Targeting new Windows 7 Features | Tech Off

KevinB

Hi,

I know that the API's probably aren't fully documented at this stage, but does anyone have info on developing applications that target Windows 7? In particular, I am interested in the new shell features such as jump lists and changing the contents of the preview thumbnails that get displayed.

Thanks,
Kevin

ZippyV
Fired Up

I'd suggest you wait for the beta which will be coming shortly. Most of the times there will be an SDK release too which contains enough information to get you started on developing with the new api's.

Dexter

Until the beta this is probably the best you can get:

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/PDC08WhitePapers/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=1797

(there's a taskbar related doc near the end of that list)

KevinB

In reply to Dexter

#Dec 22nd, 2008 @ 1:28 AM

Very interesting read, cheers.

DCMonkey
Monkey see, monkey do, monkey will destroy you!

On a somewhat related tangent, I hope the new Windows 7 specific features don't suffer the same fate as Vista's (ie: Task Dialogs), though having the defaults based on pre-existing features (ie: re-purposing the Recent Items list to the Jump Lists) should help alleviate this.

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

There's already one Windows 7 feature that you can target with an API of today. If you use the IProgressDialog API to show a progress dialog (which has been around since Windows 2000), you get progress indication in the task bar button for free on Windows 7.

ZippyV
Fired Up

In reply to Sven Groot

#Jan 3rd @ 6:27 AM

How does it look in the task bar on Windows 7?

littleguru
<3 Seattle

In reply to ZippyV

#Jan 3rd @ 9:14 AM

Well, the button in the superbar shows also the progress of the current process by filling up with a green color - if I remember correctly from the presentations.

KevinB

In reply to Sven Groot

#Jan 3rd @ 6:27 AM

Yeah, I noticed that. Great because it means that more applications are going to be Win7 enabled right out the door and will look different to them running on Vista.

I still want to do some programming around preview thumbnails though.

Kevin

joechung

Check out the PDC 2008 videos on Windows 7.

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

In reply to DCMonkey

#Dec 29th, 2008 @ 3:27 PM

I dunno, the Jumplist feature does seem like a bit of a gimmick, and I see it being abused too.

littleguru
<3 Seattle

In reply to W3bbo

#Jan 3rd @ 4:26 PM

You mean by the application itself? Could you go into more details how this would be abused and how that would look like?

stevo_
Human after all

I think jump lists are great, at least the idea that an app can provide groups itself which is much cooler.. I guess by abuse you mean its a place where an app can just go nuts and make a complete mess.. but then any app could do that today anyway by various places the os gives it right to effect gui.. even down to forms where you could make them look terrible.. steam for example.. why does steam have to look like ass - aparently its for some skinning crap, but thats a load of sh-