}

//create new column
LVCOLUMN lvc = new LVCOLUMN();
lvc.mask = 0x0001|0x0008|0x0002|0x0004;//LVCF_FMT|LVCF_SUBITEM|LVCF_WIDTH|LVCF_TEXT
lvc.fmt = 0x0001;
lvc.cx = 100;
lvc.text = "Author";

int counter = 0;
SendMessage(lSysListView32, 0x1000 + 97, counter, ref lvc);

}

Not sure if this is the right forum but it is writen in C# but is probably more to do with windows...

Many Thanks Calvin

This might help:
Explorer column handler shell extension in C#

thanks I have read that, but it talks about how to create your own custom columns, but what i want to do is create a button on explorer that sets a folder to a standard layout using standard columns..

I have looked into IShellView, but carn't seem to get it working in c#, so now i am looking into the registery settings... HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU so i can make a buttun that aplies a template..

Filename,Author,subject,catagory, and comments.. are the column heading i want to set...

calvin streeting

Ok...
Still trying to get this to work (please help a c# novice)

i think the key lies with IShellBrowser so i am trying to get it from the ISseviceProvider
Guid guids = ExplorerGUIDs.IID_IShellBrowser;
Guid riid = ExplorerGUIDs.IID_IUnknown;
try
{
object ws;
sp.QueryService(
ref guids,
ref riid,
out ws);

//once we have interface to the COM object we can create RCW from it
ShellBrowser = (IShellBrowser)Marshal.CreateWrapperOfType(
ws as IShellBrowser,
typeof(IShellBrowser));

}
catch (COMException)
{

but the Marshal code is wrong... its based on which works...

Guid guid = ExplorerGUIDs.IID_IWebBrowserApp;
Guid riid = ExplorerGUIDs.IID_IUnknown;

try
{
object w;
sp.QueryService(
ref guid,
ref riid,
out w );

//once we have interface to the COM object we can create RCW from it
Explorer = (WebBrowserClass)Marshal.CreateWrapperOfType(
w as IWebBrowser,
typeof(WebBrowserClass)
);
OnExplorerAttached(EventArgs.Empty);
}
catch( COMException )
{}

but i am not sure whatclass to use for a IShellBrowser...

can anyone help..