Synesis Software Windows Shell Extensions

Windows shell extensions do exactly what they claim, they extend the Windows shell (the user interface that is based around Explorer), by providing additional property pages or additional context-menu options for a shell item (file, folder, drive, printer, etc.). They comprise the following:

Download the shell extensions

Available here are the downloaded archives of the shell extension releases. In the table below are listed the release label (a name used to uniquely identify the release), the date of release, the release notes (a html file available on this site, but which is also included in the archive) and the release archive (either a zip file containing all the library source files and the release notes, or a self-extracting installation executable).

Previous releases will remain available for existing client support and reference.

Release Label

Release Date

Release Notes

Release File

SSWSE_2_0_2

15th August 2006

shellext2_0_2.html

shellext-2.0.2.exe

SSWSE_2_0_1

1st August 2006

shellext2_0_1.html

This version withdrawn because the Grab Path extension has a bug that crashes Explorer on some versions of Windows. Use version 2.0.2 instead.

SSWSE_1_6_1

21st May 2004

shellext1_6_1.htm

shellext1_6_1.exe

SSWSE_1_5_1

26th June 2003

shellext1_5_1.htm

shellext1_5_1.exe

SSWSE_1_4_4

17th February 2003

shellext1_4_4.htm

shellext1_4_4.exe

Forum

Due to the level of abuse by systematic mail-spammers, the mailing list has been abandoned in favour of a group at Google Groups: http://groups.google.com/group/Shell-Extensions Feel free to post comments, requests, bug-reports, suggestions.

Services

If you wish to engage Synesis Software to develop custom shell extensions for your organisation, or to provide any other professional services, please get in touch via the contact page on the Synesis website.

Details

Synesis Software Command Box Shell Extension (mecmdbox.dll)

Synesis Software Command Box Shell Extension Menu Entries The Synesis Software Command Box Shell Extension is a simple, single-command, shell extension. It provides a context-menu entry to open a command box whose current directory is that of the currently selected directory item(s).
Features include:
 

Simple and convenient operation, simply right-click on a directory (folder) in Explorer, and select Open command box.
 

Open single or multiple boxes.

Synesis Software Date Rename Shell Extension (medatemv.dll)

Synesis Software Date Rename Shell Extension Menu Entries The Synesis Software Date Rename Shell Extension is a simple, single-command, shell extension. It provides a context-menu entry that causes the selected file(s) to be renamed with the current date appended. For example, if the file is abc.txt, and the date is 16th August 2006, then the file will be renamed to abc-20060816.txt.

Note: A future version will allow renaming with a number of different formats. Feel free to post suggestions on the Forum.

Synesis Software File Case Shell Extension (meflcase.dll)

Synesis Software File Cast Shell Extension Menu Entries The Synesis Software File Case Shell Extension allows the user to alter the case of selected file item(s). It provides the three context-menu options for files in the Explorer shell of Convert to lower case, Convert to upper case and Capitalise, as shown in the accompanying graphic below. Selection of one of these options causes the name(s) of the selected file(s) to be transformed in the given manner.
This is very useful when editing html files on a Windows system (case-insensitive) which are then FTP-ed up to a UNIX host (case-sensitive).
Features include:
 

Simple and convenient operation, simply right-click on an item in Explorer, and select command.
 

Convert file name(s) to lower case, via Convert to lower case
 

Convert file name(s) to upper case, via Convert to upper case
 

Capitalise file name(s), via Capitalise.
 

Convert single or multiple files.

Synesis Software File Touch Shell Extension (metouch.dll)

Synesis Software File Touch Shell Extension Menu Entries The Synesis Software File Touch Shell Extension provides functionality for changing the timestamp on single files or on multiple selections.
Features include:
 

Simple and convenient operation, simply right-click on a file in Explorer, and select Touch now (to set the timestamp of the selected file(s) to be the current time) or Touch ....
 

When multiple files are selected, you can select to set the timestamp of the selected files to that of the oldest (via the Touch to oldest command) or the newest (via the Touch to newest command).
 

Simple user interface. Touch Dialog (shown below) is invoked, allowing you to specify the precise values of the timestamp of the selected file(s).

Synesis Software File Touch Shell Extension Arguments Dialog

Synesis Software Grab Path Shell Extension (megrpath.dll)

Synesis Software Grab Path Shell Extension Menu Entries The Synesis Software Grab Path Shell Extension is a simple, single-command, shell extension. It provides a context-menu entry to copy the full path(s) of the currently selected item(s) (including directories) to the clipboard.
This is useful for when an application requires a path name but doesn't offer the user the opportunity to browse for it. The answer is to go to Explorer, find the file, right-click and copy the path to the clipboard, and then return to the original app and paste it straight in!

Synesis Software Grab Path Shell Extension Arguments Dialog Features include:

  • Simple and convenient operation, simply right-click on an item in Explorer, and select Copy paths to clipboard.
  • Copy paths in standard (C:\directory\file.ext) format, or in network-compatible UNC (\\machine\directory\file.ext) format.
  • Copy single or multiple paths.
  • Copies paths of file, directories, or any combination thereof.
  • Unix compatible (i.e. use / instead of \ for the path element separator).
  • Supports UNC filenames for files and directories on mapped network drives.
  • Supports short/Windows-3.0 filenames.
  • New! Supports URL format.
  • When multiple paths are selected, gives the option to separate them with spaces, lines, tabs, in quotes, or without separaters.

Synesis Software ReadOnly Toggler Shell Extension (merdonly.dll)

Synesis Software ReadOnly Toggler Shell Extension Menu Entries The Synesis Software ReadOnly Toggler Shell Extension allows a convenient control over the read-only status of a file or files.
Simply right-click on the fil(e), and select Read Only. This menu item is checked if the file is read-only, or unchecked if not. By selecting the item you toggle the current status.
If you have selected multiple files, and they have different read-only statuses, then you'll be presented with two options - Set All Files To Read Only and Set All Files To Writeable - which either make all the selected files read-only, or makes them all writeable.

Synesis Software Remote Reboot Shell Extension (mereboot.dll)

Synesis Software Remote Reboot Shell Extension Menu Entries

The Synesis Software Remote Reboot Shell Extension provides a simple mechanism for shutting down or rebooting another machine on your local NT domain.

Simply right-click on the fil(e), and select Shutdown Server to shut down the server (using the default timeout and message), Reboot Server to reboot the server (using the default timeout and message) or Reboot ... which opens up the Remote Reboot dialog.

During shutdown / reboot, the Pending dialog will be shown, which provides you with the ability to abort the shutdown.

reboot pending ...

Synesis Software Remote Reboot Shell Extension Arguments Dialog

The Remote Reboot dialog allows you to initiate or abort system shutdowns and to modify the defaults used by the Shutdown Server and Reboot Server menu entries.

Note:

  • The shell extension will only work on Windows NT family (that's NT4, 2000 or XP) machines

  • You must have been granted the "Force Shutdown From Remote System" privilege by your system adminstrator.

Warning/disclaimer: Rebooting machines on which your co-workers are actively working will likely result in your being disciplined, or being relieved of your job. Synesis Software strongly advises that you use this tool only under the guidance of your system administrator.

SYNESIS SOFTWARE ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR SYSTEM, OR THAT YOU CAUSE TO ANY OTHER SYSTEMS, VIA USE OF THIS TOOL.

Synesis Software Empty Directory Remover Shell Extension (meremdir.dll)

Synesis Software Empty Directory Remover Shell Extension Menu Entries

The Synesis Software Empty Directory Remover Shell Extension provides a simple mechanism for removing empty directories of the selected directory(ies).

Simply right-click on the fil(e), and select Remove empty sub-directories to remove all the sub-directories of the selected directory.

Note:

  • The current version is only an alpha version. It functions correctly but during the deletion, which can take a long time, the explorer window is not refreshed, and there is only a busy-cursor to indicate that the operation is progressing. The next release will contain a full version. In the meantime, don't hesitate to send in suggestions for how you would prefer it to work.

Synesis Software Run Program Shell Extension (merunprg.dll)

Synesis Software Run Program Shell Extension Menu Entries

The Synesis Software Run Program Shell Extension is a single-command, shell extension for programs that provides the facility to invoke a program with user-supplied arguments.


This is useful for when an application requires arguments, such as when you need to register a new program, and you wish to do so via Explorer, rather than opening a command box.


Features include:

 

Simple and convenient operation, simply right-click on a directory (folder) in Explorer, and select Run with arguments ....
 

Simple user interface. Arguments Dialog (shown below) is invoked, within which you may enter arguments that are then passed to the selected program(s).
 

Stores most recently used arguments, accessible via drop down list.

Synesis Software Command Box Shell Extension Arguments Dialog