custom (virtual) project item types

Question

custom (virtual) project item types

Rudolf Meier 291

Is there a way to write an extension, so that a module that I'm writing is showing/generating/implementing a virtual item "myvirtualthing" in the tree beside the .h and .cpp files, when I add a ".myspecialfile" file to a project?

in short -> virtual item -> generated from an extension

is that possible?

Mohamed El-Qassas 1,406 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Volunteer Moderator

2022-04-03T21:38:39.437+00:00

Please update your question title with an approbative and meaningful title to avoid question closing! , Thanks for understanding!
Tianyu Sun-MSFT 34,836 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-04-04T11:20:26.49+00:00

Hi @Rudolf Meier , I guess what you want is like showing an additional custom icon and some additional custom texts as a new item node in Solution Explorer? As you know, Visual Studio Solution Explorer is designed to add, show or filter existing file items, project items, but not for showing custom virtual files/items. You may need to check if there is any related API that supports to implement and add, show the custom item node.
Rudolf Meier 291 Reputation points

2022-04-04T14:49:31.613+00:00

Well, what I really want is this.

Open a C# or C++ project. Then go to the "Resource view". Then click on a node and open the "Properties" window. Now you see, that this node is of a specific "type" e.g. for a .rc file is a "IRCNode" and for a dialog resource a "IDialogRes"... for C# parts its a bit different. The interfaces I'm seeing here can be found in the typelibs included in the resedit.dll (Common7\IDE\VC\vcpackages)...

And the thing I want to know is -> how does the IRCNode or IDialogRes object get into the resource view. Why is it in there? And can I write an extension that does the same?

Rudolf
Tianyu Sun-MSFT 34,836 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2022-04-22T10:08:41.653+00:00

Hi @Rudolf Meier , I don’t find more related information, your requirement is to customize the tool window(Resource View) and get the related file node properties. Perhaps you need to check tool window related SDKs. Besides, I think it is possible to do the same.