0

The Goal

To add an input text box and a button to the Windows 7 task bar.

Summary

The application is a Windows Forms and it only has two controls.

  1. TextBox
  2. Button

Whenever needed, this search field shall be used to open a directory on a network drive or the like.

Given one inputs the subject of the search into the text box located in the task bar.

When the search button is hit.

Then a Windows Explorer window opens to the directory where the documents for this subject are located.

That being said, the application works flawlessly right now as it is in the form of a Windows Form. The Explorer window opens to the right location and everything. All is already coded. All that remains to do is to put this form into the task bar similar to the Cortana search field in Windows 10.

Questions

  1. Since I never pinned anything to the Windows 7 Taskbar before, is it only feasible? I saw some post on the subject and people are talking about icons...

  2. How shall one proceed to achieve the embedding of a form, a toolbar or two controls to the Windows 7 Taskbar?

  3. Do I need to go through the Win32s libraries?

Will Marcouiller
  • 23,773
  • 22
  • 96
  • 162
  • 1
    Take a look at [Creating Custom Explorer Bars, Tool Bands, and Desk Bands](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/cc144099(v=vs.85).aspx) and [Taskbar](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn742496.aspx). Also see [this example](http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/2219/Extending-Explorer-with-Band-Objects-using-NET-and). Now by knowing correct keywords you can find more examples. – Reza Aghaei Nov 05 '16 at 13:56
  • @RezaAghaei Thanks! I read somewhere that DeskBand were abandonned in Win7. I shall check these out whatsoever, especially the linked example. – Will Marcouiller Nov 05 '16 at 14:15
  • You're welcome, Also see [Taskbar](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn742496.aspx) link. It may help about making the correct choice about the requirement and also knowing correct terms to search. – Reza Aghaei Nov 05 '16 at 14:18

0 Answers0