We’ll use a simple C# Winforms project to test this all out. Net 3.5 SP1 to use the Windows API Code Pack. The code pack framework is provided as a static library built with. We’ll add to each thumbnail preview some buttons to control our application directly from the preview thumbnail. With the help of the Windows 7 API Code Pack adding individual thumbnails is very trivial, so let’s look at how to implement thumbnail previews for a tabbed application UI. Net managed code wrapper around the native API. The Windows 7 API Code Pack makes it easy to implement support for the key Windows 7 native features by providing a. NET managed code application this is easily achieved by using the Windows API Code Pack. These small application enhancements soon become second nature to users, who quickly expect modern applications to deliver them. The application developer can add to the jump list custom task items to provide more short-cuts to application functionality.

A jump list will contain a list of recently used files if the application has a file type associated with it. Right-clicking a minimised application taskbar icon also provides a new context menu in Windows 7. A preview thumbnail can have a mini toolbar giving access to core application functionality without the need for the user to open the application further. If the application has the latest multi-tabbed style of user interface, each tab can presented as its own preview thumbnail. As each icon is hovered over, it can present a thumbnail image of the current user interface.

What's new?Įach minimised application icon can been overlaid with custom icons or alpha-blended progress bars, providing the user with visual clues to the applications state.

NET applications by supporting the new tabbed thumbnail application previews, thumbnail toolbars, and jump lists. The task bar has some of the most visible improvements in Windows 7, so this article is going to get you started on how to enhance your.

Preview on windows 7 taskbar