Documentation on virtual folders

Question

I am looking for documentation for the Windows API on how to make virtual folders. I am going to make sort of my own file system and would like to have an icon under "Computer" for that file system. I have seen other programs which has this type of solution like programs which allows me to explore a Linux file system under in the Explorer program. Much like the same solution I am going to make. I am yet to find any documentation on how to do this, or am I searching for the wrong stuff? Thanks.

Answer 1

You are looking for a Shell Namespace Extension. An entry Point for documentation is Creating Shell Data Source Objects and Extending the Shell Namespace.

An example of a almost complete Project can be found on codeplex: An almost complete Namespace Extension Sample Also in the Windows SDK 7, there is an example of using the Shell ExtensionNamespace (can be found in the folder "Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\Samples\winui\shell\shellextensibility\explorerdataprovider"). In this Folder you will also find a document which describes the programming model (Using the System Folder View.doc).

If you really want to create a "real" file System Driver, you might want to look at this SO article: Creating a File System "Driver" which mainly referes to the Ext2 file system driver project.