OLE Shell functions

 Keywords:  shell helper object application wscript

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Starting Internet Explorer 4, there has been a desktop shell helper object called Shell.Application.

This object lets you manipulate the desktop and access other system operations.

Things you can do:

• Create explorer windows
• Tile, minimise and restore the desktop
• Copy/Move files displaying the standard progress animation
• Execute commands associated with applications.

ShellApplication = ObjectOpen("Shell.Application")

Windows 98, ME, 2000 and XP users should have no trouble with this object. If you have Windows 95 or NT 4 and installed IE 5 without upgrading from IE 4 then you may get an error when trying to use this object. If you have already installed IE 5 then try this command:

For NT

IE5Setup.exe /C:"ie5wzd /e:IE4Shell_NTx86 /I:Y" 

For 95

IE5Setup.exe /C:"ie5wzd /e:IE4Shell_WIN /I:Y"

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Examples:

Copy file

oSHApp = ObjectOpen("Shell.Application")
source = "C:\temp\test.txt"
target = "C:\temp2\"
oNameSpace = oSHApp.Namespace(target)
oNameSpace.CopyHere(source)
ObjectClose(oNameSpace)
ObjectClose(oSHApp)

This script minimizes all open windows then opens a number of folders.

winddir = DirWindows(0)
oWSHShell = ObjectOpen("WScript.Shell")
oSHApp = ObjectOpen("Shell.Application")
oSHApp.MinimizeAll
oSHApp.Open("C:\")
oSHApp.Open(winddir)
;oSHApp.Open("\\PDC\netlogon")
oSHApp.TileVertically
oWSHShell.popup("Restore Desktop")
oSHApp.UndoMinimizeAll
ObjectClose(oWSHShell)
ObjectClose(oSHApp)
Exit

For a list of shell objects and methods see:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/shell/reference/objects/objects.asp?frame=true

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/shell/reference/objects/shell/shell.asp?frame=true

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/Shell/reference/objects/shell/application.asp

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Some shell commands from msdn to perform different actions:

oShell = ObjectOpen("Shell.Application")

;Minimizes all windows on the desktop
;oShell.MinimizeAll

;Displays the Run dialog box
;oShell.FileRun

;Displays the Shut Down Windows dialog box
;oShell.ShutdownWindows

;Displays the Find dialog box
;oShell.FindFiles

;Displays the Date/Time dialog box
;oShell.SetTime

;Runs a Control Panel application 
;(Internet Properties dialog box)
;oShell.ControlPanelItem("INETCPL.cpl")

;Explores a folder
;oShell.Explore ("C:\YourFolder")

;Enables user to select folder
;returns a handle to wich you can apply methods 
;handle=oShell.BrowseForFolder (0, "Text", 0, "C:\YourFolder")

;Opens a folder
;oShell.Open ("C:\YourFolder")

;Displays the Taskbar Properties dialog box
;oShell.TrayProperties

ObjectClose(oShell)

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Article ID:   W15232