Treść artykułu jest dostępna jedynie w języku angielskim.

One of the disadvantages of .NET Framework is that there are very few build-in classes which operate on Windows shell. It is hard to implement them as it requires knowledge about native Windows API, and it is very easy to make a mistake. Fortunately, there is the Shell MegaPack which is a great set of controls provided by Logic NP Software. It consists of four controls: FolderView, FileView, ShComboBox and ShellObjects. The first three allow replicating the Windows Explorer user interface functionality, and even creating more functional application. They support regular items like files or folders, virtual items like Control Panel, context menus, drag and drop functionality, and much more. They are highly customizable, e.g. you can add custom items to the file or folder list, or even context menu. Of course, you can also easily change their appearance.

ShellObject is a collection of various shell components which allows you to easily operate on Windows shell, create wizards or resize your form with keeping the proportions of its child controls. You can display animating icons in the system notification area; you can show a balloon or a popup notification window like those in Microsoft MSN and Microsoft Office. There are controls which allow creating and displaying Windows Vista TaskDialogs, creating an application desktop toolbar or even defining system-wide hotkeys. The controls are easy to use, as they do not differ from other Windows Forms controls or components.

So if you want to easily perform many operations on Windows shell or mimic its interface, then Shell MegaPack is best choice for you.