ContextMenu: Adding menu on right click inside a folder

[abhinavananddba]

I have created a context menu that targets directories , but it shows only when i right click a directory and not inside it anywhere else.

[sergey-tihon]

When do you plan to release v2.3

[abhinavananddba]

Hi ,
Any news on when to expect the issue fixed?

[schoesa]

Some googling gave me the answer:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37614860/create-a-shell-contextmenu-by-right-clicking-on-desktop-or-directory-background

[dwmkerr]

This is is resolved:

https://github.com/dwmkerr/sharpshell/blob/master/docs/com-server-associations.md#directory-background

[BenQuigley]

I'm not able to get this feature working on Windows 10 with our application, even though the extension built successfully, and srm.exe installed it successfully (with srm.exe install OurExtension.dll -codebase). The Directory association works fine (the item appears in the right-click menu), but the Directory Background association does not (the menu item does not appear).

Is this all that we should have in our code? Also, to confirm, it is AssociationType.DirectoryBackground, not AssociationType.Class, @"Directory\Background" like the StackOverflow thread linked above suggests? (But I've tried both with no luck).

[ComVisible(true)]
[COMServerAssociation(AssociationType.DirectoryBackground)]
public class OurExtension : SharpContextMenu
{
   // ...
}

[Countryen]

@BenQuigley Works for me. What version do you use?

[BenQuigley]

Our application uses 2.2, but in my testing I used 2.6.1 because I wanted this feature and it didn't work with 2.2.

[Countryen]

Okay I am using 2.7.0 - but I will test it with 2.6.1 now.
I think it's a bit new feature, maybe it got better with 2.7.0

Note: 2.7.0 is the master version, Nuget-package and Release is currently missing, until another issue with registration is fixed (see other issues).

[BenQuigley]

Trying 2.7.0 right now. I bet it has something to do with this line in the changelog: "If file extension classes are not present in the registry, then SharpShell will create them. If you discover new issues with registration, it may be worth quickly checking with the prior version, as there is small risk that new issues will occur due to these changes."

[Countryen]

Don't think so, as the Background is no class and should definately not be missing on your system. But be careful, as other issues shows, this can remove your "DefaultIcon" bindings for file types.

[Countryen]

Tested it with 2.6.1 and it works for me

 .\ServerRegistrationManager.exe install .\WEX.Prototype16.dll -codebase

========================================
SharpShell - Server Registration Manager
========================================

    .\WEX.Prototype16.dll installed and registered.

[Countryen]

Can you share whole code? I guess you are already registering with elevated mode? Tried it with an example server?

This is my Prototype:

[ComVisible(true)]
[COMServerAssociation(AssociationType.DirectoryBackground)]
public class Prototype16Server : SharpShell.SharpContextMenu.SharpContextMenu

[Countryen]

Can you try to manually add the extension to the registry? This is how it should look like / how it looks on my system (Win 10, x64, 64-bit)

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\YOUR_SERVER_NAME@ = YOUR_SERVER_NAME

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\YOUR_SERVER_NAME\CLSID@ = {YOUR_SERVER_GUID}

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{YOUR_SERVER_GUID}\... -> Your Server Registration here

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\YOUR_SERVER_NAME@ = {YOUR_SERVER_GUID}

[BenQuigley]

I'm getting "installed and registered" output from ServerRegistrationManager.exe as well. It's just that the item is not appearing in the background right-click. 2.7.0 did not fix it unfortunately.

[Countryen]

@BenQuigley Can you reproduce the same with one of the official example server? Would you share your full code for further testing? For me registration works and the function works (I click right mouse button on Desktop or Folder Background and the ContextMenu-Item shows and works. So either it is something wrong with your registry (can you validate the registration manually) or with your server.

[dwmkerr]

Reopening for now, @BenQuigley do you think you could enable logging and share the logs? (see https://github.com/dwmkerr/sharpshell/blob/master/docs/logging/logging.md)

[BenQuigley]

Thanks for looking into it and the link to the logging features. I enabled logging and opened my example project...

2018-11-27 09:10:03.073Z - explorer - OurExtension: Initializing shell extension...
2018-11-27 09:10:03.081Z - explorer - OurExtension: Shell extension initialised.
Parent folder: <none>
Items: 
E:\directory

When I right-click a folder managed by our application, it works (shows our context menu item) and the logs reflect that:

2018-11-27 09:10:03.086Z - explorer - OurExtension: Query Context Menu for items: 
E:\directory
2018-11-27 09:10:11.948Z - explorer - OurExtension: Initializing shell extension...
2018-11-27 09:10:11.956Z - explorer - OurExtension: Shell extension initialised.
Parent folder: E:\
Items: 

However, when I right-click the background, it does not work. The logs reflect that; it seems to be evaluating an empty list instead of the name of the directory:

2018-11-27 09:10:11.963Z - explorer - OurExtension: Query Context Menu for items:

[BenQuigley]

Our SharpShell extension queries our application for whether the variable SelectedItemPaths is under its control.

I think the issue is that SelectedItemPaths is populated when right-clicking an item, but empty when right-clicking the DirectoryBackground.

[Countryen]

I think the issue is that SelectedItemPaths is populated when right-clicking an item, but empty when right-clicking the DirectoryBackground.

But isn't that wanted/expected?
If you right-click the background, there is no selected Item (or do you select items prior to that?)

I think you should consider changing that check on SelectedItemPaths and include FolderPath.

[BenQuigley]

Countryen, that fixed it. Thank you!

[dwmkerr]

Excellent, thanks @Countryen and @BenQuigley, glad it's working! I'll add a note to the docs on this point 👍