Search
Module:
Directory

   Desktop Functions:

   Smart Device Functions:


Show Recent Changes
Subscribe (RSS)
Misc. Pages
Comments
FAQ
Helpful Tools
Playground
Suggested Reading
Website TODO List
Download Visual Studio Add-In

SHChangeNotify (shell32)
 
.
Summary

C# Signature:

[DllImport("shell32.dll")]
static extern void SHChangeNotify(HChangeNotifyEventID wEventId,
                                   HChangeNotifyFlags uFlags,
                                   IntPtr dwItem1,
                                   IntPtr dwItem2);

VB Signature:

    <DllImport("shell32.dll")> _
    Shared Sub SHChangeNotify( _
    ByVal wEventID As HChangeNotifyEventID, _
    ByVal uFlags As HChangeNotifyFlags, _
    ByVal dwItem1 As IntPtr, _
    ByVal dwItem2 As IntPtr)
    End Sub

User-Defined Types:

enum HChangeNotifyEventID

enum HChangeNotifyFlags

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

C# Sample Code:

        private void CheckFileAssociation(string ExePath, string FileExt, string Description, string Icon, string ActionName, string FileCommand, string DDECommandString, string App, string Topic)
        {
            RegistryKey RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey("." + FileExt);
            RegKey.SetValue("", FileExt + "File");
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + "File");
            RegKey.SetValue("", Description);
            RegKey.SetValue("", Description);ssdfsdfsd
            RegKey.SetValue("EditFlags", 0);
            RegKey.SetValue("BrowserFlags", 8);
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\DefaultIcon");
            RegKey.SetValue("", Icon, RegistryValueKind.ExpandString);
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\shell");
            RegKey.SetValue("", FileCommand);
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\shell\" + FileCommand);
            RegKey.SetValue("", ActionName);
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\shell\" + FileCommand + @"\command");
            RegKey.SetValue("", "\"" + ExePath + "\"");
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\shell\" + FileCommand + @"\ddeexec");
            RegKey.SetValue("", DDECommandString);
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\shell\" + FileCommand + @"\ddeexec\Application");
            RegKey.SetValue("", App);
            RegKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileExt + @"File\shell\" + FileCommand + @"\ddeexec\Topic");
            RegKey.SetValue("", Topic);
            //credits to pinvoke.net
            SHChangeNotify(HChangeNotifyEventID.SHCNE_ASSOCCHANGED, HChangeNotifyFlags.SHCNF_IDLIST, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero);
        }

            CheckFileAssociation(
                Application.ExecutablePath, //Application exe path
                "mcl", //Document file extension
                "Celerity Message ControL file", //Document type description
                @"%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-152", //Document type icon
                "Open MCL File", //Action name
                "Open", //File command
                "[OpenMCL(\"%1\")]", //DDE command string
                "CelerityEDIToolbox", //Application
                "System"); //Topic

VB Sample Code:

    Private Sub SetFileAssociation( _
    ByVal FileExt As String, _
    ByVal FileClass As String, _
    ByVal Description As String, _
    ByVal Icon As String, _
    ByVal Verb As String, _
    ByVal VerbDescription As String, _
    ByVal Command As String _
    )

    Dim RegKey As RegistryKey = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey("." + FileExt)
    RegKey.SetValue("", FileClass)

    Dim RegKeyClass = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(FileClass)
    RegKeyClass.SetValue("", Description)
    If (Not Icon Is Nothing) Then
        RegKey = RegKeyClass.CreateSubKey("DefaultIcon")
        'RegistryValueKind is only supported on CLR 2.0
        'RegKey.SetValue("", Icon, RegistryValueKind.ExpandString)
        RegKey.SetValue("", Icon)
    End If

    RegKey = RegKeyClass.CreateSubKey("shell")
    RegKey = RegKeyClass.CreateSubKey("shell\" + Verb)
    If (Not VerbDescription Is Nothing) Then
        RegKey.SetValue("", VerbDescription)
    End If
    RegKey = RegKeyClass.CreateSubKey("shell\" + Verb + "\command")
    RegKey.SetValue("", Command)

    SHChangeNotify(HChangeNotifyEventID.SHCNE_ASSOCCHANGED, HChangeNotifyFlags.SHCNF_IDLIST, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero)
    End Sub

    Dim Path As String = Application.ExecutablePath
    SetFileAssociation( _
        "aaa", _
        "Association.Sample.0", _
        "File Associations Sample", _
        """" + Path + """,0", _
        "open", _
        Nothing, _
        """" + Path + """ ""%1""")

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

Documentation

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

  • helpful tips or sample code to share for using this API in managed code?
  • corrections to the existing content?
  • variations of the signature you want to share?
  • additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing supporting types needed for this API (structures, delegates, and more).

 
Access PInvoke.net directly from VS:
Terms of Use
Edit This Page
Find References
Show Printable Version
Revisions