Re: Finding the Control Panel Applets With Change Icon Dialogue Box

From: David Candy (david_at_mvps.org)
Date: 06/28/04 

Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 01:46:12 +1000

Can yopu rephrase 1, 2, and 3. I don't see a question in them.

4. Take Control Panel. It is a Namespace Extension (NSE) like My Computer, the Desktop (not the desktop folders), Fonts, Schedule Tasks, & Network Neighbourhood. Folder Options (and the desktop IE icon) is a seperate type of NSE and not called that. It is defined by registry entries. But there needs to be some file with code in it to give it behaviour.

Control Panel, and most of the ones I mention, are in Shell32.dll. These are virtual folders.

EG. There is no My Computer Folder but their is code in shell32 that looks for drives and other things and makes it appear as a folder. With Fonts (I think it also is shell32) the things it shows are also in the folder but what you see is a program listing fonts not the contents of the folder, even though they are closely linked. It is a NSE for the special font vieing commands and so dragging a file in causes it to actually install the font - the font's don't HAVE to be in the fonts folder to be displayed - it just has to be installed. With My Docs it is identical to a file view it is a program showing it (It's a NSE so you can have a custom property *** for it, else it wouldn't need to be one).

If you search the registry for ShellFolder you'll find all the ones on your machine. There is also code in shdocvw that can allow anyone to make their own simple NSE just by registry entries (called a Shell Instance Object). It's simple because it has 2 behaviours (and sone sub options) only to choose from.

The Start Menu is another which is why dragging files to it cause a shortcut not a move/copy.

The shell namespace is different to the file namespace.

In shell talk it is
Desktop\My Computer\C Drive\boot.ini

in file talk
C:\boot.ini

Programs tend to use file paths not shell paths. Explorer ISN'T a file manager but a namespace browser (as is IE). 

-- 
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http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant06132004.html
"Chad Harris" <ddram32_nospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:%23ZecqJSXEHA.1440@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> David--
> 
> I need some guidance and thanks--you made it easy to find ______cpl.dlls. 
> Here's what I did, and I have a couple questions and would like to know if 
> you go after icons that aren't favicons in Windows (and from 3rd party 
> downloads and apps)  how you do it and how you'd do this.
> 
> 1) I have long been collecting icons by adding .ico onto urls, then changing 
> dragging to the desktop and changing their name and storing them in a 
> favicon folder (or dragging them out of TIFs before they disappear on a TIF 
> clear or a reboot.
> 2) I haven't used the many 3rd party icon extractors with the system 32, 
> zip, downloaded programs and many other folders where icon staches (native 
> Windows and 3rd party) are availalbe but just hit or miss as with the system 
> 32 folder.
> 3) With your tip I showed all hidden folders/protected Windows and file 
> extensions and was able to get a list of  6 cpl.dlls. If you use XP's Search 
> on System 32 it turns up 4 interestingly, and if you directly look there are 
> 6.  I don't know why search misses 2 of them, but that's not surprising.  I 
> see it miss folders all the time that I find directly even when you give it 
> every possible chance to search.
> 4) What do you mean when you say "or else it's a NSE and most are backed by 
> a dll file.  Same story." I don't know what NSE stands for.  Can you help me 
> with this.  Is NSE a source of .dlls with icons where I can harvest them?
> 
> Thanks a lot for the help.
> 
> Chad
> _______________________________________
> "David Candy" <david@mvps.org> wrote in message 
> news:OpLS7QLXEHA.2852@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> No. cpl are dll files. Browse to the respective cpl and choose the icon in 
> that. Else it's a NSE and most are backed by a dll file, Same story.
> 
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant06132004.html
> "Chad Harris" <ddram32_nospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
> news:upC8DLLXEHA.644@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > That answers my question then.   And going to  copl files in system 32 is
> > not going to give you anything to apply as an icon substitute.  There is 
> > no
> > way quick and direct way then to use those applets for icons.   It would
> > have to be  done by using an icon app, and imaging them and using the bit
> > maps.
> >
> > Thanks David.
> >
> > Chad
> >
> > "David Candy" <david@mvps.org> wrote in message
> > news:OPK8lCLXEHA.1128@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > There is no control panel folder. It is contrructed from namespaces 
> > defined
> > in the registry or cpl files in system32 directory.
> >
> > -- 
> > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant06132004.html
> > "Chad Harris" <ddram32_nospam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:%23LQ58UKXEHA.1152@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > > I wanted to get a scanner icon from the control panel applet, and now 
> > > the
> > > issue is for me whether I can find a folder with control panel applets 
> > > to
> > > use for icons.    I can find a scanner icon one in Scan Sof't's folder
> > > ,and
> > > on in the C:\WINDOWS\system32\stimon.exe folder in the system 32 folder 
> > > to
> > > do this with the Change Icon Dialogue box (reached by right clicking the
> > > shortcut, but I couldn't find the Control Panel folder with the dialogue
> > > box.   I could probably find an HP Scanner Icon.  What I want to do is
> > > reach
> > > Control Panel Applets for Icons if this is possible.
> > >
> > >
> > >  The Control Panel folder is listed in My Computer as an "Other System
> > > Folder" when you Use the Explorer view "Show in Groups."
> > >
> > > Does anyone know how to reach the Control Panel's folder from the Change
> > > Icon Dialogue Box if this can be done (right clicking a desktop shortcut
> > > and
> > > going through Properties?
> > >
> > > TIA,
> > >
> > > Chad Harris
> > >
> > >
> >
> > 
> 
>