July 2000
Intermediate to advanced
392 pages
10h 19m
English
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The VB Shell Type Library
During the course of this book, we will build a type library that facilitates building shell components. A type library is a language-independent file that contains interface definitions, enumerations, and constants. The type library we build will contain only those definitions that are necessary for programming components for the Windows shell. (Actually, some of the interfaces we use could be used elsewhere.)
Type libraries are built using a scripting language called, simply enough, Interface Definition Language, or IDL. Knowing IDL is not necessary for reading this book. In fact, you can consider this book an IDL boot camp. IDL is actually a rich language, but because of the environment we are in (Visual Basic), many of the more advanced features of the language are beyond our reach. So actually, I will use only the most basic elements of the language in this book.
The type library we will build is specific only with regards to the shell, not the book. Therefore, you will be able to take this library with you for use in your own shell-related projects when you are done. But even though we will focus on the shell, we do so with the idea that you will be able to take the principles learned with you.
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