Question

How can I write or draw controls to the Windows 7 preview area using C#? For an example of what I am talking about, open Windows Media Player in Windows 7 and play a song. While the song is playing, minimize Windows Media player, then hover your mouse over the Windows Media Player icon and you will see a pause, rewind and fast forward button just below the actual Media Player preview window. How can I duplicate this kind of behavior in C#?

Answer 1

You’re looking for Windows 7 Thumbnail Toolbars:

Thumbnail toolbars provide a mini
“remote-control” opportunity for a
window from its thumbnail. For
example, to switch to the next song in
Windows Media Player you don’t need to
use the clumsy Media Player desk band
or to switch to the Media Player
application. Instead, you can use the
thumbnail toolbar directly to perform
this task, without interrupting your
work flow by jumping to another
application.

Copied shamelessly from that MSDN article:

//In your window procedure:
switch (msg) {
    case g_wmTBC://TaskbarButtonCreated
        THUMBBUTTON buttons[2];
        buttons[0].dwMask = THB_ICON|THB_TOOLTIP|THB_FLAGS;
        buttons[0].iId = 0;
        buttons[0].hIcon = GetIconForButton(0);
        wcscpy(buttons[0].szTip, L"Tooltip 1");
        buttons[0].dwFlags = THBF_ENABLED;
        buttons[1].dwMask = THB_ICON|THB_TOOLTIP|THB_FLAGS;
        buttons[1].iId = 1;
        buttons[1].hIcon = GetIconForButton(1);
        wcscpy(buttons[0].szTip, L"Tooltip 2");
        buttons[1].dwFlags = THBF_ENABLED;
        VERIFY(ptl->ThumbBarAddButtons(hWnd, 2,buttons));
        break;
    case WM_COMMAND:
        if (HIWORD(wParam) == THBN_CLICKED)
        {
            if (LOWORD(wParam) == 0)
                MessageBox(L"Button 0 clicked", ...);
            if (LOWORD(wParam) == 1)
                MessageBox(L"Button 1 clicked", ...);
        }
        break;
}