Extending Task Manager Windows 8

Question

I would like to know if there is any way to extend the task manager in a language like C# preferably but i'm also ok with C++, or anything else that works. I would like to add some new features like, search, kill all processes with the same name, and what ever else comes to mind, but i have no idea were to start.

Note: I don't want to replace it or rewrite it from scratch, just add some new features.
I also found this link Is it possible to add functionality to Vista/7 taskmgr.exe? but it's for VIsta/7 i'm just hoping something change in 8, considering that it was completely redesigned.

Thank you

Answer 1

If i am correct, what you want to know is if there is a way to extend TaskManager via a plugin based approach( like Office/Ie/Outlook plugins). The answer is no. I however have a different approach which may help you do what you want but would be a lot more work. What i suggest is Com interop based injection and override. using Spy++ you can see what are the window classes/properties of the TaskManager window. Then you would need to write a program which works minimized(system tray?!) and watches for some identifying window/class name to pop up in the messages system. Windows messages can be intercepted and hooked. http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/33459/Spying-Window-Messages-from-the-Inside may be of some help.
Once you get your window handle. you will probably need to find the tabs control group. and inject a new tab element. Post which you can put anything which you deem into the tab element.

This is speculative, and involves the assumption that all the new changes you want to add would end up in a new tab.

I hope this helps you in some way.

PS: The answer is not totally speculative though. For some internal use at my workplace, I had made a prototype which would do something similar to outlook and override some default functionality which wasn't exposed by the Add in framework per se. Beware that this would require lots of testing and was somewhat unreliable/unstable