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CBFS Shell
The easiest way to extend and customize Windows File Explorer with virtual folders, custom menus, toolbars, detail columns, and more.
DownloadThree new components allow your application to extend Windows File Explorer with ease [learn more].
Windows File Explorer Customization
Enhance your users' Windows File Explorer experience with CBFS Shell. Enable them to seamlessly interact with files and folders, tailor context menus to their needs, incorporate informative columns, and more.
Unlike in-process code that risks crashing the File Explorer process, CBFS Shell operates independently, communicating with your application through a robust RPC mechanism. Windows File Explorer and other applications remain stable and unaffected by unexpected or unhandled conditions within your shell application.
Supported operations include:
- Creating and managing Virtual Folders
- Customizing Visual Information including Views, Thumbnails, Toolbars, etc.
- Context Menu item customization
- Supporting End-User Actions such as Drag, Drop, Copy, and Paste
- Creating Custom Columns visible in Detail View
Greater File Explorer Stability
Our unique proxy runs in the File Explorer process, which calls your code via local RPC. Your code runs out of process, keeping File Explorer stable and responsive. This configuration is what enables you to use managed .NET code to create Shell Namespace Extensions.
Virtual Folders
CBFS Shell can be used to easily create and manage Virtual Folders (display custom data as files) with the help of a Windows Shell Namespace Extension. Data can be read from essentially any source or created on-demand. When a user navigates into a Virtual Folder, the data is presented as a tree of folders and files, just like any other folder.
Additional Views and Visual Information
CBFS Shell's standard namespace also includes other UI elements you can customize, such as:
- Details View, List View, and Icon View
- Thumbnails and Tooltips
- Property Pages
- Toolbars and Ribbons
Complete Navigation and Menu Options
CBFS Shell allows your application to handle many standard End-User Actions on files and folders, such as:
- Context Menus (with standard or specific items)
- Drag, Drop, Copy, Paste, Cut, Delete, and Link
- Go To, Backward, Forward, Level Up, Level Down
- Grouping and Filtering
- Searching
Custom Columns
CBFS Shell allows you to customize which columns are visible within the detail view of Windows File Explorer. Choose from many pre-defined options or create your own columns. Both text and icons can be displayed in a Custom Column. CBFS Shell allows you to present items within a folder in a way that best fits your specific use case.
Supported Platforms
.NET
High Performance .NET Components
A .NET component layer managing a high-performance native Windows shell extension.
- Support for .NET 8, .NET 7, .NET 6, .NET 5, and .NET Core 3.1.
- Extensive sample applications written in C#.
- Comprehensive integrated product documentation.
- Seamless integration with Visual Studio.
C++
High-Performance C++ Classes
High-performance C++ classes packaged in 32-bit & 64-bit Windows DLLs. The edition of choice for C++ development.
- C++ classes built atop our high-performance shared codebase.
- Extensive C++ sample applications.
- Comprehensive HTML product documentation.
- Seamless integration with popular development environments, including Visual Studio.
- Precompiled binaries for x86/x64 and ARM.
Delphi
Native Delphi Components
Native Delphi components wrapping a Windows-only driver, based on the same high-performance codebase as our other editions. The natural choice for Delphi programming.
- Delphi VCL components built atop our high-performance shared codebase.
- Extensive Delphi sample applications.
- Comprehensive integrated product documentation.
- Support for all Delphi versions between Delphi 6 and RAD Studio 12.
Python
Python Modules
Python 3 modules managing a robust Windows-only driver.
- Support for Python 3.
- Extensive console sample applications.
- Easy installation using PIP.
- Comprehensive HTML documentation.
Qt
Qt Class Libraries
High-performance Qt classes packaged in 32-bit & 64-bit Windows DLLs. The edition of choice for Qt development.
- 32-bit & 64-bit C++ class libraries (Windows DLLs).
- Support for Qt 4.8 and Qt 5.
- Qt GUI sample applications and comprehensive HTML documentation.
- Seamless integration with Qt Creator.
Go
Go Packages
High-performance Go packages based on the same C++ codebase as our other editions. The edition of choice for Go development.
- High-performance, C++-based Go modules.
- 32-bit & 64-bit C++ class libraries (Windows DLLs).
- Supports Go 1.13 and later.
- Comprehensive HTML product documentation.
Rust
Rust Packages
Rust classes packaged in 32-bit & 64-bit Windows DLLs.
- Rust packages built on our high-performance shared codebase.
- Extensive sample applications.
- Comprehensive HTML product documentation.
- Precompiled binaries for x86/x64 and ARM.
Components
The following components are included in CBFS Shell.
ShellFolder
ShellMenu
ShellNotify
Included Samples
The following samples are installed with the product. Please download the trial to get started.
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CBFS Shell
The easiest way to extend and customize Windows File Explorer with virtual folders, custom menus, toolbars, detail columns, and more.