Using Windows API Code Pack can I get Windows Explorer AddresBar path?

Question

I would like to know whether the Class Library of the Microsoft's Windows APi Code Pack library provides a direct way to iterate the Windows Explorer instances to retrieve the current path of the address bar of each Explorer instance, in simple words, I need to get a list with all the paths that are open by Explorer.exe instances.

This is the text which I would like to retrieve (from all running instances of explorer.exe)

I don't know if this is possibly using Windows API Code Pack then I do not have any code to demonstrate my progress (which is Zero), I'm just asking for information about this to procceed with a better investigation, but any kind of code example will be very appreciated.

If Windows API Code Pack can't help in the task, what alternatives I have to realize this? maybe Microsoft UI automation ?

PS: I doscovered the way to retrieve it using the interop Microsoft Internet Controls , the solution is explained in this url , but I'm really interested into learn how to do it using Windows API Code Pack

Answer 1

This will get you most of the way there, First, add reference for Microsoft Shell Controls and Automation and Microsoft Internet Controls from the COM tab in Project -> References

Imports Shell32

Private exList As New List(Of String) '

Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click

    Dim exShell As New Shell

    exList.Clear()

    For Each win As ShellBrowserWindow In DirectCast(exShell.Windows, IShellWindows)
        thisPath = ""
        If TryCast(win.Document, IShellFolderViewDual) IsNot Nothing Then
            thisPath = DirectCast(win.Document, IShellFolderViewDual).FocusedItem.Path
        ElseIf TryCast(win.Document, ShellFolderView) IsNot Nothing Then
            thisPath = DirectCast(win.Document, ShellFolderView).FocusedItem.Path
        End If

        If String.IsNullOrEmpty(thisPath) = False Then
            ExplorerFiles.Add(thisPath)
        End If

    Next
End Sub

Test output:

C:\Temp\_test
M:\Books - Non Fiction\Crusades - Iron Men and Saints\01 Iron Men and Saints.mp3
G:\_Video\_Movies

Sometimes it also seems to report the first item is selected. This might be a better way