How to get and set selection of files in windows

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In windows .Net development how do you gain access to the active selection of files that are shown as highlighted in the OS? I've been digging around in the .Net api browser and am not seeing what I am looking for.

The outcome I am looking for is a process I can use to make an OS/explorer extension to either the explorer window or the right-click context menu to quick select files of the same type.

example:

* click on an .png file on my desktop
* right click the file to open the context menu
* choose "select similar type"
* windows selection is edited to have all the .png files on the desktop selected/highlighted

This seems like such a simple task, but the api doesn't seem to support it. Does anyone know where I should be looking to find this functionality?

What I have tried:

I've been digging around in the .Net api browser and am not seeing what I am looking for.

Posted 29-Jan-20 6:01am

Member 14729923

Updated 29-Jan-20 6:14am

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Comments

Richard Deeming 29-Jan-20 12:23pm

Sounds like you're trying to build a shell extension:
.NET Shell Extensions - Shell Context Menus[^]

[no name] 30-Jan-20 10:53am

Who has "png files" on their "desk top"? I don't. I have "icons".

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