Creating a Custom Shell

The shell provides the user with an interface to the objects necessary for running applications and managing the Windows CE operating system on a device. These can be real objects on the device, such as files and folders; virtual objects, such as the Recycle Bin; or remote objects accessed through a network.

Windows CE allows you to implement a wide variety of shells from simple command line interfaces to fully customized graphical user interfaces adapted to your platforms. A Windows CE shell consists of components that each provide a specific area of shell functionality.

In This Section

• Selecting Shell Components
  Describes the shell components that are available for a platform.
• How to Customize the Shell
  Describes how to work with the standard shell source code in your own platform.
• Including a Command Processor
  Provides a description of the command line processor.
• Including the Standard Shell
  Provides a description of the standard shell.
• Including the Taskman Shell
  Provides a description of the Taskman shell.
• Shell Components
  Describes the elements hosted by the shell, such as common controls and Control Panel.
• Hiding System Sound Events
  Describes the sound events available through the shell.
• Creating a Welcome Application
  Describes how to add an application to your platform that runs once when the user starts the device for the first time.
• Installing a Custom Shell
  Describes how to register your own application as a shell.
• Enabling Shell Callback Functions
  Describes the callback functions that your shell application must support.
• Shell Reference
  Provides reference information for shell programming elements.
• Control Panel
  Describes the implementation details for creating Control Panel applications.

Related Sections

• Developing Platform Elements
  Provides a list of topics related to adding and customizing elements of a platform.
• Customizing the User Interface
  Describes how to customize core elements of the user interface.
• OS Configurations How-to Topics
  Describes how to configure and deploy the preconfigured Windows CE–based platforms that are available in Platform Builder.
• Platform Development How-to Topics
  Describes how to develop and work with specific operating system (OS) features that can be included in a Windows CE–based platform.

Last updated on Wednesday, April 13, 2005

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