Windows 7 Libraries C# Quick Reference

Following are some listings to be used as a quick reference to common Windows 7 Libraries features using Windows API Code Pack.

The code in this post is based on previous work by Alon and other Sela team members. Great work all.

Forward

Just to clarify the terminology used: Every Windows 7 library is represented as an XML file with the .library-ms extension. The common libraries files are commonly stored in: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\

So if, for example, we work now with the Pictures library, than in the following sections:

libraryName = Pictures 
locationPath = C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\

Note: you can create library files wherever you want, not necessarily in the mentioned folder.

Features

Creating a new library

ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
    new ShellLibrary(libraryName, locationPath, overwriteExisting);

Add folder to an existing library

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary =
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    shellLibrary.Add(folderToAdd);
}

Remove folder from a library

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary =
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    shellLibrary.Remove(folderToRemove);
}

Enumerate library folders

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    foreach (ShellFileSystemFolder folder in shellLibrary)
    {
        Debug.WriteLine(folder.Path);
    }
}

Change default save location

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    shellLibrary.DefaultSaveFolder = newSaveLocation;
}

Change library icon

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    shellLibrary.IconResourceId = new IconReference(moduleName, resourceId);
}

Pin library to explorer navigation pane

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    shellLibrary.IsPinnedToNavigationPane = true;
}

Setting library type

using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
    ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
{
    shellLibrary.LibraryType = libraryType;
    
    // libraryType can be:
    //  LibraryFolderType.Generic
    //  LibraryFolderType.Documents
    //  LibraryFolderType.Music
    //  LibraryFolderType.Pictures
    //  LibraryFolderType.Videos
}

Open library manage UI

ShellLibrary.ShowManageLibraryUI(
    libraryName, folderPath, hOwnerWnd, title, instruction, allowNonIndexableLocations);

Delete library

string FileExtension = ".library-ms";

File.Delete(Path.Combine(folderPath,libraryName + FileExtension));

Get library change notification

string FileExtension = ".library-ms";

FileSystemWatcher libraryWatcher = new FileSystemWatcher(folderPath);
libraryWatcher.NotifyFilter = NotifyFilters.LastWrite;
libraryWatcher.Filter = libraryName + FileExtension;
libraryWatcher.IncludeSubdirectories = false;

libraryWatcher.Changed += (s, e) =>
{
    //cross thread call
    this.Dispatcher.Invoke(new Action(() =>
        {
            using (ShellLibrary shellLibrary = 
                ShellLibrary.Load(libraryName, folderPath, isReadOnly))
            {
                // get changed information
                ...
            }
        }));
};
libraryWatcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true;

That’s it for now, Arik Poznanski.