Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

Ventsislav Alexandriyski — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:34:35 GMT

I forget to specify that I use this technique in shell extension of my copy tool talent copy, so it is tested and works

re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

Ventsislav Alexandriyski — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:19:44 GMT

Dear Yochay Kiriaty,

After a lot of searches in MSDN documentation, and a few tests I found this simple solution to my problem:

First I use SHGetNameFromIDList with SIGDN_DESKTOPABSOLUTEPARSING flag,

next I initialize library inteface with SHLoadLibraryFromParsingName function, next I use GetDefaultSaveFolder method of IShellLibrary interface to get default save path object, and finally I use GetDisplayName method of IShellItem interface with SIGDN_FILESYSPATH parameter to get file system path, that I can pass to my copy algorithm

Now things looks simple, but MSDN documentation does not give solution because it is not updated with new features

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re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

Yochay Kiriaty — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:23:07 GMT

To - Ventsislav Alexandriyski

I had to ask for help on this one, altough the answer is rather simple:

SHGetPathFromIDList fails because it can only return filesystem paths for shell items that are marked SFGAO_FILESYSTEM, and libraries are not filesystem items (similar to the "computer" item) - that is they are not real files with real paths!

You can use the shell namespace to reason over the library contents (msdn.microsoft.com/.../cc144090(VS.85).aspx) or use IShellLibrary if you want to do library-specific actions on the set of library locations.

Hope this help,

re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

Ventsislav Alexandriyski — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:10:02 GMT

Brandon LeBlanc, your appeal must be directed to MS developers developed Libraries, because in this idea there is not any constructive thing.

Libraries are confizing for users, and make life of programmers hard.

There are not any benefit from this libraries, just problems and complexity

Now my super duper smart copy tool "Talent Copy" is not working on libraries, because SHGetPathFromIDList fails on value returned by pidlFolder, and there is not any explanation on MSDN why this happen and that exactly contain pidlFolder

I understand that someone is got good money for developing of stupid idea of libraries, but this are wasted money

re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

Brandon LeBlanc — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:02:21 GMT

Ventsislav Alexandriyski , thank you for your feedback! It's much appreciated. However, I would like to ask that in the future you perhaps be a bit more constructive. Name calling isn't a good way to get folks to listen to your feedback ;-)

re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

Ventsislav Alexandriyski — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:43:37 GMT

This library thing is stupid thing made by stupid people!

Smart people made comlex things simple, and stupid people made simple thing complex.

So Windows developers are very stupis people.

If I save something to temp folder, I plan to delete it later, and I do not want this folder content to be in any folder with documents ot other important to me stuff.

I cannot understand who will decide what folder in what library to add, because if this will be user, the same user that now store files in different locations, this is absolutely useless.

If windows developer want to do something good, then they work on loading subtitles in windows media player, or to make weather gadget to work and for othr countries axcept for USA!!!

Thear MS windows developers, there are other countries, and languages except USA, and english!!!

Or maybe better make HDD to switsh off for more than 1 sec, then it is set to be turned off from power settings

If I want to backup few folders I do not need your librries to make my life hard! If I can't find some software to do it for me I can write simple BAT file that will copy all folders I want, where I want, and all will be simple and clear

So as I said, this library thing is most stuped thing ever made.

In addition, there is no documentation, and I cannot find any info, what is passed to pidlFolder in initialize method of IShellExtInit Interface, so my shell extension is not working on libraries

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Nieuws t/m week 17 - 2009

Bob's Nieuws — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:25:38 GMT

De afgelopen periode was nogal een periode van veranderingen. Zo was er de bijna overname van Sun door

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Create/Add Custom Libraries in Windows 7

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re: Understanding Windows 7 Libraries

asfish — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:21:49 GMT

I've found a workaround for the "this network location can't be included because it's not indexed" issue.

1. Open Windows Media player and manage one of the built in libraries such as “Videos”. (Don’t use the Recoded TV as that will cause issues with step 2)

You will find that you can add any network location you want with no error message re indexing.

2. Then close Media Player and go back to the explorer view of Libraries, you will then find that the video's library has any none indexed network locations that you added via Media Player.

3. You can them make a copy of the Video Library and rename it to something more pertinent to the data it contains.

You don’t get benefits of indexing etc doing this, but it’s really useful to have all your data locations together. Maybe this is something MS could consider?