How to encode a new Windows shell?

Question

How can I start coding a new Windows Vista shell?

Answer 1

Everything you need to do as a shell has never been documented, so there are some problems with file change notifications, etc. The basics:

• SystemParametersInfo (SPI_SETMINIMIZEDMETRICS, ... MINIMIZEDMETRICS) with flag (undocumented?) 8
• Register as a shell (SetShellWindow, SetProgmanWindow, ShellDDEInit, RegisterShellHook, etc.)
• Hide the welcome screen by setting the signal ("msgina: ShellReadyEvent" and "ShellDesktopSwitchEvent")
• Run the system startup key, Start menu \ Start and ShellServiceObjects
• Install Registry Explorer \ SessionInfo

It’s good that you are not the first to write a new shell, if you look around, you can find some unclear required information. Here is a list to get you started:

• http://www.lsdev.org/
• http://bb4win.cvs.sourceforge.net/bb4win/blackbox/Blackbox.cpp?revision=1.49&view=markup
• http://xoblite.net/source/Blackbox.cpp.html
• http://svn.reactos.org/svn/reactos/trunk/reactos/base/shell/
• http://www.geoffchappell.com/viewer.htm?doc=studies/windows/shell/explorer/index.htm&tx=36

Answer 2

A good place to start would be to learn how to create a command line parser that can symbolize and interpret inputs. There are tools that can help with this, such as ANTLR , or you can try creating your own.

After you have parsed the input, you need to decide what actions to take - starting processes, switching between processes, redirecting output - and making these system calls.

If you are only after a more powerful shell, and not interested in creating it, give PowerShell a try.