C# Signature:

[DllImport("shell32.dll", EntryPoint = "#727")]
private extern static int SHGetImageList(int iImageList, ref Guid riid, ref IImageList ppv);

VB Signature:

Declare Function SHGetImageList Lib "shell32.dll" (ByVal iImageList As Long, ByRef riid As Long, ByRef ppv As Any) As Long
Declare Function SHGetImageListXP Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "#727" (ByVal iImageList As Long, ByRef riid As Long, ByRef ppv As Any) As Long

User-Defined Types:

IImageList Interface:

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct RECT
    {
    public int left, top, right, bottom;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    private struct POINT
    {
    int x;
    int y;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    private struct IMAGELISTDRAWPARAMS
    {
    public int cbSize;
    public IntPtr himl;
    public int i;
    public IntPtr hdcDst;
    public int x;
    public int y;
    public int cx;
    public int cy;
    public int xBitmap;    // x offest from the upperleft of bitmap
    public int yBitmap;    // y offset from the upperleft of bitmap
    public int rgbBk;
    public int rgbFg;
    public int fStyle;
    public int dwRop;
    public int fState;
    public int Frame;
    public int crEffect;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    private struct IMAGEINFO
    {
    public IntPtr hbmImage;
    public IntPtr hbmMask;
    public int Unused1;
    public int Unused2;
    public RECT rcImage;
    }
    [ComImportAttribute()]
    [GuidAttribute("46EB5926-582E-4017-9FDF-E8998DAA0950")]
    [InterfaceTypeAttribute(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
    interface IImageList
    {
        [PreserveSig]
        int Add(
        IntPtr hbmImage,
        IntPtr hbmMask,
        ref int pi);

        [PreserveSig]
        int ReplaceIcon(
        int i,
        IntPtr hicon,
        ref int pi);

        [PreserveSig]
        int SetOverlayImage(
        int iImage,
        int iOverlay);

        [PreserveSig]
        int Replace(
        int i,
        IntPtr hbmImage,
        IntPtr hbmMask);

        [PreserveSig]
        int AddMasked(
        IntPtr hbmImage,
        int crMask,
        ref int pi);

        [PreserveSig]
        int Draw(
        ref IMAGELISTDRAWPARAMS pimldp);

        [PreserveSig]
            int Remove(
        int i);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetIcon(
        int i,
        int flags,
        ref IntPtr picon);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetImageInfo(
        int i,
        ref IMAGEINFO pImageInfo);

        [PreserveSig]
        int Copy(
        int iDst,
        IImageList punkSrc,
        int iSrc,
        int uFlags);

        [PreserveSig]
        int Merge(
        int i1,
        IImageList punk2,
        int i2,
        int dx,
        int dy,
        ref Guid riid,
        ref IntPtr ppv);

        [PreserveSig]
        int Clone(
        ref Guid riid,
        ref IntPtr ppv);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetImageRect(
        int i,
        ref RECT prc);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetIconSize(
        ref int cx,
        ref int cy);

        [PreserveSig]
        int SetIconSize(
        int cx,
        int cy);

        [PreserveSig]
            int GetImageCount(
        ref int pi);

        [PreserveSig]
        int SetImageCount(
        int uNewCount);

        [PreserveSig]
        int SetBkColor(
        int clrBk,
        ref int pclr);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetBkColor(
        ref int pclr);

        [PreserveSig]
        int BeginDrag(
        int iTrack,
        int dxHotspot,
        int dyHotspot);

        [PreserveSig]
        int EndDrag();

        [PreserveSig]
        int DragEnter(
        IntPtr hwndLock,
        int x,
        int y);

        [PreserveSig]
        int DragLeave(
        IntPtr hwndLock);

        [PreserveSig]
        int DragMove(
        int x,
        int y);

        [PreserveSig]
        int SetDragCursorImage(
        ref IImageList punk,
        int iDrag,
        int dxHotspot,
        int dyHotspot);

        [PreserveSig]
        int DragShowNolock(
        int fShow);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetDragImage(
        ref POINT ppt,
        ref POINT pptHotspot,
        ref Guid riid,
        ref IntPtr ppv);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetItemFlags(
        int i,
        ref int dwFlags);

        [PreserveSig]
        int GetOverlayImage(
        int iOverlay,
        ref int piIndex);
    };

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

Notes:

Parameter iImageList must be one of the following values:

SHIL_LARGE (0x0)

The image size is normally 32x32 pixels. However, if the Use large icons option is selected from the Effects section of the Appearance tab in Display Properties, the image is 48x48 pixels.

SHIL_SMALL (0x1)

These images are the Shell standard small icon size of 16x16, but the size can be customized by the user.

SHIL_EXTRALARGE (0x2)

These images are the Shell standard extra-large icon size. This is typically 48x48, but the size can be customized by the user.

SHIL_SYSSMALL (0x3)

These images are the size specified by GetSystemMetrics called with SM_CXSMICON and GetSystemMetrics called with SM_CYSMICON.

SHIL_JUMBO (0x4)

Windows Vista and later. The image is normally 256x256 pixels.

SHIL_LAST

The largest valid flag value, for validation purposes.

MSDN says that:

The IImageList pointer type, such as that returned in the ppv parameter, can be cast as an HIMAGELIST as needed; for example, for use in a list view. Conversely, an HIMAGELIST can be cast as a pointer to an IImageList.

As of Windows Vista, SHIL_SMALL, SHIL_LARGE, and SHIL_EXTRALARGE scale with dots per inch (dpi) if the process is marked as dpi-aware. To set these types to be dpi-aware, call SetProcessDPIAware. SHIL_JUMBO is fixed at 256 pixels regardless of the dpi-aware setting.

SHGetImageList is not exported correctly in XP. See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q316931

Apparently (and hopefully) ordinal 727 isn't going to change...

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