The Microsoft Windows user interface (UI) provides users with access to a wide variety of objects necessary to run applications and manage the operating system. The most numerous and familiar of these objects are the folders and files that reside on computer disk drives. There are also a number of virtual objects that allow the user to do tasks such as sending files to remote printers or accessing the Recycle Bin. The Shell organizes these objects into a hierarchical namespace, and provides users and applications with a consistent and efficient way to access and manage objects.

Document Conventions

The Shell Developers's Guide follows the usual Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) document conventions. Two conventions in particular should be noted:

• Sample code omits normal error-correction code. This code has been removed only to make the code more readable. You should include all appropriate error-correction code in your own applications.
• To make sample registry entries clear, key and subkey names are displayed with a bold font. Entry names and values are displayed with a standard font. User or application-defined item names are italicized.