How can an application display an object on the Windows taskbar?

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+7 Q:

How can an application display an object on the Windows taskbar?

There are several applications around that display objects on the Windows taskbar but do no implement the IDeskBand interface. For example, the Lenovo batter meter and Notebook BatteryInfo.

For example:

Notebook BatteryInfo

In the picture above, the object on the taskbar is put there by the application and disappears when the application closes. This is different than IDeskBand in which the COM object is loaded directly by explorer.exe.

What API/Method can be used in Windows to accomplish that?

+1 A:

It's called "appbars". You'll need to write a module using Shell API and have the user register it with Shell. Please not that in case the user is running x64 OS, your module also needs to be 64-bit, which generally means that when you distribute your utility, there has to be both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of it.

Win7 has a much more flexible interface for this, called "taskbar extensions"

Rom 2010-01-28 00:23:24

I read up on AppBars, and I don't think that's what I'm looking for. AppBars are separate from the taskbar. I'm looking for something that displays something INSIDE the taskbar.

Chris Thompson 2010-01-28 04:43:52

AppBars are displayed inside the bar containing the start button, the application buttons and the notification area. For example, QuickLaunch bar is an example of an AppBar. From the user's perspective, AppBars ARE in the taskbar. This is as close as you can get to your goal using documented APIs

Rom 2010-01-28 16:37:37

I'm using the IDeskBand interface right now, which is I believe what you're talking about.

Chris Thompson 2010-01-29 16:54:17

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How can an application display an object on the Windows taskbar?

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