Creating DeskBands with an ATL Object Wizard

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What Are DeskBands?

There are 4 types of deskbands. A Communications Band which sits at the bottom of an instance of IE4+. An Information Band sits on the left hand side of an instance of IE4+, like the search bar that allows you to search for files or folders on a hard drive. A Desk Band sits on the desktop, it can float or dock to any of the 4 sides of your monitor. The final type is a Toolbar which sits in the rebar space of Internet Explorer, like the address bar.

To see this, start IE4+. Click the "View" menu item, go down to the "Explorer Bar" menu item. The top half above the seperator are the available Information Bands, the bottom half are the communication bands.

To see a deskband, right click on the taskbar (area connected to the start button). Select the toolbar's menu item from the context menu. listed are the available deskbands.

Deskbands can also reside as toolbars inside IE4+. The wizard does not currently provide this code although I do have it available. I will be updating the wizard in the next week or so to support toolbars and be more configurable.

Installation

In this version you no longer need the Microsoft Installer installed to be able to use this ATL Object Wizard. In the past the files were stored in an MSI file which would install the files to the correct location and allow for easy uninstalltion. To allow more people to use the Wizard. I have moved the files out of the MSI and leave it to the user to place them in the correct location using the instructions below.

Steps:

• Extract the files from the source zip above to your Visual Studio location under the following relative path Common\MSDev98\Template\ATL.
• Run the RegSvr32.exe from a command prompt on RBDeskband.dll. RegSvr32 RBDeskBand

Path Examples For Step 1:

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\MSDev98\Template\ATL
• C:\MyDevEnv\Common\MSDev98\Template\ATL

Usage

To create a DeskBand base implementation, do the following:

1. Start the ATL Object Wizard using the 'New ATL Object' option avalable from the Insert menu.
2. Select the "DeskBand" ATL Object Wizard component from the "RadBytes" category.
3. Fill in the Names Dialog page with your Deskband information.
4. Select the "DeskBand ATL Object Wizard" Tab.
5. Select at least one DeskBand type you want to expose your band as.
6. Click Ok
7. Your project will be updated with the associated class files needed to compile your base implemenation of a deskband.

I Ran The Wizard But Now What?

All that is required of you is to implement your content and inner workings for the band you created. A base window exists that is a static. This is there for easy pullout and inseration of any replacement code. I choose this instead of attaching a CWindowImpl directly to the deskband for ease of change, use, and adaptability.

My Deskband Is Not Listed In The Menu Items

Make sure that you are looking at the correct list of menu items for the type of band you created.

Also remember that the explorer.exe process caches the list of Explorer Bars and Toolbars on first access of the menu for the life of your Windows session, not IE session. So if you have accessed the menu during this session you will either need to log off and log back on or kill the explorer.exe process.

Auto Generated Code

The output created is a Source, Header, and Registry Resource files from the Short Name supplied in the ATL Object Wizard property page. The files that get modified by the wizard are: your main source, IDL, RC, and DSP files.

Unicode

The code generated will compile both under UNICODE and ANSI.

History

1.1 [March 22, 2001]

Fixes: Band Registration problem, Threading model was set to Single [Hwan, Erik Funkenbusch] Removed MSI requirment. [Siddhartha Ghosal] Removed the Thank you dialog. I decided it was annoying and useless. Additions: Added new Wizard Page to allow creation of Band in multiple ways. Added Internet Explorer toolbar support Use ATL CATEGORY_MAP [Erik Funkenbusch] Outstanding Issues: Testing has shown that adding numerous Bands to a project using the Wizard causes VC to insert #include directives at the bottom of the project source file. No known fix and infrequent occurance. Adding multiple Internet Explorer Toolbars to one project will cause redefinition of HKEY hKeyLocal = NULL;. Fix is to remove redundant definition.

Initial Release [April 13, 2000]

My first release of the ATL Object Wizard and article publishing.

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Need info for visual studion 2005 rakesh_npguy 22:08 14 Mar '09   Does the project generation work for visual studio 2005 Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Visual Studio 2008 doucol 16:09 17 Dec '08   Hi Erik, I looked through the existing comments and found a similar question but no answer. Do you have any tips on getting this to work with Vis Studio 2008? thanks -doug Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 3.00/5 (2 votes) Great article Sivan Manimala 22:39 17 Jun '08   But I need to set an accelerator key to load my desk band window Like for History window (Ctrl+H). I wish to add something like Alt+L to load my deskband window. Searched lot for that and didnt find any help. Is it possible www.ktsinfotech.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Deskband. Vaibhav Gade 19:59 2 Jan '08   I have a question regarding deskbands. When a user click on a deskband menuitem (e.g. Quick Launch) under the Toolbars menu, the menuitem is supposed to be checked. However, I've a simple deskband application which does not behave this way. Instead, a new menuitem is created under the Toolbars menu. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Deskband. Jeff Buzzard 20:54 19 May '08   I'm having the same problem. When selecting the tool band from the toolbars menu to turn it on, an additional toolband menu item is added to the toolbars menu. The new duplicate item is checked indicating that the toolband is on, but the original one is unchecked. If I click on the un-checked one, I get an additional toolband added to the task bar and a third duplicate menu item is added, etc, etc. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Visual Studio JonnoB 7:53 11 Dec '07   Would this template still work in more current development environments such as Visual Studio 2003, 2005, or the new 2008? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll Erik Thompson 6:08 8 Aug '07   No I havne't gotten any email from you so not sure which email address you sent your request to. Also I can't email you as you have not confirmed your email address with codeproject.com yet. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (1 vote) Re: unloading a deskband dll liushuai06 22:49 8 Aug '07   Dear Erik: Thanks for your reply! I have send a email to your ErikT@RadBytes.com from my gmail address: liushuai06@gmail.com. But the google mail system has refused my email,and it says: "Delivery to the following recipient has been delayed: ErikT@RadBytes.com Message will be retried for 2 more day(s) Technical details of temporary failure: TEMP_FAILURE: Could not initiate SMTP conversation with any hosts: [radbytes.com. (10): Connection refused] " So,I wonder if I had a mistake in your mail address "ErikT@RadBytes.com"? Thanks again! Liushuai liushuai06@gmail.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll Erik Thompson 6:23 9 Aug '07   I let the radbytes.com domain lapse; I haven't retained it for a couple years now. You can email me through codeproject. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll liushuai06 15:48 9 Aug '07   I send a mail from code project,but I am afraid for about the network delay. Sorry for interrupting you. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink I post my mail here for you liushuai06 19:04 9 Aug '07   Dear Erik: I am a master candidate from Tsinghua University. Recently, I learn "Internet Explorer Toolbar(Deskband) Tutorial" from the site of codeproject which link is "http://www.codeproject.com/atl/ietoolbartutorial.asp ". It is so useful that attracts my interest greatly. Thanks very much for your hard work. Currently, I am working in a team and my job is developing an IE plugin.And I find that in my project, I could apply the RBDeskBand ATL Object Wizard and CWindowImpl ATL Object Wizard to generate the codes for this project. However, I do not know whether this tool could be applied for the commercial purpose. So I send this mail to you to get your answer. Thanks very much for your kindness and give my best wishes to you! Waiting for your kind reply! Liu Shuai 2007-08-07 my email: liushuai06@gmail.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: I post my mail here for you Erik Thompson 20:18 9 Aug '07   Thanks, many have found the article and other tutorials useful. As for your question, I don't have any restrictions on commerical use. It's a tool, the output of which is your own. There are no restrictions for commercial use, but I wouldn't mind knowing what commercial products have used the tools. I only know of one commercial product to date. http://www.codeproject.com/atl/rbdeskband.asp?msg=984374#xx984374xx[^] Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Integrating Info Band with Favorites/History etc? David Claughton 3:59 8 Mar '07   Hi, I'm in the process of creating a addon for IE7, which includes a toolbar and an info band. So far it works in that they both display when selected, but the info bands does not appear with the standard IE7 info bands (Favorites/History/RSS), but actually is displayed underneath. Is there anyway of getting my info band to appear alongside the standard ones with its own button alongsite the standard ones? Cheers, David Claughton. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Integrating Info Band with Favorites/History etc? Erik Thompson 20:20 9 Aug '07   I'll have to look into this. Are you sure you are using the correct CATID? There also might be a new CATID specific to IE7 but am unsure. I'll see what I can find out. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink unloading a deskband dll RandyS 10:09 6 Feb '07   After compiling and registering the dll (w/ VC 2005, after making the necessary tweaks), I loaded the toolbar and all worked well. But now I want to make a change and it will not let me compile because the dll is in use. This is the case even when I unload the toolbar. Is there any way to get Explorer.exe to release the dll so I can recompile it without having to reboot everytime? Randy Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll Erik Thompson 11:03 6 Feb '07   Kill the task. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll RandyS 11:18 6 Feb '07   There is no task for my dll. It is loaded into the Windows Explorer task. Is that the task you mean for me to kill? What is the ramifications of killing it? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll Erik Thompson 11:22 6 Feb '07   Only ramifications are the half backed tray apps you have running that dont' repopulate themselves when the shell restarts. and you can always restart explorer.exe from the taskman at any time. The other alternative is to write a 2 part system. where you have a DLL that's a loader that you build in functionality to unload the "functionality" dll so that you can build that. where you dont' rebuild the loader. then later when you are done you roll it in the build into 1 dll. If you dont' want to do that. Then change the CATID of your deskband to be an IE one and only change it to be an explorer CATID when you are really ready to test it in the shell. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: unloading a deskband dll liushuai06 17:38 7 Aug '07   Dear Erik: Did you receive my email from gmail?If you get,can i have the pleasure for your reply?thank you! Liushuai06 Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink VS 2005 saminjesus 16:53 31 Jan '07   Hi Erik Thompson, It's very nice to know this great job. But I am using the VS2005. Just want to know when will you have the coding for VS2005 in this great job. I am really thanks for your help and reply . So look forwarding your job. Sam Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.50/5 (2 votes) Re: VS 2005 Crispim 1:02 13 Jul '07   For VS2005 someone have an idea, how we have a ATL Object Wizard? Thks in Advance Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: VS 2005 Erik Thompson 20:22 9 Aug '07   You cannot use this wizard in VS2005. I have said previously I'd update it but I just haven't gotten around to it. You can install the old VS6 create the code using the wizard and then upgrade the project using vs2005 as an alternative. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) Re: VS 2005 Edward Diener 8:20 7 Jul '08   It would be immensely useful if you could update the wizard for ATL7-8 and VS2005-VS2008, and post the update on Code Project ( or some other web page ). Very few C++ developers use VC6 anymore, or even have it around. Edward Diener Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) The Code Project Search Bar - Source Code wleung1966 11:55 12 Dec '06   where can I find the source code for 'The Code Project Search Bar' by Michael Dunn Ice Man Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: The Code Project Search Bar - Source Code Erik Thompson 12:24 12 Dec '06   I do not believe that Michael has given out this codebase. Cheers, -Erik Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote)

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