Creating a program to run in the windows start menu task bar [Resolved]

[Porsche944]

Has anyone ever experimented or have any ideas on how to accomplish the following.

I have a program that searches Active Directory for information. I would like to create a little 'applet' that runs in the taskbar much like the Internet Explorer Address bar or various internet searching tools.

Anyone have any idea how to do this in VB .Net 2003?

[wossname]

You mean the system tray?

If so then see here...http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=335383

(its a fully formed but tiny little replacement for the system clock).

[Porsche944]

Nope not the system tray the actual taskbar where programs can be accessed. If you right click on the toolbar near the start button and go to Toolbars you should have options for

Links
Quick Launch
Desktop

ect.

[Porsche944]

bump - e - de - bump - bump

[wossname]

I see. You'd have to do some fancy registry work. Probably not worth the effort. Most people would prefer it to reside in the system tray.

[Porsche944]

I am creating this program for the system administrators here and we would actually like it to run in the taskbar since we will be using often to search for locations of users here at work.

Any idea what registry keys I need to add?

[wossname]

Afraid not. It won't be easy thoug I can tell you that. Kleinma was looking at something similar the other day he might be able to shed some light on it.

[<ABX]

MSDN Reference

Usually Shell Integration is quite a pain in the ass, if not Impossible, to do in pure .Net.

[Porsche944]

Nice information guys this looks to be a little out of my real of understanding at the moment. Maybe I'll just dock a small form to the bottom of the screen or something for the time being.

[RobDog888]

A long time ago I seen a similar thread. He was wanting to place icons in a toolbar that would be in the taskbar like the quick launch or
Office 2003 alternative user input toolbar. I cant remember what was the solution, if any, but it may help to search for it.

[wossname]

I would never sanction the amount of time required for this, for such a project. A user tracking program should be a simple tool, as portable as possible, not tied into the shell if possible. Too many things to go wrong on different versions of windows. Its the sort of thing you want to take with you on a USB disk and take it away again after using it.

$0.02.

[Porsche944]

I think a simpler solution would be to create a form that docks ontop of the taskbar and is always on top. This would not be tied into the shell and could work on any version of windows xp. As for portability all our workstations are running the same operation system so I don't think that would be to much of a problem. But I'm not going to waste time creating a com object for my program, I can only find c++ examples online and I am not to familiar with c++. I would have to rewrite a lot of my program.

I might consider going with a docking solution but, for the time being they will have to deal with it being in the system tray.

Thanks for the help gurus