Shell Integration for Applications
Integrating with the Windows Shell aids the discoverability, consistency, and usability of applications.
Themes and Visual Styles
Themes and visual styles allow you to change the way elements appear on the Microsoft Windows desktop. In WPF, a theme is a set of resources, defined at the system level, which provide the default appearance for controls and other visual elements of an application. WPF themes are created using styles and include Luna, Aero, Royale, and Classic.
| Programming Model | Documentation Links |
|---|---|
Managed |
Microsoft.Windows.Themes (WPF) |
Unmanaged |
Themes and Visual Styles (Windows Shell) |
Standard Shell Interfaces
The Microsoft Windows desktop exposes a set of standard Shell interfaces, such as interfaces exposed by Shell folders.
| Programming Model | Documentation Links |
|---|---|
Unmanaged |
Windows Shell (Win32) |
Shell Communication Protocols
The Microsoft Windows desktop exposes a set of communication protocols that allow communications between system applications, such as Program Manager, and other applications.
| Programming Model | Documentation Links |
|---|---|
Unmanaged |
Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) interface of Program Manager (Progman.exe) |